A local ranch has captured a prestigious award while representing Olds, Alberta, and Canada at an international event.
Harvie Ranching traveled to the United States for the 119th National Western Stock Show to compete with their carload of eight Hereford bulls.
Owner Jill Harvie with Harvie Ranching points out that last year they had the reserve national champion carload but this time they took it one step further by winning with the champion carload for 2025. She says “I think that the history of it all, people who have bred Hereford cattle and just cattle in general, really recognize the efforts and the importance of this particular award and just going down there means so much. We do believe we were, in recent history anyhow, the only Canadians of any breed to bring home this title and so it’s really exciting for Harvie Ranching to do so and we’ve had a lot of people cheering us on from Denver and also all over the world and right here at home.”
Two of the bulls out of their carload sold for top dollar. She says “the pick of our carload, we sold our bull – his name is Front Page – for $36,500 U.S. (to Lindskov Ranch) and then we left it up to the runner up if they wanted another bull in the carload and we sold the second bull for $36,000 U.S. to RSK Farms and they are off course in Canada. So we were really excited to have our bulls not only show incredibly well but sell as some of the sale toppers in the National Western Hereford sale. Harvie notes that Lindskove is located in South Dakota, and RSK Farms is from Manitoba.
Harvie calls it their largest achievement to date and bringing a carload of bulls to Denver, Colorado for the 16-day annual event is a lot of work and a lot of expense, and to win this title just means so much. She says “so being able to showcase and, I guess, sell a couple of the bulls down in Denver and have them reach such a great price was really exciting. I think it just showcases that there is really great cattle here in Canada, in Alberta and you can find them with those exhibitors, those breeders that are really putting the effort in and trying to show some leadership. You know, this year wasn’t necessarily easy to get down to Denver. There was additional paperwork but yet we felt it was really something that was worthwhile.”
At the National Western Stock Show, there is a panel of three judges that checks for consistency of colour, shape, size, markings, and they are also looking at their EPDs (Expected Progeny Differences) to find bulls that are the most consistent groups that really represent the breed the best. Harvie Ranching was up against three other carloads, and she says there were a large amount of pens this year as well. Denver hosted the National Western Stock Show from January 11th through the 26th.
Harvie discusses the status of the current international trade market with a new United States administration taking over in Washington. She says “with purchasing cattle from the U.S. and selling cattle to the U.S. as well, of course, looming tariffs is a big concern of ours. When we were in Denver, I will say other breeders are just very supportive of keeping trade alive and having it flow back and forth and there not being any tariffs. I do believe that Danielle Smith’s approach of being collaborative with the U.S. administration at this point is really, really important in instead of getting in a trade war.”
Harvie Ranching is a third generation ranch located in Olds, Alberta. Jill, her husband Cole and their two daughters Tinley and Lyla are aiming to going back to Denver with a carload again next year. She hopes their kids can compete in the junior shows there as well. Jill and Cole are Olds College alumni. She says “a big part of our successes over the years, and even just with this carload alone, is we have Olds College students come out to the ranch. Whether they are here when we are away or there with us on the show road I think they learn a lot and we learn from them, and we need their help. It has been really, really important for the college to be so close by. A lot of them say they learn just as much being here hands on at Harvie Ranching then even in the classroom but I think it is just such a great college. Cole and I are both alumni. We’re hoping that our daughters may also be part of the college someday and, of course, they do junior high school rodeo and so the trajectory to be part of the rodeo team is something we think about as well.” Jill is from Ontario and also went to the University of Guelph.
In the past, Harvie says they have had a reserve national championship win with their Charolais females at Farmfair International in Edmonton and they won the Divine Divas there this last year as well. She notes they have also had the reserve national champion female with their Charolais at Canadian Western Agribition in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Their annual bull sale is upcoming on March 11th. Learn more about them on the Harvie Ranching website or Facebook page.
Listen to 96.5 CKFM’s Community Hotline conversation with Jill Harvie.
(Supplied, Harvie Ranching)
