Case1

CANADIAN WESTERN AGRIBITION: BEEFING UP THE GROWTH STRATEGY

In early June 2014, Marty Seymour, chief executive officer (CEO) of Canadian Western Agribition (CWA), reviewed the results of the organization’s 2013 show. The principal purpose and role of CWA was to organize and manage the organization’s annual event, an agricultural show known simply as Agribition, which took place every November in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Agribition included one of the best beef shows on the continent, the largest livestock show in Canada, an extensive agribusiness tradeshow, a large marketplace of home products for everyday living, a five-day rodeo competition, a vibrant music scene with featured bands each evening, a First Nations pavilion and a noted agriculture educational program.

Seymour wanted to make sure the show that generated almost $4 million in 2013 continued to grow and to be a world-class event (see Exhibit 1). He reviewed the 2013 marketing report (see Exhibit 2) and wondered where to focus the organization’s marketing efforts for the upcoming show. He considered three alternatives:

1. Continue to focus on urban families and so-called “Agribition Moms.” A lot of opportunities to grow the show attendance and to help ticket revenue still existed in this urban segment, but drawing them to the show was a challenge.

2. Focus on attracting more people from the agricultural community. Agribition had a natural appeal for people who wanted to attend livestock, grain and agribusiness trade shows to make purchases, stay up-to-date with new developments in the industry, maintain and develop relationships and just socialize and enjoy some entertainment. As such, Agribition was already known to and visited by many people from the agricultural community in Regina and Saskatchewan, but there was an opportunity to draw visitors from the neighbouring provinces of Alberta and Manitoba, which had major agricultural economies, or from elsewhere in Canada.

1. Focus on growing the number of international visitors. Agribition was a major market for beef breeding stock and had a strong reputation around the world. In 2013, more than 800 international guests from 65 countries, from as far away as Australia, came to visit the show.

The 2014 show was only five months away. Any marketing initiatives would need to get underway soon if they were to have an impact on the success of the upcoming event.

CANADIAN WESTERN AGRIBITION: THE ORGANIZATION

The agriculture sector was a major component of Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP), and one in eight Canadian jobs were in the agriculture or agri-food industries. CWA was established in 1971 to “create and maintain an effective, hospitable and entertaining atmosphere to market Canadian agriculture products and expertise to the world” and its vision was that “Year after year, Canadian Western Agribition will be regarded as the best and most sought after agricultural marketplace in the world.”1 The sole purpose of the not-for-profit organization was to manage and grow the annual event on a financially sustainable basis.

As CEO, Seymour reported to the board of directors. The company had eight full-time employees and blossomed to 200 employees during the show each November. The organization relied heavily on the support of approximately 400 volunteers employed in different roles to help make the annual show a success.

The organization generated $3,782,871 in revenue and reported $689,136 net operating income for the year ending January 2014 (see Exhibit 1). Profits from each year could be reinvested into renewals and upgrades to the Agribition facilities, such as expanding space and development of new programming, and thus financial success and self-sustainability were crucial. As all the categories of costs were rising, the revenue had to catch up.

Seymour was happy to see that there were three major sources that almost equally (roughly 30 per cent each) contributed to the revenue: show ticket sales (gate admission and rodeo tickets), sponsorships and sale of tradeshow display space (Agri-Business Marketplace and Everyday Living Marketplace). He liked to use a metaphor to compare these sources of revenue to a three-legged stool with each leg carrying equal weight supporting Agribition.2 The other 10 per cent of revenue came from Agribition’s commission on livestock sales. But Seymour wondered if he should be concerned about how much effort it took to support some of the components of the show; in particular, he noted that the costs of accommodating the cattle show and sale were too high and negatively affected the organization’s bottom line.

CANADIAN WESTERN AGRIBITION: THE SHOW

Agribition took place annually in November at Regina’s Evraz Place, known as one of the premiere exhibition, concert, convention, sports and entertainment facilities in Western Canada. Regina was selected for its central location in North America and was close to CWA’s historic roots as the founders were Saskatchewan breeders.

The 2013 event attracted 127,000 visitors (see Exhibit 3). The majority were from Saskatchewan, but others came from across Canada and around the world.

For a week in November, Evraz Place (see Exhibit 4) became a vibrant venue with multiple shows, marketplaces and more than 90 events (see Exhibit 5). In planning for the annual show, CWA tried to add several new events each year to attract new participants, visitors and sponsors. For example, in 2013, new livestock events were Ride’em Cowboy (a trainer’s challenge) and Cowboy Mounted Shooting.

From year to year, CWA considered ways to improve traffic through exhibits to eliminate bottlenecks and to enhance visitors’ experience by implementing way-finding (signage, maps, “you are here”) and information booths.

