Submitted by Don and Leslie Richardson--The BC Ferry run out of Skidegate on Nov. 4 carried Don and Leslie Richardson, along with their show string of six Hereford cattle from Tlell, starting them down the trail to Farmfair International in Edmonton. This is one of Canada's largest cattle shows, annually seeing over 80,000 visitors, including many international trade delegations, checking out the over 1000 head of cattle and 800 horses exhibited. Cattle shows, stock dog trials, team penning and the Canadian finals rodeo along with a huge cowboy Christmas art and gift show are only some of the events spread over the week.On Tuesday, Nov. 9, the Richardsons participated in the Hereford Genes Event where 34 Hereford breeders had earlier nominated one of their bulls to compete and also invited their customers to come and judge the animals. The customers were treated to a happy hour, a roast beef dinner, followed by an evening at the Ranch Rodeo. During half time at the Rodeo, in front of 5,000 people, the 34 bulls were lead into the arena where a draw was made and the winning guests got to choose a bull to take home and the breeder got $8,000. The 500 participants in the Genes Event also got to vote for their favorite bull and this year the "Ranchers Choice Bull Banner" and $1,500 went to Tlell 42S Super Dude 20W from the Richardson consignment.Success followed the Tlell crew into the Western National Hereford Show the next morning as over 100 head of Herefords, both Horned and Polled (without horns) competed together for the bragging rights. Coming out on top of the female side of the show was Tlell 8N Ragamuffin 22R, a five-year-old cow from Haida Gwaii, who was named Grand Champion Hereford Female. Her 1,090 lb. bull calf at side, Tlell 199S Xplosive 18X, born on Feb. 14 of this spring, came back during the bull side of the show to win the Bull Calf Champion Banner over the other 24 bull calves in attendance. Earlier both the Tlell heifer calf, Tlell 19K Xquisite 25X and their bred heifer, Tlell 59M Acky-Breaky Heart 18W, were also class winners for the Richardson's.The 22R cow represents nine generations of Tlell breedings, many of them using artificial insemination, tracing back to a cow purchased out of McBride in 1983. Her bull calf had topped the Richardson's online cattle sale earlier in the fall when possession after Farmfair and 50 percent semen interest was sold to Clay Enterprises of Wapella, SK. Never before has a Tlell animal generated as much interest in the show barn as this bull calf did. Traffic to the Richardson Ranch exhibit was steady all week as Canadian, Mexican and Argentine breeders alike all expressed an interest in future semen purchases. This week Don and Leslie are off to Agribition, in Regina, Western Canada's other large cattle show where Tlell 8N Xplosive 18X is showing in the Clay Enterprise string.