Tlell breeder earns third straight Supreme Champion Female, adds Reserve Supreme Bull, and shines in Ranchers Choice, further solidifying the reputation as Richardson tops Lakes District Fall Fair.
Richardson Tops Lakes District Fall Fair
Richardson Ranch returned from the Lakes District Fall Fair in Burns Lake with a haul that speaks to consistency and quality. The 79th annual fair ran Sept. 5 to 7, 2025, and brought together beef breeders from across northern B.C. For readers who don’t live and breathe ranch life, here is what the wins mean and why they matter.
Don Richardson, the semi-retired veterinarian who runs Tlell Polled Herefords with his wife Leslie, put it plainly: “Bottom line we had Supreme Champion Cow for 3rd year in a row. That’s a best of the best award as all the winners of all the breed shows compete for Top Cow on Saturday.” In practical terms, the Supreme Female is the all-around title. First, cattle compete within their breeds, such as Hereford or Angus. Those breed winners then face each other for the Supreme crown, a single champion selected across every breed. Winning it once is difficult. Winning it three years in a row signals a deep, reliable program.
The centrepiece of Richardson Ranch’s weekend was a cow-calf pair. That term means a mature mother cow shown with her nursing calf at her side. Judges look for a sound, productive cow, good udder structure, and how well the calf represents the breeding. The same pair that earned Supreme Female also impressed commercial producers on Sunday. As Don summed up, “Same cow calf pair won Ranchers Choice Senior Cow on Sunday judged by panel of Commercial Cattle breeders.” Ranchers Choice is judged by people who make a living selling calves and beef. Their eye is tuned to what works in real pastures, not just in a ring.
Richardson Ranch also took a major bull title. “We also had Reserve Supreme Bull with the Bull calf who’s mother was Supreme Cow,” Don said. A bull calf is a male born this year. Earning Reserve Supreme Bull means he beat most of the top bulls of all breeds, second only to the overall champion. It also shows the strength of the dam line, with the Supreme female producing a son that rose to near the top.
On the Hereford side of the fair, the Yellowhead Hereford Mark of Excellence show provided the breed-by-breed results that feed into the Supreme classes. Richardson Ranch posted class wins with a bull calf and a heifer calf, and topped the mature cow with calf division. If you are new to the terminology, heifer means a young female that has not calved yet, and yearling means born the previous year. These classes are structured by sex and age so judges compare animals at similar stages of development. Breed champions from those classes, such as Grand Champion Female or Grand Champion Bull, then move forward to the all-breeds final.
The Richardson family’s connections stretched beyond Tlell this year. Don’s daughter, Jamie Richardson, manages Copper-T Ranch in Fraser Lake. “Daughter Jamie manages Copper-T Ranch in Fraser Lake and she won Supreme Bull,” Don said. That result, paired with Richardson Ranch’s Reserve Supreme Bull, underlines a shared family focus on sound structure, maternal strength, and performance.
For readers wondering how these titles translate back home, awards are more than ribbons. Each win helps market bulls and females to other ranches. A cow that can raise a standout calf and stay correct doing it is more likely to pass those traits along. A young bull with a Reserve Supreme ribbon will draw attention from commercial operations shopping for their next herd sire.
Richardson Ranch is not a newcomer to this stage. The program dates back generations in Tlell, where the family has built a Polled Hereford herd known for practicality and longevity. The focus is on cattle that calve reliably, grow well on grass, and hold together in Haida Gwaii’s coastal conditions. Show titles do not feed cattle through winter, but they help prove that the look of quality matches real-world results.
For Don and Leslie Richardson, the weekend was about putting years of selection on display. It ended with the same cow-calf pair standing at the top of the all-breeds lineup and a promising young bull right behind the overall champion. Or, as Don framed it, “Bottom line we had Supreme Champion Cow for 3rd year in a row,” with the same pair rising again in Ranchers Choice and a homebred bull calf earning Reserve Supreme.
