By Alice McFarlane

Agribition 2020 becomes online event with several new programs

Oct 7, 2020 | 3:39 PM

Virtual breed shows will headline Canadian Western Agribition’s (CWA) reworked program for 2020.

CWA will hold a comprehensive multi-breed virtual cattle show online.

Agribition Evolution Series is a purebred beef show that will feature 11 breeds with Grand Champion Bulls and Females from each breed competing for the Evolution Series Supreme Champion title.

The Evolution Supreme Champions will receive a champion banner and $1,000 credit toward the CWA 2021 show. Entries for the Evolution Series opened on Sept. 22 and will remain open until Oct. 22.

CWA President Chris Lees said November would not be the same without Agribition.

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“The Agribition Evolution Series is designed specifically for our exhibitors and will give them a chance to promote their cattle and programs to the industry and to the world,” Lees said in a news release.

CWA is also holding a virtual competition for youth with the Agribition Junior Spotlight, as well as a virtual Junior Judging Competition.

There will be other programs including Maple Leaf Finals Rodeo TV which is a limited-episode series giving a behind the scenes look at rodeo at CWA and across Canada featuring contestant interviews and rodeo highlights. Rodeo 101 is an educational video series that explains the sport, rules, athleticism, and animal care that are all part of the Maple Leaf Circuit Finals at Agribition and rodeos across Canada.

Agribition’s Top 50 in Canadian Ag is a coast-to-coast campaign to find and celebrate the 50 most influential people in Canadian agriculture.

Agribition’s Virtual Education Program is a free digital collection of age-specific activities for teachers and students that highlight the same kind of ag education thousands of students experience at Agribition every year.

Agribition Commercial Cattle Exhibitor’s live commercial cattle sale, in partnership with Johnstone’s Auction Mart, will be held in Moose Jaw on Nov. 28. The sale will be broadcasted online through Direct Livestock Marketing Systems.

AgribitionConnect Exhibitor Showcase is a brand-new digital marketing service available to select CWA livestock and agriculture trade show exhibitors. It will serve as a year-round multi-media platform for showcasing products and programs, as well as connecting exhibitors with CWA’s domestic and international buyers.

Agribition Virtual Yards is a virtual space for CWA beef exhibitors, who traditionally market their programs within pens, to digitally showcase their operation, breeding program, and upcoming sales.

The Supreme Showdown is a bracket-style competition between every beef supreme champion at Agribition. Champion bulls and females advance through votes until one supreme winner is crowned.

Agribition All-Stars is a social media event recognizing the volunteers who have kept Agribition going for a half century.

In addition to these new programs, CWA is also continuing the Next Gen Agriculture Mentorship Program, BMO Celebrating Women in Ag Award, and the CWA Scholarship Program.

CWA CEO Chris Lane said when it became clear they wouldn’t be able to host Agribition the way they normally would they immediately went to work building an experience that offers a variety of competition, marketing, entertainment, and education opportunities.

“We promised we’d be here for our exhibitors and partners, and despite the challenges and uncertainty of COVID-19 that’s exactly what we hope these programs accomplish,” Lane said.

Details of each of the new programs will be online at agribition.com as they become available.

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alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF