Rent reduced for Riders, early budget items approved by Regina Council
5h ago
Council retroactively slashed $1.33 million in rent owed by the Roughriders.
It was not their first rodeo at the International Trade Centre for officials of the Canadian Western Agribition.
CEO Chris Lane said the livestock show is getting comfortable in the world-class facility it calls home after settling in over the last two years.
“We have a better idea about how the animals and how the people need to move around in there. Operationally, just set up and tear down, (we) had a pretty clean year this year,” said Lane.
Agribition continues to prove its worth on the world stage, with 75 different countries represented at the show in 2018.
International sales have doubled since 2016 as the show grows as a global marketplace, with a record high $881,000 value in total sales last year alone.
Agribition released its financial details at its annual general meeting on Wednesday, reporting a profit of $190,671 in 2018.
“That’s a result we’re very happy with, especially considering the uncertainty in the ag industry and the markets last year, continuing on into this year,” said Lane.
He credits last year’s success to the diversity of programs offered at Agribition, attracting families and people from all walks of life. Those programs include the grain expo, a new mentorship program for youth who aspire to become the next generation of leaders in agriculture, and wrapping up the show with a soldout cabaret on the floor of the Brandt Centre.
Agribition is looking to expand and improve on at least a couple of events planned for its 49th livestock show in 2019. The popular goat yoga will return and will likely be expanded to more days.
Changes are also coming to the rodeo. Agribition will host the Maple Leaf Finals, which is part of a new professional rodeo circuit in Canada.
Lane explained there have been various rodeos presented at Agribition over the years. The rodeo in 2018 was not a final, it was custom-made stop on the calendar for Agribition.
“What it means for Agribition is that our four-night rodeo is about to get a lot more competitive, it’s about to get a lot more exciting,” he said.