Livestock Show and Livestock Sales

Agribition was one of the top beef shows on the continent, and around 1,500 head3 of the best cattle were on display each year. It was also the largest livestock show in Canada. On every day of the show, several sponsor-supported competitions and challenges took place in which expert cattle producers judged the finest breeds of cattle, livestock, stock dogs and junior participants (for example, Youth Showmanship Competition, Youth Team Grooming Competition).

The largest part of Agribition’s livestock sale was the cattle sale (see Exhibit 6). Horses, bison, sheep and goats were also at the sale, but cattle represented well over half of all livestock at the show. The livestock were mainly for breeding purposes and not destined for the butcher shop. Some were sold by auction, and others were sold through private negotiations between buyers and sellers. Some cattle were brought to the show to sell and ship to their new owner. In many cases, cattle semen or embryos were sold. In the cattle business, artificial insemination using selected parentage was a long-standing standard practice to create the best offspring.

Rodeo

The five-day rodeo in the Brandt Centre was the main entertainment event at Agribition and was largely responsible for the growth in ticket sales from urban attendees. This traditional competition event included bareback riding, team roping, tie down roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, steer riding, barrel racing and bull riding. It was the final rodeo championship of the Canadian Cowboys’ Association (CCA), which described it as “the best rodeo action anywhere in Canada”4 in the 2013 program guide. The rodeo was presented collaboratively by the CCA and CWA.

Entrance to the Brandt Centre at the time of the rodeo was not included in Agribition admission. A voucher or a ticket was required, an average seat was $20 and the rodeo program sold for $5. The final days of the rodeo were usually sold out, but the stadium was usually half empty earlier in the week.

Tradeshow

Agribition’s trade show was the fourth largest in Canada. It was broken into the Everyday Living Marketplace (Agribition Building) and the Agri-Business Marketplace (Credit Union EventPlex). Approximately 400 exhibitors showcased everything from giant farm equipment to pickup trucks, from kitchenware to home décor and hot tubs, from health products to mortgages and, of course, food. Approximately 40 per cent of the vendors and 25 per cent of the space was dedicated to consumer goods(see Exhibit 7). The Agri-Business Marketplace also featured a cooking show where chefs prepared food in front of an audience (“What’s on your Fork”).

Stage Entertainment

The Pump Roadhouse Stage located in the Bud Light Loading Chute featured many local entertainment acts (live bands, dance groups and individual performers) throughout the day during the Agribition week and on weekend nights after the rodeo performances. The location was in the middle of heavy visitor traffic and everyone could enjoy the performances for free.

Education Programs, First Nations Pavilion and Conferences

Several other programs were offered during the 2013 Agribition show. More than 6,000 children, high school students and adults visited the Agri-Ed educational program that demonstrated where food comes from and informed the public about agriculture in general. The Agri-Ed program included a livestock auction, interactive displays, speakers and equipment demonstrations. Children liked to get up close and personal with farm animals in the Family Ag Pavilion.

Two day-long conferences were also offered. The first, Grain Expo, was centred on food production. The second was an Indigenous people’s Agriculture Summit, a platform to showcase Indigenous agriculture practices throughout North America to address the need to share knowledge.

Traditions of the First Nations, the most ancient in western Canada, gave roots to the First Nations Pavilion that featured a variety of displays and interactive entertainment to help spread cultural awareness and understanding. Some examples were world-class drummers and champion dancers, Elders sharing stories about the importance of animals, craft making and demonstrations of archery and lacrosse.

The programs and conference were informative, professional and well-attended. Each was sponsored by various vendors and collectively were a net cash generator. There was a small amount of grant money from the government for these programs also.

COMPETITION

The management faced competition on many fronts. There were smaller rodeos in many communities and a large rodeo at the Farm Fair International, which included a trade show and breeding stock sale, in Edmonton, Alberta. It was about half the size of Agribition and considered the most comparable competition. The Calgary Stampede was one of the largest annual entertainment events in Canada with a large international rodeo, headline music concerts, a televised parade and a large midway for all ages. The Royal Winter Fair in Toronto was another competitor with a large cattle sale, but “The Royal” placed

more emphasis on dairy cattle, compared to Agribition which focused on beef cattle.5 In June in Regina, the Farm Progress show drew approximately 45,000 guests for a three-day exhibition. It was primarily a trade show, featuring agricultural equipment, and the exhibitors tended to focus on crop production, compared to the ag-portion of Agribition’s trade show, which had more emphasis on livestock production equipment. There were also large beef breeder sales and exhibitions in the United States, including shows in Texas, Colorado and Kentucky. Although the U.S. shows were direct competition in the beef breeding- stock market, often they featured more tropical breeds for warmer climates. The beef cattle at Agribition tended to be colder climate breeds. There were also well-known international beef breeding-stock exhibitions in the United Kingdom, Australia and several other countries. In addition, there were many entertainment competitors in the local Regina urban segment, ranging from consumer home-and-garden shows to folk festivals and the cinema.

THE SHOW PARTICIPANTS

Livestock Ranchers

Many livestock ranchers attended Agribition, some to buy and some to sell. A typical cattle rancher might have 200 to 300 head of commercial cattle being raised for their beef, with less than 10 per cent kept as breeding stock. On the other hand, a rancher who specialized and raised breeding stock might have 100 head of breeding stock. Each year, ranchers might want to sell or add a few head of breeding stock to their herds. It was estimated that the cost for each livestock exhibitor to attend Agribition and bring a bull to the show was approximately $1,0006 when transportation, hotel and show fees were all added in.

Ranchers brought their animals to the show to display, enter into competitions and/or sell. Show winners got international recognition and prize money, but participation in Agribition was in itself a great marketing tool. Livestock producers came to Agribition to get an insight into the future of the market and to see some of the world’s best cattle that came from careful selection and management of genetics.

In 2013, 457 livestock exhibitors brought 2,508 head of livestock to the show. Sell prices for animals varied widely. A good bull could sell for $10,000 to $20,000. Semen could sell for $100 to $200 per dose. At the 2013 show, $2.1 million of animals were sold through auction, which generated $83,000 in commissions for Agribition.7 Each exhibitor was charged an entry fee of $40 to $85 per head and additional fees depending on the type of animal/event in which it participated. Overall, at the 2013 show, Agribition generated $344,317 revenue from livestock, which represented approximately 10 per cent of total cash inflow.

The sale and purchase of cattle between ranchers, domestic or international, was a relationship transaction. Buyers walked through the barns where cattle were on display to see them and, just as important, to visit with the cattle sellers. It was estimated that an additional $2 million of livestock was sold privately through these relationships. The purchase might take place at the show or months later after a discussion that started at the show. Agribition did not generate any revenue from private sales.

Accommodating the livestock show was capital-intensive. It required large barns, and the infrastructure constantly needed upgrades and maintenance. A lot of planning had to be done to ensure the safety, cleanliness, health and comfort of so many animals in the cold of November. Seymour explained, “The expenses, we lose about $20 per head.”8 The management team and the board were reluctant to increase fees to livestock exhibitors since there had been a noticeable trend of exhibitors bringing fewer animals to the show. Although typically a beef exhibitor would bring three to five head to the show, there were 18 per cent fewer cattle in 2013 from the previous year. Management did not want to encourage this trend with higher fees (see Exhibit 6).

Industry trends could also have contributed to declining entries. Consolidation in the meat industry led to fewer producers, and North American tastes had shifted away from consumption of red meat (such as beef). However, increasing income levels in developing countries such as China meant that their demand for quality food and meat was increasing and offered opportunities for Canadian producers. Seymour wondered what this meant for the future of the livestock show.

Exhibitors

Both agribusiness and consumer goods companies saw value in sending their reps to the show. Many local businesses took advantage of showcasing and selling their goods, but there were also many provincial and national vendors who knew that people were getting ready for Christmas shopping and some indulgence at the end of November. Exhibitors wanted to have displays in booths suitable for their needs and closest to the traffic. Doubling the booth size might be more noticeable and encourage more traffic, but also might mean moving away from the usual spot where last year`s customers would be looking for you again. Booth space was saved for regular exhibitors unless they decided not to participate. Missing a year of the show might send a wrong signal and be misinterpreted by investors and the community. As more exhibitors became interested in joining Agribition, more space would be needed.

CWA rented display space to the exhibitors and offered a variety of booth sizes. In 2013, renting trade show display space generated $979,321 in fees, which represented approximately 30 per cent of total cash inflow. See Exhibit 8 for a summary of trade show revenue growth.

Sponsors

Agribition had an enviable list of sponsors that included national and local firms such as agricultural equipment manufacturers, banks, telecommunications companies, consumer vehicle manufactures and much more (see Exhibit 9). Sponsors were provided with a variety of advertising opportunities including signage, title sponsorships for events and space advertising in programs. There was competition for best spots, though some events were less popular with sponsors. Many sponsors liked to support initiatives that resonated well with their values. For example, McDonald’s and Subway relied on sustainable growers in their business models. Being an official sponsor allowed Subway to create a branded Agribition sandwich.

Large sponsors were categorized in terms of their contribution: $40,000+ Platinum, $20,000+ Gold,

$10,000+ Silver and $5,000+ Bronze. There were many small sponsors (less than $5,000) and those providing valuable contra support (for example, not charging for rent of printing or sound equipment or coffee machines), which should also be acknowledged.

In 2013, sponsorships generated $1.2 million in revenue for the company, which represented approximately 30 per cent of total cash inflow. Sponsorship fulfillment was about $145,000.

