After taking over as the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba’s new general manager this past fall, Mark Humphries has had a full plate to contend with, being tasked with spearheading Manitoba Ag Ex and now the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair.

However, Humphries told the Sun that despite all this hard work, he’s looking forward to taking in the Winter Fair’s various sights and sounds this week, especially since it’s from a totally different perspective.

“I’ve been on the opposite side. My wife and daughter are equestrians, so we’ve competed here for the last 15 years, COVID aside,” the general manager said on Friday.

“But from this side of the desk, there’s different perspectives. You can see how much work goes into the show … so it’s been fascinating and the team here are just excellent to work with.”

Humphries is also grateful that he’s overseeing a Winter Fair that more closely resembles a pre-pandemic era, with last year’s return show being restricted by large Keystone Centre facilities that were being used for COVID-19 vaccination clinics at the time.

“The trade show is looking extremely well,” he said. “The exhibitors are happy coming back in. Entertainment is still fully booked. The Keystone Centre has had plenty of time to work with us. So we’re really looking forward to it.”

Provincial Exhibition members selected Humphries as their new general manager last July, filling a position that had been void since the summer of 2020.

Even though Humphries hasn’t previously held any position with the Provincial Exhibition, he made a name for himself in the broader Westman community as an entrepreneur, opening the Westwood Ranch Garden Centre near Elkhorn.

After turning this facility into a popular tourist destination, the Humphries family announced last summer that they will be shutting down the animal ranch and run the facility as a retail garden centre and greenhouse moving forward.

During his time living in Westman, having immigrated to Manitoba in 2008, Humphries was also known for indulging in plenty of other community activities, playing a variety of instruments in a big band that originated from his native England.

And with one major Provincial Exhibition event under his belt, Manitoba Ag Ex, Humphries hopes that he and his team can bring a similar level of energy and excitement to this year’s Winter Fair, especially given its reputation for attracting attendees from all over the country.

“It’s one of those events that if you haven’t been before you certainly must put it on your list,” he said. “It’s one of those things that becomes a family tradition almost, so you look forward to it every year.”

The 2023 Royal Manitoba Winter Fair is scheduled to begin this morning and run until Saturday evening at the Keystone Centre.

Outside of the ATCO Cup and other equestrian events, this year’s Winter Fair will feature a variety of family entertainment in the form of the 48th annual Royal Fiddlers Contest, the WoofJocks Canine All Stars, Doodles the Clown, musician Al Simmons and comedy magician Greg Wood.

For a full rundown of Royal Manitoba Winter Fair events for the week, visit provincialexhibition.com/royal-manitoba-winter-fair/.

» kdarbyson@brandonsun.com

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