Busy Day 2 coming up at the Agri-Show

A busy Friday is ahead at the 34th Foster’s Peace Country Classic Agri-Show at Evergreen Park.
 
This year’s County of Grande Prairie Farm Family of the Year, Todd and Lexi Balisky and their four kids Emma, Luke, Heidi, and Wyatt, will be saluted today.
 
They operate a 400-head cattle ranch near Bear Lake and are involved in several community groups.
 
Todd says they want to see agriculture in the Peace stay strong.
 
“Different programs help promote it, like the (Peace Country) Beef Congress and other community things, church groups, and camps, (those things) keep people strengthened.”
 
The kid’s auction is also on today.
 
Skijoring will make it’s debut at 5:30 p.m. outside of the Lewis Hawkes Pavilion.
 
The 16th Northern Classic Bull Sale will start at 1 p.m. in the Drysdale Centre.
 
One of the sellers, Jason McQuaig of Sexsmith’s Jay-Dawn Farms, says the show gotten a lot bigger over the years.
 
“It’s been running for many years, it’s a big show. It brings out lots of people, both from the city and country. They get to come and see all the different equipment and the livestock we have on offer here at the show.”
 
We asked McQuaig how things are in the cattle business these days.
 
“Market-wise, it’s had some up and downs. In general, in the fall, the run on the steer calves was good. I think a little bit (of a) feed shortage in the south has driven some of the prices down, but it seems to be holding its own. The good livestock still sell really good.”
 
Show hours will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the horse program going from Noon to 8 p.m.