REGINA – Attendance at the 25th Canadian Western Agribition was estimated at 150,000, down from last year’s total of more than 160,000.
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International attendance was more than 425 people from 23 countries and 27 American states. A one-day international attendance record was set Nov. 27 when 142 people registered at the International Business Centre.
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The high seller of the week was a Shorthorn bull consigned by Huberdale Farms of Lipton, Sask. It sold to Millvale Farms and Melroe Shorthorns of Gwinner, N.D., and Cagwin Farms of Virginia, Ill., for $20,000.
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Entries in the purebred cattle shows were down 100 from last year’s 2,059. Dairy entries dropped from 151 to 133 and draft horses went from 182 to 166. Swine dropped from 165 to 81 and sheep from 171 to 69 due to the loss of a grant for prize money this year. Commercial cattle entries were up 29 to 1,288. Elk, in their first Agribition appearance, totaled 13, while bison were up from 100 to 115.
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The Sale of Champions brought in $83,825, compared with $100,000 in 1994.
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Outstanding young farmer winners David and Lori Faurschou of Portage la Prairie, Man., paid $3,000 for the grand aggregate oilseed sample submitted by Roland Hainsworth of Waskada, Man., during the sale of champions.
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Sales figures for all beef breeds dropped, except Belgian Blue, Blonde D’Aquitaine, Limousin and Maine Anjou. Agribition executive vice-president Wayne Gamble attributed the decline to the current cattle market.
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The highest selling elk was a female consigned by Northern Genetics Ltd. of Yellow Grass, Sask., which sold for $19,600 to Douglas Wilson of Morse, Sask.
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A female stock dog brought from Ireland sold for $4,800 to Lester Pryce of Broderick, Sask.
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A Chinese delegation to Agribition purchased about 300 purebred cattle during its visit.
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For the 20th straight year the Limousin breed won the carcass competition.
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About 9,000 schoolchildren visited the Agri-Ed Showcase during the week.
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Beauty, a 10-year-old Holstein owned by Ray Brown of Vista, Man., was named grand champion female in the Holstein show. Beauty was reserve grand champion at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto and won at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisc. She’s also a repeat Agribition winner, taking the grand champion title in 1991, 1992 and 1993.
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Seed samples from Belgium, Germany, France, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Poland, Croatia, Finland, Chile, Ecuador, Netherlands and Austria were entered in the international seed display.
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The first Agribition included livestock from Angus, Charolais, Galloway, Hereford, Red Poll, Shorthorn, Holstein and commercial cattle, as well as swine. Breeders who have shown animals at all 25 shows were recognized throughout the week.
