Royal Manitoba Winter Fair blends tradition, new experiences

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This article was published 25/03/2017 (3328 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One of the main organizers behind the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair doesn’t toss around the word “tradition” lightly.

But when you’re as entwined with Brandon’s fabric as the only royalty-approved agriculture and equestrian show in western Canada — which returns to the Keystone Centre next week from Monday to Saturday — most people believe your event is deserving.

“After 110 years, it’s probably safe for us to claim being a bit of a tradition,” said Ron Kristjansson, general manger of the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba, referencing event posters showing a historic black and white photograph from Winter Fairs of yesteryear held in front of a present-day image.

There have been exhibitors who have participated for decades, Kristjansson said, like one man who has shown horses for 60 of those years.

“The fairs, for me, they are a social gathering, they are the network of our community,” he said. “That’s the most rewarding part of it.”

Though horses and cattle have always been part of the Winter Fair experience, there are new wrinkles to keep fans coming back yearly.

Introduced for the first time this year is a nightly performance from the Strathcona Mounted Troop, 20 soldiers with the Canadian Forces who dress in period uniform and mount on horse.

The fair will feature six days of high-level equestrian competition, as well as heavy horse, hackney and hunter/jumper competitions every night at Westman Place. Opening ceremonies will start daily at 6:30 p.m.

The equestrian show is the largest event of its kind in Manitoba, with riders and horses hailing from across the Prairies to vie for $150,000 in prize money.

“It’s something that’s so impressive to watch, these majestic horses jumping over these huge jumps,” Kristjansson said.

“We’ve done surveys of our fairgoers (in the past) and it’s obviously something a lot of them come to the fair specifically to see.”

Cattle shows are back, with a continued emphasis on junior exhibitors. This year, more than double the number of young cattle producers have signed up, with at least 55 youth and 95 head of cattle leaving the chute.

“Knowing that there’s that much growth in it,” Kristjansson said, “it shows the future is bright.”

The agile President’s Choice SuperDogs are sure to wow spectators with their tricks, while, outside the Westman Place main arena, an amusing two-person variety show, hypnotist Colin Christopher and Christina The Crazy Hooper will entertain crowds.

Children’s entertainers remain a key component of the fair. A show based on the Max & Ruby cartoon, scheduled three times on Wednesday, and musician Al Simmons, performing twice on Thursday, are among the highlights.

In the Manitoba Room, there will be three shows a day from the Agricultural Culinary Team Manitoba, world-renowned chefs who will share how to use locally sourced ingredients to prepare a tasty dish.

Elsewhere, dozens of exhibitors will comprise the Keystone Centre floor for Westman’s largest food and lifestyle trade show.

Putting the fair together takes hundreds of hours of work from volunteers, hired help and a yearlong staff of eight, Kristjansson said.

“They do it all, right from fluffing the flowers to painting the jumps in the last few weeks,” he said.

Though the Winter Fair has evolved with the decades, the core of the event has not changed.

“The basics of it, putting on quality entertainment, is much the same,” he said.

Attendees will need more than a day to see and do everything available, offered Kristjansson.

“Come early in the morning, and plan on staying all day because we have something for everybody,” he said. “We’d love to see you come back a second day, just to take in what you missed.”

Daily admission costs $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and youth and $9 for children. Advance pricing, at a lower rate, is available online until Sunday night.

For more information on the fair, visit the RMWF website at royalmanitobawinterfair.com.

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