Visitors

Many families wanted to attend Agribition every year and make a family all-day event out of it, but not every family could afford the full price, so there were money-saving options. As part of pre-show promotion, vouchers to the rodeo were distributed. Admission was free after 5 p.m. every day of the show. There was also a free shuttle bus that took visitors hourly throughout the day from Northgate Mall to Agribition grounds and back. This helped reduce the strain on the limited parking facilities, and the riders were given an incentive of free entrance. In 2013, the number of patrons of the bus service who received free admission was 56 on Monday, 72 on Tuesday, 169 on Wednesday, 149 on Thursday, 210 on Friday and 201 on Saturday. Due to construction, parking space would be even scarcer in 2014. To accommodate another densely populated residential area, the South of Regina, there were plans to add a shuttle bus from Southland Mall in 2014.

The average rodeo ticket price was $20. Management estimated that a typical family of four would spend almost $200 to visit Agribition for a day and to see the rodeo (see Exhibit 10). It was felt that this was at the upper end of the possible price range, leaving little room to increase ticket prices.

The rodeo had experienced year-after-year growth in ticket sales. It generated a small profit each year after prize money, facility costs, staffing and CCA fees were paid. In 2013, total admission and rodeo ticket sales generated $1,037,763 in revenue, which represented approximately 30 per cent of total cash inflow.

Rural Visitors

For many rural residents, the show was an annual social event, a good time to talk to others in the agricultural business, renew friendships, look at some of the latest equipment on display and enjoy the entertainment of the rodeo as well as the food and music. People in the agribusiness segment in Saskatchewan didn’t need to be told what Agribition was about, but this segment was approaching saturation. Agriculture was a large part of the Alberta and Manitoba economies, which were considered the next best targets.

Urban Visitors

Agribition had become a larger annual entertainment event. The rodeo, the lifestyle trade show, the live music and the food all contributed to the atmosphere of a traditional fall fair. In 2013, according to a survey,9 almost half of the people attending the rodeo did so simply for the entertainment (see Exhibit 11). Urban visitors represented a major growth opportunity as more and more people discovered that Agribition was not just for farmers or for people interested in agriculture but had a lot to offer to people like them.

CWA wanted to communicate that Agribition was not just for people involved in agribusiness and created a rhyming slogan — “Food, shopping, fun — Agribition is for everyone” — that was used on promotional materials, the show program, billboards and radio and TV commercials.

International Visitors

The international market was one of the most attractive and lucrative buyer segments for cattle breeders. In 2013, 810 international guests from 65 countries attended the show. Out of the 810, 185 were buyers, which was a 25 per cent drop from the previous year. International buyers were often ranchers or traders who invested in breeding cattle, semen or embryos. Tending to be informed expert buyers, they made the trip to Canada to attend the show, see the livestock and discuss business with the livestock exhibitors (see Exhibit 12). However, trade barriers in some countries prohibited shipping live animals.10

Promoting Agribition to international buyers around the world was challenging. Although the show had an excellent reputation as a showcase for breeding stock, Canada was a small market in comparison to the United States. About $10,000 in direct efforts from Agribition and about $135,000 in federal funding and

$90,000 in Saskatchewan funding support went towards international marketing and programs.

The international market was very lucrative, and Agribition wanted to attract as many international buyers as possible. It was able to provide limited funding to offset travel costs for some potential new international customers. In 2013, 27 high potential customers were offered funding for 50 per cent of their travel costs up to $1,500 to attend the show.

It was difficult to identify potential buyers in foreign countries. The management participated in government organized trade missions to improve awareness of the show and Canadian agricultural exports. The management also promoted the show to Canadian trade commissions located in countries around the world. The intent was to inform Canadian diplomats about Agribition, so they could promote it, and Canadian agricultural products, as well as make introductions to interested potential buyers on an ongoing basis. The Agribition team wondered how effective the trade commissioners could be. The commissioners were expected to promote many Canadian industry sectors from natural resources to technology, engineering services and much more. Each year, the management team selected a country for special attention. In 2013, the team focused on building awareness and relationships in the United States. In 2014, the team was planning to focus on the United Kingdom.

Seymour considered the lively mosaic of different show participants (cattle ranchers, exhibitors, sponsors) and reflected on how each of them contributed to the success of the annual event and to the experience of such a mixture of visitors. He enjoyed thinking about thousands of people brought together by this one event and considered how all these different groups were, after all, interconnected in sometimes subtle but profound ways.

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

CWA promoted Agribition to all participants and visitors in different ways, depending on the needs of the group. Seymour considered the marginal benefits versus marginal costs of attracting more people to the show. For example, the immediate cash inflow from finding one more sponsor or an exhibitor was much greater than spending effort to try and attract a new visitor.11 But Seymour knew that evaluation of Agribition’s performance couldn’t be limited by financial measurements only; he had to take into account the big picture and think about the long-term success of the show.

Agribition used to delegate all marketing and communications to an external public relations (PR) and marketing firm, but in recent years, it had created a marketing position to produce all of the marketing materials in-house. All promotional materials needed to be updated every year. In early 2014, Sarah

Novak, a recent University of Regina marketing graduate, joined the team as Marketing Associate. In preparation for the November show, Novak was eager to continue using the approaches that were known to work in the past but also improve them as much as possible with the given budget (see Exhibit 2).

To cover advertising, print, radio, television and social media, CWA allocated a budget of $105,000, based mostly on the 2013 figure and assuming that most of the marketing activities would continue in 2014. But Novak found it hard to tell which advertising expenditures in 2013 were the most efficient. For example, was it worth $5,000 to post several light pole banners along Lewvan Drive? Would its busy drivers pay attention to them? Novak wondered if she could use that money to try something else to reach out to new participants.

To encourage top-of-mind awareness and attendance, tickets were sold in high traffic locations before the show week. Selling tickets online helped to determine the demand in advance and to plan accordingly (in 2013, food vendors ran out of food as a free admission day attracted more people than expected), but with no additional incentive to buy online versus at the entrance gate, many people did not choose that option. However, they were more willing to buy rodeo tickets online as they knew the last days of the show would sell out quickly. There was still a challenge to increase both rodeo ticket sales on its first days and admission tickets on some less popular days of the week.

Close to the time of the show, CWA published and distributed through information booths a 48-page “Official Show Guide” for visitors. Its first pages included several welcome messages from the CWA President, the CWA CEO, the Premier of Saskatchewan, the Mayor of Regina, the Minister of Agriculture Canada and the tourism division of the Regina Regional Opportunities Commission (RROC). The guide contained maps of the facilities, a list of exhibitors, a schedule of events, a list of sponsors, ads from sponsors and descriptions of different events.

THE PATH FORWARD

Agribition had a rich and successful history, had been a source of pride for Regina and Saskatchewan and had an immense economic impact on the community (see Exhibit 13). But as a multifaceted event, with diverse stakeholders and revenue streams, it required a delicate balance to remain financially sustainable. The Agribition product mix continued to be developed with new programming and fine-tuning of the rodeo, the trade show, the livestock sale and the entertainment. Sometimes, Seymour mused about what kind of business he was in — was it primarily agriculture, education or entertainment? He was sensitive to the lessons learned in the past: “Three years ago, we had a huge financial loss and we almost couldn’t make payroll. We started to market domestically to raise revenue, and we are in a much better position now.”12 He continued, “Ideally we would love to fill the livestock barns with international buyers,”13 but the scope of the worldwide cattle industry made it difficult to effectively identify those buyers to promote the show. The growth of urban visitors had contributed significantly to ticket revenues and gave the organization some degree of financial stability, but the growth of urban visitors did not sell more cattle.

As Seymour considered where this year’s big marketing push should be, he looked over his desk. The annual report fell to the opening page, with its message from the CWA President, Reed Andrew. It reflected on the event’s fundamental purpose: “All the enhancements to the show continue to be part of our long-term commitment to increasing the popularity of Agribition while continuing to promote the expansion, development and interest in agriculture.”14

EXHIBIT 1: FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

For the Year Ending January 31, 2014

	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013
Show	$1,036,000	$982,000	$1,119,000	$1,061,212	$1,037,763
Sponsorship	$908,000	$880,000	$976,000	$1,113,604	$1,161,573
Trade Show	$683,000	$745,000	$790,000	$893,110	$979,321
Livestock	$385,000	$362,000	$336,000	$368,432	$343,571
Grants/Other	$27,000	$111,000	$79,000	$10,000	$174,367

EXHIBIT 2: EXCERPTS FROM THE MARKETING REPORT

The 2013 marketing campaign remained similar to the previous year’s campaign. The primary target audience remained the same — “Agribition Moms” aged 25–35 years old, living in Regina with children aged 1–10 years old. The secondary target audience is existing patrons of Agribition. These visitors are primarily from Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba. They are involved in the agriculture industry through farming or agribusinesses.

The objective for the campaign was to increase Agribition’s urban audience while maintaining Agribition’s current patrons. This was done by positioning the show as a major entertainment attraction with something for everyone.

An integrated marketing campaign was developed in order to bring together the various marketing components that communicate with our target audience. The campaign consisted of a range of advertising media including print, television, radio, Internet, social media, email and digital.

Agribition’s social media presence continued to grow in 2013. Both Facebook and Twitter were updated daily promoting all areas of Agribition. Updates became heavy a couple [of] weeks before and during the show. The social media platforms were used to encourage interaction between Agribition and its followers. This was achieved through asking questions and contesting [i.e. running contests]. The social media campaign was a success as both Facebook and Twitter showed significant growth in followers. Facebook “likes” increased by 52% from last year (3,767 to 7,237) and Twitter followers increased by 47% (712 to 1,518).

