YORKTON - The Yorkton Exhibition Association and Yorkton Chamber of Commerce have joined together in declaring that Oct. 30 – Nov. 5, as Agriculture Week in Yorkton.
A key feature of the celebration is the 34th Annual Grain Millers Harvest Showdown hosted by the Yorkton Exhibition Association.
“Harvest Showdown is a great economic driver for the city of Yorkton,” offered Chamber Executive Director Juanita Polegi.
“I don’t know where we’d be without agriculture,” added Yorkton Mayor Mitch Hippsley Monday morning at the official launch.
Hippsley then gave the Yorkton Exhibition Association a pat on the back for hosting the fall event saying “you bring so much business to the city.”
In recognition of Agriculture Week in the city, a unique brand has been created which has been made into a branding iron.
To “kick-off” Agriculture Week, special guest long time YEA director Brian Berrns applied the brand to a board that will be on display throughout Harvest Showdown.
The branding occurred Monday, assisted by Mayor Mitch Hippsley; YEA representative Lyle Walsh; and Chamber President Vanessa Andres.
Berrns said he was honoured to be involved in the Harvest Showdown launch and a volunteer for the annual event dating back to its first edition in 1989. He said he was doing the branding in memory of all the volunteers through the years in particular for those who have passed.
Asked if he thought back in 1989 the event would be going strong in 2023, Berrns said he doubted he gave that prospect much thought.
“But I knew it was going to be successful,” he said, adding it was a “great concept . . . Something the area needed.”
Following the branding, a short press-conference highlighting this year’s Harvest Showdown took place.
Barb Woytas, general manager with YEA said all is in readiness for the start of the Showdown Nov. 1, with all the familiar events back for another year.
The four-day show will include a commercial grain show, commercial cattle show and sale, student tours with a thousand Grade 4 and Grade 7 students attending, and of course the PBR which she said was already a near sell-out.
