The Grain Millers Harvest Showdown has entered into its 25th year, and the annual event is continuing to bring new entertainment and old favorites.
The event kicks off on Wednesday, October 30, with the Canola Expo and the Farrell Agencies Farmer Appreciation, featuring speaker Mike Jubenville.
Wednesday and Thursday will also feature the second annual horse extravaganza, featuring trick riders and mounted shooting. The 4H Musical Ride is a new addition to the show, featuring riders from the area.
Another new attraction is the Knights of Valor, featuring jousting for the first time at the Harvest Showdown. The show will feature Shane Adams, who holds 17 international titles and hosts Full Metal Jousting.
The Canadian Cowboy Association Novice Championship finals are a big part of the weekend, taking place the first two days of November.
Other returning favorites are the commercial cattle show and sale, commercial grain and forage show and sale, a rodeo dance, the Chantelle Kirkham Memorial Stock Dog Competition, auctioneer and fiddle competitions. Friday also features the Ranch Rodeo at noon, featuring wild cow milking, calf branding, team doctoring and wild horse race. This is just a small sample of all the things available over the four day event.
Barb Woytas with the Yorkton Exhibition association says that the goal was to have a mix of popular returning events and new attractions to give a different flavor to the anniversary show.
Naturally, that anniversary would not come without the support of producers and the community, and Woytas says that the continued support is what makes the show strong, year after year.
"We are very proud that we are one of the last remaining grain shows in the province, and we have such good participation from our local producers, same with our commercial cattle show. We have producers for the twenty fifth that have probably been with us every year," Woytas says.
"We started off in pretty much a tent outside with a few pens of cattle... It's really grown over the years, that's largely due to the hard work of Shaun Morin, our manager, all of the directors, they've really built our show to be one of the premier events of the province."
Another important part of the show is the Agriculture in the Classroom program, bringing students through the show to inform them about agriculture through Harvest Showdown. Woytas says that helping with education is something which they have great pride in.
Harvest Showdown runs from October 30 to November 2 at the Gallagher Centre. For more information visit www.yorktonexhibition.com.
