Organizers expect more livestock in a new show footprint at next month’s 42nd annual Canadian Western Agribition.
A couple of older barns have been retired and a new sale arena constructed in the commercial cattle barn, said chief executive officer Marty Seymour.
“I think the biggest thing you’re going to see is a completely new footprint for the cattle exhibitors,” he said.
The Pasqua and Harlton barns, some of the older facilities on the Evraz Place grounds, will not be used.
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“The buildings, they’re pretty tired,” Seymour said. “I think everybody familiar with Agribition knows that and we decided we would make an investment in our commercial cattle barn and build this new show arena and then try to shift where the cattle are housed.”
The new sale arena is directly west of the former sale ring in Stockman’s Arena where the bison and commercial cattle are sold. The new ring will continue to be the site for those events.
Improvements include proper water, electricity and infrastructure such as washrooms, Seymour said.
He said people will have a far better visitor and exhibitor experience with cattle closer together and in better facilities.
“The buildings will be dry,” he noted, referring to the many leaks in the older barn roofs. “To manage our risk we’ve moved to this new layout.”
Entries recently closed for the purebred events and numbers are up more than 10 percent to 1,750 head, Seymour said.
There is also a 10 percent increase in entries for the junior beef events, 37 percent more sheep, seven percent more goats and 20 percent more ranch horses.
The deadline for commercial cattle is not until November but there were 500 head on the grounds last year.
Seymour also said international registration is likely to be stronger this year.
Organizers expect 800 people from 75 countries. Already 30 percent more guests have pre-registered and visitors are confirmed from Argentina, Finland, Russia and China.
As well, exhibitors from at least eight American states are bringing cattle.
This year’s show runs Nov. 19-24.