Email marketing was used again in 2013. A total of 14 eblasts were created and sent to various Agribition databases. Currently Agribition has a livestock, trade show, sponsorship, international, volunteer, member and newsletter database. There was some concern over the effectiveness of the eblasts, therefore [fewer] eblasts were sent in 2013 compared to 2012. Emphasis was put on direct communication through emails from staff members to stakeholders.

A key growth area in 2013 was the launch of a new stakeholder newsletter called “Agribition Insider.” The first issue was distributed by email.

The media coverage was extensive this year, with a ton of media groups doing interviews and coverage of the show. There was a fair bit of media coverage prior to the show and loads of coverage throughout the week of Agribition. All forms of media were present — print, radio and television. There were many local, provincial and national media groups present throughout the week.

For the second year an in-house rodeo survey was developed and administered by volunteers [and] 115 onsite in- person surveys were conducted. The results from this survey are helpful when evaluating many areas of the show. It also provided detailed demographic information of rodeo patrons. A general show survey was not done in 2013.

EXHIBIT 2 (CONTINUED)

	2011	2012	2013
Facebook Fans	893	3,767	7,237
Twitter Followers	165	712	1,518
Total	1,058	4,479	8,755

Facebook Age Distribution

Facebook Residence Distribution

55-64

years old 5%

45-54

years old 11%

65+

years old 2%

35-44

years old 19%

13-17

years old 5%

18-24

years old 31%

Outside of Saskatche wan

5%

In the city of Regina 48%

More than 100km of Regina 35%

25-34

years old 27%

Within 100km of Regina 12%

Source: CWA 2013 Show Report.

EXHIBIT 3: DAILY VISITS

Attendance/Tickets

	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013
Weekend	7,172	7,672	12,112	12,289
Monday	17,390	16,859	13,796	13,804	11,925	12,809	15,000*
Tuesday	16,051	17,356	18,300	15,679	21,945	22,051	19,500
Wednesday	19,874	20,141	20,471	17,153	20,510	20,937	23,518
Thursday	22,091	23,627	21,906	19,327	21,720	17,751	20,626
Friday	26,072	28,093	25,407	23,321	25,425	24,126	24,581
Saturday	28,650	28,752	24,408	23,927	24,540	24,626	23,775
Total	137,300	142,500	136,400	125,500	126,065	122,300	127,000

* Estimated number due to no formal gate count because admission was free. Source: CWA 2013 Show Report.

EXHIBIT 4: AGRIBITION MAP

Source: Canadian Western Agribition 2013 Official Show Guide.

EXHIBIT 5: EXAMPLE OF SCHEDULING

START TIME	EVENT	LOCATION
8:30AM	Cowboy Mounted Shooting Watch cowboys ride their horses through a pattern using single action revolvers to shoot at target balloons. It’s a high-speed, timed, spectator sport in which the competitor who rides the fastest with the least amount of missed targets wins.	Brandt Centre
9:00AM	Prospect Steer & Heifer Show	Auditorium
9:00AM	Canadian Junior Beef Extreme A multi-breed competition for female cattle prepared by young competitors from across the country.	Chevrolet GMC Stadium
10:00AM	Commercial Trade Show Exhibits Open
10:00AM	SSBA Junior Sheep Shows and Costume Classes	Barn 5
10:00AM	Mascot Parade Join the characters in the parade on their way to the Family Ag Pavilion.	Co-Operators Centre
10:00AM	Bull Pen Alley	Stock Exchange Sale Arena
10:15AM	Milking Demonstration	Barn 4
11:00AM	Junior Roping Competition Watch the rodeo stars of tomorrow in this event that features children aged 5 & under, 6–9 and 10–12 competing in a roping competition.	Budlight Loading Chute
11:00AM	Face Painting	Co-Operators Centre Entrance
11:15AM	Milking Demonstration	Barn 4
12:00PM	Commercial Cattle Sale	Stock Exchange Sale Arena
12:00PM	SSBA and Katahdin Sheep Sale	Barn 5
12:00PM	First Group of Wild Wool Riders Children have a chance to take a ride on “wild” sheep!	Brandt Centre
12:15PM	Milking Demonstration	Barn 4
12:30PM	Heavy Horse Demonstration Come watch these majestic horses parade around the Brandt Centre	Brandt Centre
1:00PM	Prospect Steer & Heifer Sale	Auditorium
1:15PM	Milking Demonstration	Barn 4
1:30PM	Cowboy Mounted Shooting Watch cowboys ride their horses through a pattern using single action revolvers to shoot at target balloons. It’s a high-speed, timed, spectator sport in which the competitor who rides the fastest with the least amount of missed targets wins.	Brandt Centre
2:15PM	Milking Demonstration	Barn 4
2:30PM	Katahdin Sheep Sale	Barn 5
3:00PM	Second Group of Wild Wool Riders Children have a chance to take a ride on “wild” sheep!	Brandt Centre
3:45PM	KAOS Dogsports Inc. This attraction features dogs displaying feats of agility and acrobatics. After the demonstration dogs will be paired up with a horse/rider to see who is the fastest team to do a barrel pattern!	Brandt Centre
4:00PM	RBC Beef Supreme Challenge The premier international event of the beef livestock world! Grand Champions of all breeds from 18 major shows across North America are invited to compete against Agribition’s Grand Champion Bulls and Females.	Chevrolet GMC Stadium
7:00PM	Canadian Cowboys Association Finals Rodeo — FAMILY DAY! Watch as the champions of each event get crowned! Tickets available at the Brandt Centre Box Office.	Brandt Centre
8:00PM	Tailgate Party	Chevrolet GMC Stadium

Note: SSBA: Saskatchewan Sheep Breeders’ Association Source: Canadian Western Agribition 2013 Official Show Guide.

EXHIBIT 6: LIVESTOCK ENTRIES

Entries and Exhibits	2011	2012	2013	3 Year Average	5 Year Average
Purebred Beef	1,576	1,748	1,437	1,587	1,690
RBC Beef Supreme	109	99	91	100	108
First Lady Classic including futurity	130	148	127	135	128
Junior Beef Extreme	147	134	113	131	137
Bull Pen Alley	78	60	48	62	67
Commercial Cattle	520	420	370	437	500
Prospects	81	110	101	97	93
Sheep	115	212	237	188	177
Katahdin Sheep	73	89	55	72	69
Horse Pulls*	21	18	14	18	19
Ranch Horse	27	28	25	27	28
Team Penning*		147	22	56	72
Bison	88	68	67	74	70
Boer Goat	114	132	103	116	118
Stock Dogs	39	34	39	37	41

* Number of teams entered

Beef Displays	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013
Breeder Displays	495’	550’	545’	625’	655’
Breed Associations (current shows)	110’	110’	100’	110’	130’
Beef Displays	30’	30’	30’	30’	30’

Total Number of Animals Entered	2011	2012	2013	3 Year Average	5 Year Average
Total Number of Animals Entered	2,685	3,011	2,634	2,777	3,011

Source: CWA 2013 Show Report.

EXHIBIT 7: TRADESHOW EXHIBITOR MIX

Net Square Footage per Product/Service Category

27%

Agriculture-Grain

Agriculture-Livestock Retail

Automotive

Tourism/Education Media*

23%

32%

12%

5% 1%

Agriculture — Grain	Agriculture — Livestock	Retail	Automotive	Tourism/ Education	Media*
38,925 sq. ft.	33,664 sq. ft.	28,975 sq. ft.	14,725 sq. ft.	6,650 sq. ft.	1,100 sq. ft.

Number of Exhibitors per Product/Service Category

Agriculture — Grain	Agriculture — Livestock	Retail	Automotive	Tourism/ Education	Media*
59	117	158	5	42	10

*Represents on-location radio groups, print news media and video groups. Source: CWA 2013 Show Report.

EXHIBIT 8: TRADESHOW REVENUE GROWTH

Year-to-Year Trade Show Revenue Comparison

2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013
$667,000	$683,000	$745,000	$790,000	$888,711	$979,321

Source: CWA 2013 Show Report.

EXHIBIT 9: SAMPLE SPONSOR LIST

PLATINUM SPONSORS

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Budweiser Chevrolet GMC City of Regina

Ford Government of Saskatchewan John Deere SaskTel Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association

StayInRegina.com The Western Producer Youngs Equipment Inc.

Gold Sponsors

Bank of Montreal CN Rail Royal Bank of Canada Co-Op Saskatchewan’s Credit Union Cowtown Masterfeeds Merck Animal Health FCC

Pfizer Animal Health CIBC Dow Agrosciences Golden West MNP Ramada Worldwide The Pump Roadhouse SaskEnergy

TD Canada Trust Evraz Place FHQ Tribal Council SaskCanola Toyota Zoetis Canadian Cattlemen/Grainews

Silver Sponsors

Advantage Sign & Display Bayer CropScience Blair’s Crop & Livestock Solutions Canalta Hotels Cargill Carry the Kettle Canadian Pacific

Creeland Mini-Mart Farm World File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council Fountain Tire IKS Media & Technology Kawacatoose First Nation McDonald’s

Merial Canada Inc. Nelson South Country Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers SaskCanola Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association Syngenta Telus

Bronze Sponsors

Bear Claw Casino Cabela’s Canadian Beef Breeds Council Casino Regina Coca-Cola Refreshments Co-Op Feeds Corby Degelman DuPont

Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Ideal Trading Lifestyle John Brown Farms Konica Minolta Business Solutions Nelson Motors and Equipment Northgate Mall SaskMilk Saskatchewan Government Insurance

Saskatchewan Arts Board Saskatchewan Seed Growers South Country Equipment Spectra Energy The Co-operators Western Potash Corp. Wingate by Wyndham

Source: CWA 2013 Show — Annual Report.

