By Lucas Horsman
With Canadian Western Agribition (CWA) about to kick off, Regina prepares for what may be one of the most successful exhibition years in recent memory.
“We are very optimistic about this year’s show,” said CWA President Michael Latimer. “We expect to hit our attendance targets from last year of 145,000 … Saturday night’s rodeo is already sold out, and cattle numbers are already ahead of last year as well.”
Throughout its 54 year history, CWA has grown into the largest livestock show in Canada, with plenty of international attention being drawn as well. Latimer said that visitors from many nations including Mongolia, Saudi Arabia and Australia will arrive during the week to participate.
All of this activity brings a large amount of wealth into the area, and not just from private sales conducted at the exhibition. “When an event can come into the province and inject $120 million in economic impact, that’s very important, especially during what is normally down-time in tourism. Hotels are full, restaurants are full, it’s a big event,” said CWA CEO Shaun Kindopp.
Along with economic opportunity, CWA brings a lot of novel entertainment to Regina. Madison Dunne, who has worked the past two years as a bartender during Agribition, says there’s lots of fun to be had even if you’re not in the market for cattle.
“It’s always the best time, the energy is high, and the rodeo is always awesome,” she said. “I remember going as a kid too, and with school … it’s a good learning opportunity, (and) a great experience whether you’re a farmer or not.”
Along with live music, rodeo shows and local vendors, many of the animals being brought in produce a buzz amongst curious visitors. Such attractions include the famous Texas Longhorn, renowned for their impressive headwear. Alpaca can also be found at the show, a relatively new addition in recent years.
The largest land animal in North America, the bison, can also be found at Agribition. “We got bison here, I know that is always a big draw. There’s not a lot of opportunity for the young folk to see them in-person. Given the cultural and historical significance, it’s nice to see those animals,” said Latimer.
This year also marks the first appearance of SaskAgMatters at Agribition, a mental health support system specifically for people in agriculture. Directors Cynthia Beck and Cyle Stewart were present to support the launch of the ‘Not One More’ suicide prevention campaign, and to make people aware of the support available to them.
Their organization is run off of donations, made up of professionals who all have a background in agriculture counseling services. Their website at www.saskagmatters.ca contains more information about the mental health issues farmers face, along with six hours of free counseling per year for farmers and ranchers.
