MJ Exhibition Company: Where Sask.’s agricultural roots shine brightest

Agriculture has been a foundation for Prairie economics and culture since the region’s settlement in the late 19th an early 20th Centuries. Visit almost any Saskatchewan community and there will be a vibrant agricultural organization of some kind. The Moose Jaw Exhibition Company has been that entity here in Moose Jaw since 1884, when the pre-cursor to the organization was established to run the

Bill Gomersall Arenas provide outdoor venues through the temperate seasons.

The other amenities that make the Moose Jaw Exhibition Company a “Grade-A” place for gatherings of all sizes are its convention and meeting rooms. The Exhibition Company Convention Centre sits at the south end of the property. It provides 20,000 square feet of floorspace, enough room for a capacity of 1000 patrons and on-site catering services.

Moose Jaw

Hometown Fair.

Through the decades, the Exhibition Company has become the primary host for a wide variety of agricultural, communitywide, social events, both private and public.

Almost 140 years after its creation, the company manages an extensive property of riding arenas, fairgrounds and convention space at 250 Thatcher Drive East. It’s annual calendar of events includes about 35 livestock and equine shows. Among them are events highlighting dressage, barrel racing, hunter/ jumper shows, cutting shows and other types of agricultural gatherings. All tallied, the Exhibition Company attracts up to 90,000 visitors per year, a large portion of that coming by hosting equestrian association events from throughout South Saskatchewan.

The organization’s complex of facilities meets the needs of almost any celebration or attraction. Equine and livestock events are held in three arenas. The Golden Mile Arena is set indoors, while the West Ring and

The smaller Golden Nugget Centre sits adjacent to the convention centre and holds up to 230 people. This facility includes a dance floor and a bar. Both rooms are available for a multitude of different celebrations, from private social gatherings such as reunions, weddings and parties to much larger public functions, like the South Saskatchewan Wildlife Association’s annual gun show in March. The Exhibition Company also regularly books a variety of craft, antique and collectibles shows.

Finally, the grounds are also home to the Moose Jaw Dog Club, which provides members with a gated dog run, dog training facilities and service, and competition through the Agility Association of Canada. Otherwise, the Exhibition Company is the centre of the city June 22 through 25. The annual Hometown Fair returned to the calendar after a two-year hiatus due to pandemic restrictions. Organizers, who are putting together a wide range of attractions for the 2023 event, are expecting the same success they garnered on their return in 2022. This year’s highlights are the 4-H Cattle Show and Sale, the Moose

Jaw Hunter/Jumper Show, West Coast Amusements, the Canine Stars Stunt Dog Show and more. Besides the Hometown Fair, the organization’s calendar currently has a dozen other events already booked through the rest of the year. The Saskatchewan Quarter Horse Association will arrive May 19 to 21, followed by the Moose Jaw Dog Club Regionals on June 9 and 10. The Quarter Horse Association returns July 7 to 9, followed by the Highway to Heroes Car Show on July 22. The Saskatchewan Reined Cow Horse Association moves in to close the month.

The Saskatchewan Cutting Horse Association will host an event at the grounds Aug. 4 to 6, then the Canadian Ranch Roping Finals will take place Sept. 16 and 17.

Another Hunter/Jumper show, the Whistlestop Christmas Craft Show and the TLC Art and Craft Show currently round out the year’s bookings through to midNovember.

Contact the Moose Jaw Exhibition Company for more information on events, facility rental availability and other services. The organization can be reached at 306.692.2723; by email at moosejawexh@sasktel.net; Facebook and moosejawex.ca.