Six People Sit Down in Brandon...

Six people sit down for supper. Four are from Saskatchewan, one is from Manitoba and one lives in Ontario. They had not met each other before that night but were soon laughing and teasing as if they'd known each other for years.

Two are book publishers - that would be us. Two show off their race car that has a jet engine propelled by canola-based biodiesel fuel. The Manitoba man sells massage chairs. The Ontario women sells padded mattresses for horses.

What a unique combination of individuals - all of whom met at the 'Welcome Supper' provided for exhibitors and vendors at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in Brandon.

Not only can you meet great people at this six-day ag show and trade fair, but you can see so many fascinating things. Here are some of the sights I saw by the end of Day One:

We've arrived at our destination - Keystone Centre in Brandon, Manitoba. Signs announce the six-day fair.

This building caught our attention early.

It's Display Building No. 11 and part of a major restoration program.

We're all ready to go - in a roomy corner booth #3 in the UCT Pavillion. We have 15 Saskatchewan and Prairie books for sale (11 are true stories, 2 are Prairie humour and 2 are children's stories). We've also fielded questions already from a couple authors who are thinking of self-publishing their books. Come see us if you're planning on attending the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair this week. We'll be at our booth from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day this week. The show ends on Saturday, March 30.

Allow us to introduce you to our supper companions and newfound friends. Above is Kevin and Gwen Therres of Prairieland Motorsports of Humboldt, Saskatchewan - just a bit northwest of our home in Regina. Kevin is a mechanic. He and Gwen travel a lot to display their race car with a jet engine that sits RIGHT BESIDE THE DRIVER! Kevin tells us he has to wear five layers of clothing to ward off the heat from the engine that can go from 0 to 250 miles per hour in a quarter of a mile. Impressive.

This is Clayton Cracklen, CEO (Chief Euphoria Officer) of The Electrik Chair Ultimate Massage, from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Clay has quite a sense of humour (as you can tell from his job title) and he is spending his time at the fair inviting unsuspecting - and some even willing - customers to take a load off and check out the relief provided by the Ultimate Massage Chair. And no, you won't get an electric shock if you sit in the chair. It's a clever play on words - kind of like DriverWorks Ink. 

And this young woman (doing her best impression of Vanna White from Wheel of Fortune) is Lisa Huber, the Kitchener, Ontario, resident who spends her days selling an exceptionally comfy mattress for horses. That's right - a mattress for horses! The Promat company has a mattress for cows, too, but that is for another show apparently. If you stop by Lisa's booth, you will be invited to not just step on the mattress, but to stand on it with both feet. That's the best way to feel the effect of the padding, which can lead to a happier and more productive horse, we're told. You learn something new every day.

 

And here are some other sights from Day One:

Manitoba dairy cattle.

 

 The University of Saskatchewan's Veterinary College offered the chance to learn about some animal parts. Visitors to the Fair can also see...

...chickens...

...sheep...

..a seven-year-old Clydesdale horse named Cooper...

...a Percheron attracting TV media attention (see part of the camera & cameraman on the right edge)...

...baby chicks...

...a horse and buggy making its way into a show ring...

 

...animal pelts at the Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship booth...

 

...trucks and other pieces of machinery...

...saddles...

...and, of course, cowboy hats.

The Royal Manitoba Winter Fair officially kicked off in the Westman Centre (above and below). 

 

 

So come say, 'Hi!' We'll see you there!