There’s a sense of nostalgia in the cattle barns at Canadian Western Agribition in Regina this year.
2015 marks the last year for the old barns on the Agribition grounds — buildings that are filled with memories made over the 45-year history of Canada’s largest livestock show. A total of 13 structures, including the auditorium and stadium, will be removed to make way for the $37 million International Trade Centre that’s scheduled to be built in time for the 2017 show.
As cattle exhibitors and visitors to Agribition experience the facilities one last time, they’re recollecting stories of prize-winning animals and relationships sparked in the infamous “The Swamp” bar underneath the stadium bleachers.
“Agribition is really a community. A community for the beef industry, and the old barns were the anchor of that community,” explains CEO Marty Seymour in the video above.
Many exhibitors are also looking forward to the new convention centre, as there have been problems with leaky roofs and unreliable power in the old barns. Parts of the facilities are no longer in use.
Overall, early indications are that attendance is up for this year’s Agribition, says Seymour, noting cattle entries are strong.
“It’s tracking like this might be one of our better shows in a long time,” he says.
Find all our Agribition ’15 coverage here
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