Hussar Agricultural Society wins $25,000 BASF prize

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Hussar Agricultural Society was announced as the first-place winner of the Growing Home with BASF 2025 award within Alberta on April 29. 

A total of 12 organizations were selected across Canada to receive portions of a $160,000 prize fund. First place winners are to receive $25,000 each, second place is to be awarded $10,000, and third prizes will each be $5,000. 

These prizes are to be utilized towards projects submitted as part of the respective organizations’ applications for the contest. 

“We have some upgrades to do over the summer in the local Hussar Arena, so we will use it towards that. We have some roof repairs, (and) we have some Zamboni room upgrades,” said Ashley Kirkpatrick, secretary treasurer for the Hussar Agricultural Society. “We do not know how many votes came in, just that we had the most votes for Alberta. This is the first time that we have ever applied or tried to participate, so it was pretty exciting.”

Kirkpatrick added it is unlikely the Hussar Agricultural Society will be able to apply to participate in the program again next year, having already been able to benefit from the prize money once. 

BASF approached the agricultural society with the opportunity to participate based on much of the local demographic being seed and canola agriculturalists in some fashion or another. As the agricultural society was in need of supplemental funding, it was an opportunity to take advantage of being available to them. 

“It was just through word of mouth with some of the seed growers. There were three individuals within the community who all submitted for the Hussar Agricultural Society to be a nominee, and then it was pretty simple (to apply),” said Kirkpatrick. “It was an online process and then we were chosen as Top 3 out of 217 nominations in Alberta.”

Much of the renovations and updates to the local arena must be completed by or prior to September, as the facility will need to lay down its ice for the upcoming hockey and ringette seasons. 

The prize money will only cover a portion of the expenses required to maintain the facility. Kirkpatrick estimated the costs for the Zamboni room alone will be in the realm of $40,000.

In April, the agricultural society hosted a hypnotist fundraiser and will be putting together a golf tournament to be thrown in June in order to aid ongoing financial efforts. 

This will mark the first year the Hussar Agricultural Society has hosted a golf tournament in order to fundraise for their local endeavors. It was estimated the hypnotist fundraiser, another first, raised approximately $8,000. 

Upgrades to the local arena are anticipated to begin near the end of June, following the conclusion of the golf tournament.