The British Columbia Agriculture Exposition (BCAE) took place this past weekend in Barriere at the North Thompson Fall Fair (NTFF) grounds from Sept. 22 to the 25.
This year’s live auction on Monday, Sept. 25, will be held in the beef ring in the NTFF Agriplex, with bidding taking place on site or online. Interested buyers can register for the online bidding at www.dlms.ca via the Direct Livestock Marketing Systems website or by attending the live event.
The Monday morning auction kicks off with the Royal Bank sponsored complimentary buyers’ breakfast at 8:30 a.m. in the Agriplex curling which is open to everyone.
The live auction for high quality beef and lamb, photography, and this year one small engine project will begin at 10:00 a.m. in the beef ring in the NTFF Agriplex. Champions will be sold first, and the livestock sale order is determined by their placings in the market classes.
The BC Ag Expo Auction Page provides detailed information for buyers including local cutting and wrapping options following purchase. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550903035270
The annual expo was back to a regular in person fair following a two-year online version due to the pandemic. The crowded parking lots filled with RV’s and livestock trailers showed the participants and their families were happy to be gathering to show and sell their market stock and projects once again.
During the event, Black Press spoke with Vice Chair of the BC Ag Expo, Julieanne Puhallo-Brown about the expo who said, “The BC Agricultural Expo is the kid’s year end 4-H fair where they sell their animals or other projects at the end of the season. Project categories include livestock, photography, or small engine projects. The main part of the fair is 4-H. It is for youth nine to nineteen years old. The kids age out of showing at 19 but can continue 4-H at 20 and 21. We also have a Cloverbud program which is our six- to eight-year-olds, so they are not officially in 4-H but can attach themselves to a 4-H club and learn how 4-H works and still do all the 4-H work prior to joining officially.”
Puhallo-Brown explained, since 4-H is a worldwide organization, the program is extensive and in B.C. the projects include beef, sheep, photography, small engine, and gardening categories. “There are poultry projects, dog, horse, swine, and clothing. A real variety of projects kids can choose from. For non-agricultural kids there are options like photography, dog, or small engine categories – so there is something for everyone.”
Within the 4-H B.C. program as well as 4-H Canada, there are extensive scholarship opportunities for kids going into post-secondary education. B.C. Ag Expo offers scholarships and bursaries from sponsor families. The Darren Brady Award for 11-year-olds is a cash award that is reinvested for the recipient and matures to be given to them towards their post-secondary education.
Vice chair, Puhallo-Brown, added, “This has been such a great event and we are all so proud of all of these hard-working kids and their achievements. We are already looking forward to next year!”
