The Western Canadian Dairy Expo in Saskatoon has been cancelled for the first time in its 31-year history.
Organizers say a declining number of registered animals is to blame for scrubbing the indoor event, scheduled for April 10-11.
Brenda Sapergia, livestock manager at Prairieland Park, said other Canadian shows are also in decline.
“Technology has got to the point now where people don’t have to bring their animals to town to advertise their good lines. It’s all happening on the farm and through the technology on their websites,” she said.
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“It costs a lot of money to take those animals down the road.”
Dairy Expo was originally run as a pork and dairy show, but pork eventually went by the wayside. Dairy went solo in 2011.
Sapergia said 50 is the minimum number of dairy animals required to run the show, but this year registration was in the low 40s.
She said the dairy expo committee has a year to try and bring entries up past 50.
“It depends entirely on the exhibitors completely and totally. If they come to town, we put the show on, simple as that.”
