The Saskatchewan Sheep and Development Board (SSDB) will be hosting the National Grasslands All Canadian Classic at Humboldt’s Uniplex in late July.
The Canadian Classic showcases efforts of the sheep farming industry across the country.
“We’ve literally got animals coming from Victoria to Prince Edward Island,” and confirmed visitors from 11 countries, said SSDB executive director Gordon Schroeder.
More than 500 head of sheep will be on for auction, Schroeder said – 385 of which are purebred. Last year’s Canadian Classic in Nova Scotia drew only 220 animals.
Beyond livestock trading, Schroeder said the event will also endeavour to showcase the wooling industry with “a number of things for the general public to participate in.” They include a trade show with 36 exhibits, a shearing competition, wool working, shawl making and working dog demonstrations.
The Canada Classic will be “a one stop,” Schroeder said.
“You can buy animals, see the wool, trade shows and everything else. We've enhanced the show to include all aspects of [the industry].”
The event will provide “a lot of activity around the wool sector, the purebred sector, commercial sector, trade show equipment, and technology” from July 19 to 21, Schroeder said. “It will be quite the event.”
SSDB’s effort to bring the Canadian Classic to Humboldt began with the boards success in hosting the provincial Grasslands Sheep Exhibition in the city, Schroeder said.
“The facilities work out well, the community treats us very well, so we just thought we'd bring it to Humboldt,” he said.
“Saskatchewan is known for doing a real class job of the show,” Schoeder said. “We've hosted it before, and we have people coming – our numbers are up, this will be the largest classic that they've held. Just because they know it's done well. We're expecting lots of people.”
