Royal welcome for spring break at winter fair

BRANDON — It wouldn’t seem like spring break in Manitoba’s second-largest city without a stop at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair.

The event kicked off on Monday with hundreds of people touring the Keystone Centre, petting animals, browsing vendor booths and learning about agriculture.

“We’ve seen the horse jumping. We went to see the stables. We’ve been to the petting zoo and just checked out some of the market stuff,” Kim Kerelchuk said while at the fair in the morning with her five-year-old daughter.

In the petting zoo area, rabbits, llamas, sheep, chickens and more were on display.

“My daughter’s never been here before, so we’re just checking it out, and we’re gonna watch some horse jumping hopefully, and see all the animals and take it all in,” Kerelchuk said as her daughter petted the bunnies.

“Actually, just seeing the kids enjoy it (is) probably my favourite part,” she said.

An organizer reported that Monday’s crowd was large and lively.

“We have lots of families here that are taking part and lots of great smiles and people enjoying themselves,” said Kristen Laing Breemersch, manager of operations and the acting general manager of the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba.

“I hope to continue and build attendance and everyone’s enjoyment at our Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, learning about our royal farm life, education and agriculture.”

The provincial government has warned the fair could be a so-called superspreader for measles, following a major breakout during Manitoba Ag Days, which was held at the same location in January.

Laing Breemersch said organizers are following provincial guidelines.

“We are following Manitoba Public Health regulations, and Manitoba Public Health has asked for a spot in our trade show to have a booth,” she said.

“They will be handing out any documentation or answering any questions to the public, and also providing anybody with vaccines for measles that request it.”

Laing Breemersch also said the fair is “busting at the seams” when it comes to entrants in several competitions.

The fair is split up in different sections of the Keystone Centre.

Cattle were being brought in Monday for shows later in the week, including for Kerri Hinsburg, who was tying several cows in preparation for juniors shows on Thursday.

Hinsburg is the chair of the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair Cattle Show, which will include a grooming competition, steer show and steer sale.

“They’re moving in today. The kids will be washing their animals, they’ll be starting to do some clipping on them — which is clipping unwanted hair off of them to make them look pretty — so it’s kind of like a spa day,” she said with a laugh.

The competition helps get the junior class — aged six to 21 — along with the cows themselves ready for other fairs later in the year.

“There’s a lot of things going on and … having the animals here at this show gives (them) a chance to really see a lot of people, a lot of strange sights and sounds. It’s really nice because they can be enclosed in a building.”

The show allows the competitors to see how their cow competes, as the grooming process can look good at home but change once there are other cattle to compare, and vice versa, Hinsburg said.

“You get to a show like this, and then you realize she is competitive and she is good, and it’s a great place for the kids to visit with one another and reconnect and re-establish friendship or make new ones,” she said.

The fair provides a chance for vendors and organizations to show off, including producers.

Kristen Matwychuk of Manitoba Pork said the event allows her organization to speak with people and help them understand where their food comes from.

“They get to come and see a couple of young weanlings so they can see how the animals are cared for, how they interact, what they look like, and gives them the opportunity to ask lots of questions,” Matwychuk said.

Animal Justice has again called for the barnyard challenge, known in the past as the calf scramble, to be scrapped over concerns about animal treatment

In the event, competitors chase young calves to remove a halter from the animal’s neck.

Last year after the same concerns were raised, the fair’s co-chair, Clint Swain, said it had no intention of cancelling the event that year or in future.

Organizers could not be reached for additional comment on the topic Monday afternoon. The fair is slated to run until Saturday.

— Brandon Sun