By Alice McFarlane

Agribition to return this fall despite pandemic

Apr 22, 2021 | 2:08 PM

MELFORT, Sask. – Canadian Western Agribition (CWA) plans return to a full show in 2021.

CWA is now setting its sights on November and a return to a week of rodeo, shopping, and livestock competition.

CWA CEO Chris Lane said the 50th show will be headlined by 12 national breed shows; the only time all breeds have held their national competitions under one roof.

“It will have been 24 months since the last Agribition and we’re ready to get back to business in November,” Lane said. “We’re working on a plan to welcome as many people as possible, host as many events as possible, and do it all safely and respectfully of any guidelines.”

The show will also include a culinary attraction, the nationally sanctioned Agribition Supreme BBQ Championship, with the winners earning a spot at the World Championships in Kansas City. Professional rodeo will be back at the Brandt Centre and Agribition will once again host one of Canada’s largest indoor trade shows.

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At it’s annual meeting today, the Agribition board also reported an operational loss of roughly $774,000 directly attributed to the postponement of the 2020 show.

CWA President Chris Lees said despite the obvious financial challenges, the past year showed how resilient and innovative the agriculture industry is.

“When it was obvious we couldn’t deliver Agribition, we built new programs designed specifically for our exhibitors and saw impressive participation,” Lees said.

In 2020, CWA introduced several online events including the Agribition Evolution Series, Canada’s first ever multi-breed virtual cattle show. CWA’s 2020 programs provided marketing and competition opportunities for hundreds of exhibitors and Agribition’s new Virtual Education Program reached more than 1,400 students and continues as a year-round program.

Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit said he was pleased to see Agribition is planning to return to an in-person show this fall and is confident the vaccination rollout will make an in-person show possible.

“CWA is an internationally renowned showcase for the world class genetics that Saskatchewan producers are known for,” Marit said in a media release. “We look forward to seeing CWA’s plans to protect the health and safety of all attendees and cannot wait to once again attend such an important event for our province.”

CWA will make several more announcements in the coming months including family entertainment and 50th anniversary programs.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW