WESTLOCK – After having to cancel Farmfair International in November 2020 due to COVID-19, the annual event is back once again Nov. 10-14.
And the new director is Leah Jones, who’s no stranger to agriculture and the Westlock area. She is the eldest daughter of Sharon and James Dick of the Linaria area, growing up on the farm there and attending schools in the area. She was active and very successful in 4-H with the Sunniebend Beef 4-H Club, and along with sisters Tina and Debbie and brother Blaine, all winning Westlock & District 4-H Champion titles through their years of 4-H. She continued on with 4-H as a leader, and her own son and daughters were involved in 4-H, and until recently, she headed up the Alberta 4-H Foundation.
In her new role as director for the renewed annual show, she says this year’s events include many of the events of the past. That includes the cattle breed shows, interbreed shows, “Shows like Legends of the Fall, the Supreme show; we have the Commercial Pen Show and the Heritage Ranch Rodeo,” she said.
“There are still things being confirmed. There will certainly be the Heritage Ranch Rodeo along with some other like entertainment.”
Regarding the annual farm family honours, Jones it’s her understanding there will be presentations and it could be larger than previous years because there were farm families who were recognized by the counties last year, but we couldn’t because of COVID.
All of the events take place at the Edmonton EXPO Center at Northlands Park, where it has been held for many years. And as in the past the event will wrap up with the supreme champion big grand finale Nov. 14. In past years, several local area breeders representing several breeds have shown cattle at this event, and that is expected again this year.
“The cattle will be stalled in their usual halls. We’ll be using both the show ring up in Hall B as well as events in the Supreme down in Hall D where the dirt is,” she said.
She also noted that they’ve secured an additional $210,000 in prize money for this year for the breed shows; which makes Farmfair International “a pretty prestigious show.”
Jones added there will be no admission charge, so once people have parked (there is a parking fee), there is no extra charge.
“A lot of it will stay the same. It’s just what we’re doing to either incentive people or to create new. We’re really focused on the cattle producer and the commercial people,” she pointed out. “Anybody that wants to enter their animals to showcase them at Farmfair, entries open on Sept. 1. Just go to the website for more information.”
