By Alice McFarlane

Lower attendance does not dampen the spirits of Agribition organizers

Dec 6, 2021 | 4:00 PM

MELFORT, Sask. — Canadian Western Agribition (CWA) successfully wrapped up its fiftieth show welcoming roughly 85,000 attendees over six days.

That number is down by roughly 36,000 people from two years ago, but lower numbers were expected, according to CWA CEO Chris Lane.

“There is a different story to tell this year, but a successful one nonetheless.” Lane said, “Registrations for our Grain Expo and Indigenous Agriculture Summit were record-setting, merchandise sales were three times higher than normal, and our rodeo ticket sales didn’t miss a beat, including a complete sell-out on Saturday night.”

Over 100 international guests travelled from 20 countries despite pandemic travel restrictions.

CWA’s online presence continued to grow. Over the course of the week, more than 3,700 people live-streamed CWA’s livestock show and sales and Agribition’s virtual video content was viewed more than 31,000 times.

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School tours were not held this year, but CWA expanded its Virtual Education Program and introduced live Q-and-A sessions with 2,500 students tuning in.

Hundreds of exhibitors and more than 2,000 head of livestock and performance horses called Agribition home for the week.

“What we saw this year was a highly engaged attendee at Agribition. Whether it was exhibitors or visitors, when people came, they really participated in the programs, sales, and had a positive attitude around being at the show,” Lane said.

CWA also raised a record-setting amount for charities at the show, including more than $20,000 for the CWA Scholarship Fund through the raffle of a 1971 GMC pickup, and an all-time high of over $74,000 for STARS.

CWA president Chris Lees said the community came together for the event.

“Right from the Burning of the Brand through to the Agribition Beef Supreme, seeing the people show up because it is important to them and important to agriculture is something special,” Lees said. “The fact that Agribition’s fiftieth could be home to that is something we’ll always be proud of.”

Financial statements and full show statistics will be available at CWA’s annual meeting in April.

Agribition will return Nov. 28 to Dec. 3, 2022.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW