Canadian Western Agribition organizers are considering more high tech ways to expand the show’s marketplace.
The 30th annual Regina agricultural show wrapped up with attendance of about 150,000 people.
“Maybe we are a 150,000-person show,” said executive vice-president Wayne Gamble, referring to attendance holding steady the past few years.
But more people could participate in the livestock sales by using their computers, he said. On-line auction sales have become popular for all types of goods and Agribition is looking at offering this option.
“We can’t pull a rug over our head and pretend the technology is going to go away,” Gamble said.
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He said it isn’t likely that on-line livestock sales would hurt Agribition attendance because people still like to be where the action is.
“What Agribition has is the focus. People still want to come and meet each other and get cheered up.”
In an earlier experiment, Agribition took e-mail bids before a sale began because it was too difficult to accept such bids during a live auction. The advent of high-speed internet might make it easier for people to participate as the sale actually happens, Gamble said.
But this could also create a new problem – knowing who the bidder is. Gamble said one auctioneer told him he didn’t want a child in Mississauga buying a bull on his mom’s credit card.
“It takes the concept of ringmen to a whole new level,” Gamble said.
This year’s show featured several on-line innovations. International visitors were set up with virtual offices to communicate with family and business partners at home and one booth allowed visitors to send e-mail postcards home.
The international business centre offered the use of a digital camera. Cindy Hauck, who managed the centre, said one woman used it to take pictures of 14 animals. She then e-mailed them to her son in Denmark so he could help her make a selection.
There were 569 international guests from 49 countries registered in the centre this year. There were also visitors from 25 American states.
Agribition boasted 2,065 beef entries, the highest in a decade. Total sales were down slightly from last year, to $2.9 million from $3.2 million.
However, Gamble pointed out several sales were not held this year, including Salers, llamas and the sale of champions.
“Overall the averages were high,” he said.
“And we had the reality of trends in the elk and bison industries.”
Last year, the elk and bison sales accounted for nearly $1 million; this year they totaled $570,000.
Agribition will be held next Nov. 18-25.
