Laying out the straw carpet: Regina gets ready for agribition

Before the Canadian Western Agribition starts on Monday in Regina, staff and volunteer are quickly setting up for the big event.

There will be 90 events over six days including a rodeo, livestock sales, and even a cow milking demonstration.
 
Agribition CEO Marty Seymour says a lot of farmers, animals, and businesses will be heading to town this weekend.  
 
“We’ll have 400 trade show exhibitors, that’s combines, tractors, household products. That all gets laid into place on the weekend. Livestock they start arriving Friday and Saturday.”
 
Around 2,500 head of livestock will be making their way to the city. Seymour says the first cattle arrived on Wednesday from B.C. and Ontario.
 
The barns are set up but Seymour says they feel more like a spa for cattle.
 
“Their hair is combed and blowed and clipped and they start to get prepped for their competitions for the rest of the week. Then at night we move them outside and they go into a large fenced in area where they lay on nice fluffy straw.”
 
Cattle and farmers aren’t the only ones to benefit from agribition.
 
“We host over 125,000 visitors from 65 countries. What it means to the province and the city is a $37-million economic impact and about 20 million of that lands in the city of Regina,” said Seymour.
 
With people coming from 65 countries, Seymour says they have volunteers at the airport to welcome guests to Regina and take them to their hotel and agribition at Evraz Place.  
 
For those in Regina wanting to taking a shuttle to Agribition, you can take the Agribition Express. The free bus leaves Southland or Northgate Mall every hour starting at 10 a.m. on Monday.

news@panow.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow