Buyers at Canadian Western Agribition apparently weren’t told the world is in the middle of a financial crisis.
A half-interest in a Black Angus bull calf for $82,500, a ranch horse for $25,000 and a Boer goat buck for $2,200 are examples of the prices buyers were willing to pay during last week’s show.
As well, final attendance figures are expected to be higher than last year, including more international guests.
An upbeat CWA president Shannon McArton said the show is clearly a venue people want to use to do business.
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“There was an electricity in the air, a positive energy that tells me Canadian agriculture is in good shape,” she said.
The number of cattle at the show was down to about 1,800 from last year’s 1,950, but the number of exhibitors was up.
Producers were making the difficult choice to bring a smaller string to town because they couldn’t find enough help, said Agribition’s chief executive officer – and newly crowned Canadian Cowboys’ Association steer wrestling champion – Jason Pollock.
He did double duty all week in his roles as manager and CCA finals competitor.
“It’s reassuring to us that despite whatever happens in the world, this is still an international marketplace that cannot be missed,” he said of the strong sales.
McArton said Agribition’s theme of connecting producers and consumers, sellers and buyers and Canada to the rest of the world was evident throughout the week.
Sales were made to eight provinces and four American states. The sales south of the border included an $11,000 Shorthorn bull to Iowa, a $5,000 Hereford embryo package to Idaho, two Hereford sales and a Simmental embryo package to Indiana and a bison sale to Delaware.
The international visitor program recorded 572 guests from 62 countries.
Agribition has been incorporating more entertainment into its schedule to attract more urban dwellers.
“We’re a business venue, we’re a marketplace for our exhibitors, but we need to have that complete package,” McArton said.
Pollock said demographics are changing and Agribition has to change along with them. In the past, most urban prairie residents could claim a link to agriculture.
“We’re not too far away from (urban) people having no connection to the farm,” he said.
Events such as performances by equine entertainer Tommie Turvey seemed to fit the bill.
Visitors may have noticed the carcass competition was not held this year. Last year it was scaled back to a static display due to the loss of the cooler that usually housed it. This year it was replaced with an informational display called What’s On Your Fork?
Pollock said the decision was made because the show was finding it increasingly difficult to find a facility to process the competition carcasses.
“The exhibitors were disappointed,” he said. “It was a difficult decision.”
Pollock also said that the show itself faced some challenges hiring enough labour and used some non-traditional ways to find employees.
Those included approaching community groups, paying honorariums to school groups, hiring day labourers from temporary employment agencies and even using work programs from correctional institutions for some jobs.
Financial results of this year’s show won’t be known until April, but Saskatchewan agriculture minister Bob Bjornerud last week announced a five-year $250,000 contribution to the event.
His Alberta counterpart, George Groeneveld, presented a $40,000 cheque to McArton during a break in the Simmental show.
Agribition also announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with La Sociedad Rural Argentina, similar to the one already in place with Brazil’s Expointer show. The agreements involve promotion of each other’s shows and sharing expertise.
“Their show is well over 100 years old,” McArton said of the Argentine event.
She also liked the way that show make the connection to consumers by having a restaurant alongside each breed’s barn.
Agribition 2009 will be held Nov. 23-28.
