Entries open Sept. 22 for Canadian Western Agribition’s virtual purebred beef show.
The Agribition Evolution Series includes 11 breed shows that will culminate in a supreme championship during the week that the show would have welcomed livestock and visitors, said chief executive officer Chris Lane.
“We started on this after it was clear we wouldn’t be able to do a live Agribition this year,” he said.
He said staff and the board were looking for a platform to help exhibitors showcase their genetics when the Canadian Beef Breeds Council approached them about hosting an online multi-breed show.
Read Also
Volunteers help exotic animal farm rebuild
Exotic animal farm loses beloved camel and pony to huge hail storm that gripped the Brooks, Alta. area as a community member starts a fundraiser to help the family recover from the financial and emotional damage.
The CBBC and RBC are supporting the event.
Lane said exhibitors will submit videos of between 45 and 60 seconds of their animals on halter. Some of the rules include no talking or music in the video and that the focus of the video should be on the animal, not the exhibitor.
“Our best suggestion would be to try to make it as Agribition-like as possible,” he said.
Entrants will have access to a demo video so they can meet the requirements.
A panel of judges will assess the videos after the deadline of Oct. 22 and declare a grand champion in each breed.
The videos of the grand champions will then go before a different panel of judges to declare the supreme winners.
“Hopefully (the month) gives people enough time to put something together and avoid getting rusty on their showing skills,” Lane said.
He recognized that many exhibitors typically have picked out their show animals long before now and may not have their “best” ready to go.
He said this online show might not be the best venue for everybody, but the intention is to offer something to producers to help fill the fall show gap.
He also said the show will be cross-promoted to its international data base so that international buyers can stay in touch with what’s happening in Canada.
Agribition is also launching a Junior Spotlight show that will be set up in a similar way for those aged nine to 21.
For commercial cattle, a live and simulcast sale for past and present Agribition exhibitors is planned for Nov. 28 at Johnstone Auction Mart at Moose Jaw. There will be a limit of 250 head and the classes will be pens of three or five open or bred heifers.
Lane said this type of sale is one that can be held while following physical distancing rules.
More events are in the works. He said the plan is to mirror a typical Agribition week as much as possible.
Details about how to enter are available at www.agribition.com.
Contact karen.briere@producer.com
