A key feature of the celebration is the 32nd Annual Grain Millers Harvest Showdown hosted by the Yorkton Exhibition Association.
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, the brand was symbolically applied by long time media personality Jack Dawes at a media event Monday.
Dawes who was doing agriculture reporting when Harvest Showdown started said he recalled the first event getting under way.
“It was a very cold day,” he said, adding the show was in tents in the early years.
As for the branding ceremony Dawes said, “obviously it was an honour to be asked to do this.”
Assisting with the “branding” was Mayor Mitch Hippsley; Exhibition President Len Malinowski; and Chamber President Marty Sveinbjornson.
Hippsley said marking the importance of agriculture makes sense locally.
“If it wasn’t for agriculture we just wouldn’t be here,” he said.
Malinowski said it was just great to finally be on the eve of Harvest Showdown again after it was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19.
“It’s just so nice to see Harvest Showdown back,” he said, adding the Yorkton Exhibition Association has always tried to focus on “bringing family and friends together” and an event like Showdown does just that.
While the Showdown is a big event for the YEA, Malinowski said it ripples throughout the city.
“Everybody benefits from this,” he said.