EXHIBIT 10: COST FOR A TYPICAL FAMILY OF FOUR

Agribition Adult Admission: $15 X 2 people = $30

Agribition Children Admission $5 X 2 children = $10

Rodeo Tickets: $20 X 4 people = $80 Food and drinks during a day at Agribition*: $20 X 4 people = $80

$200

* Agribition received a small share of profits from food and liquor sales at the exhibition. It represented less than 2 per cent of total revenues.

Source: Created by case authors.

EXHIBIT 11: RODEO ATTENDANCE SURVEY RESULTS

Age Distribution Residence Distribution

60+ years old 11%

50-59

years old 23%

40-49

years old 15%

Under 20

10%

20-29

years old 30%

30-39

years old 11%

Outside of Saskatchewan 16%

More than 100km of Regina 22%

Within 100km of Regina 23%

The United States

0%

In the city of Regina 39%

Attraction Attendance Pattern

EXHIBIT 11 (CONTINUED)

CCA Finals Rodeo Attendance

	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013
Tuesday					3,287	2,934	2,688
Wednesday	3,224	2,350	2,667	2,087	2,566	2,798	3,013
Thursday	3,725	3,948	3,343	2,957	3,535	3,538	3,463
Friday	5,195	5,241	5,583	5,530	5,608	5,975	5,971
Saturday Matinee	2,695	3,332	2,638	2,850
Saturday Night	4,423	4,856	4,767	4,235	5,596	5,966	5,929
Total	19,262	19,727	18,998	17,659	20,592	21,211	21,064

Source: CWA 2013 Show Report.

EXHIBIT 12: INTERNATIONAL ATTENDEES

International Guests

	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013
Buyers	221	231	205	248	185
Students	486	558	627	528	625
Total	707	789	832	776	810

International Buyers

	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013
United States	109	133	136	127	87
Other	112	98	69	121	98
Total	221	231	205	248	185

Incoming Buyers Program

Australia	China	New Zealand	Ukraine	United Kingdom	United States
2-3	4	1	3	6	6

Source: CWA 2013 Show Report.

EXHIBIT 13: CANADIAN WESTERN AGRIBITION — BACK TO REGINA’S AGRICULTURE ROOTS

Ever wonder how an event built on rural pride can survive in a big urban centre like Regina? It’s easy. Build an experience based on tradition, prestige, and inclusiveness; wrap it in a bow and do it every year for 43 years. Sprinkle in 5,000 kids, international visitors from over 60 countries, add a touch of cow, a pinch of horse, and blend in the biggest consumer tradeshow one month before Christmas and you have Canadian Western Agribition.

There is something about agriculture that takes us back to a simpler time. One has to look hard to find a resident from Saskatchewan who doesn’t have a connection with rural life. Many may reminisce about weekends at their grandparents running in the hay loft, feeding the cows, or sitting on an open station tractor. The magic behind Agribition is the connection with our inner soul’s need to feel part of something meaningful, innocent, and noble.

Agribition’s value can be measured in terms of economic impact. 125,000 visitors have an economic impact just shy of $40 million annually on the community. This is like having a Grey Cup in town every single year. Most Regina residents know the store shelves will be left bare when Agribition wraps up and the trailers and the trucks head back to their respective farms and ranches for the long winter. The economics are simple. This big event equals big bucks for local business owners.

“We look forward to showcasing our city to the many visitors from across Canada and around the world who will attend Agribition. This week is always a highlight for our city as we celebrate our agricultural roots,” said Michael Fougere, Mayor of Regina. It’s not all about the money. Like a big oak tree, the roots of the show are deep and stem right back to the simplest of foundations. The social and cultural benefits of the show make it part of Regina’s psyche.

“Agribition is about families and family values. I love to see smiling kids interacting with the animals,” said Robert Stroeder, General Manager of Denny’s Restaurant in Regina. “Where else can city folk get a chance to experience agriculture in such an inviting setting?”

All of us are social, by nature. Naturally, we gravitate to activities and places that create a sense of belonging. The “Legends of the Swamp,” six nights of rodeo action, or beers in the Bud Light Loading Chute have a few things in common — smiling faces, handshakes, and outlandish tales of heroism echo through the venues, creating a cascade of new memories rooted in the traditions of Regina’s biggest social event of the year.

If you haven’t already connected the dots, Agribition is about culture. Regina was founded on agriculture, and although Regina is growing beyond its cultural roots as it expands into a booming metropolis, the link of six days of the unique sights and sounds of Agribition pulls Regina back to simpler times when families worked and played together.

Source: CWA 2013 Official Show Guide.