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It’s the event that brings the farm to the city: Canadian Western Agribition.
The event kicks off today in Regina and runs all week – and there is something for everybody.
“Over the years, Agribition has done such a good job of building programming out so you don’t feel intimidated if you’re not from a farm or not familiar with it,” said Chris Lane, Canadian Western Agribition CEO.
One new event already attracting attention is running with the bulls, which takes place on Saturday.
“That’s our daredevil event, extreme sport if you want to call it that,” Lane said. “Anybody really can sign up to do it.”
Participants will have to outrun about nine rodeo bulls, while playing to the crowd. The crowd will then text in their vote for favourite contestant.
The winner will take home $1,500.
“We have some safety measures in there. We have professional bull fighters and rodeo pickup men that can help if anybody’s in trouble,” Lane said. “We’ll make it as safe as it can be.”
Other family favourites will be there, too, including food demonstrations, milking demonstrations and other livestock, like goats and turkeys.
“You don’t have to walk right in the cattle barns everyday just to be up close and personal with agriculture,” Lane said.
Big business
While the public can look forward to shopping, rodeo and getting up close and personal with livestock, the province can look forward to the money Agribition brings in.
Canadian Western Agribition is one of the top events for cattle in North America.
Paul Martin, 980 CJME business analyst, said it is tough to tell exactly how much money is generated at Agribition. But, he added, it ripples into other sectors of the economy, like retail and hotels.
“If you were in Regina on the weekend, you certainly felt it. The retrial traffic was quite a bit more active than normal.”
Martin explained that it is tough to pinpoint the money that comes out of Agribition because much of it happens behind closed doors.
“You can kick around somewhere likely upwards of $50-$60 million in a week, so $10 million a day,” he said. “It’s a pretty significant impact.”
Martin said Agribition also brings many players together “in a forum where deals get done.”
He said it’s also significant in that it connects consumers and producers, something he said you can’t put a monetary value on.