The Manitoba Agricultural Museum in Austin has announced a groundbreaking five-year partnership with Winnipeg-based production company Eagle Vision. The agreement names Eagle Vision the presenting sponsor of the Manitoba Threshermen’s Reunion and Stampede and renames the museum’s main arena the Eagle Vision Arena.
Past chair Angie Klym says the partnership marks a shift in how the museum engages with major sponsors.
“We are very excited to enter into a five-year partnership with Eagle Vision and they will become the presenting sponsor of our Manitoba Thresherman's Reunion and Stampede. And along with that and any recognition of that incredible support, we've announced just over the weekend that our main arena complex will be renamed the Eagle Vision Arena for this five-year period.”
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The museum also plans to collaborate closely with the Manito Ahbee Festival team to bring Indigenous agricultural stories to the forefront. Lisa Meeches, Eagle Vision founder and a member of Long Plain First Nation, speaks to the partnership’s deeper cultural meaning.
“When the settlers came to this region, our people helped them understand the land and how to benefit from it while caring for it,” Meeches says. “It's time we returned to a mutually beneficial relationship between the original keepers of this land and the agricultural community today.”
Bridging cultural heritage and education
The museum will integrate Indigenous perspectives into exhibits and programming across its 320-acre site, home to Canada’s largest operating collection of vintage farm equipment. Museum Executive Director Elliot Sims says the partnership brings meaningful change.
“We're very excited to have Eagle Vision become the key partner of the museum,” Sims notes. “Their support will help the museum better reflect the full history of rural Manitoba.”
Eagle Vision co-owner Kyle Irving also brings a personal connection to the project.
“I'm thrilled to give back to two communities that have given me so much,” Irving continues. “I can't wait to see what comes from this over the next five years.”
New voices and stories at the reunion
Klym says the museum is also working toward broader participation in this year’s Threshermen’s Reunion, scheduled for July 24 to 27. While timelines are tight, the team is exploring ways to incorporate elements from the Manito Ahbee Festival into the program.
“Part of that is the history of Indigenous peoples’ connection to agriculture is absent in some of our curatorial programming,” Klym adds. “This is a way for us to partner with Indigenous communities across the province and become more intentional with learning more about their untold contributions.”
Board Chair Jon Whetter says the collaboration will ensure lasting value for visitors and the community.
“Having Lisa Meeches and the teams at Eagle Vision and the Manito Ahbee Festival support and advise us will ensure we provide a more fulsome reflection of Manitoba's shared farming heritage,” Whetter adds.
Building bridges through shared experience
This partnership, launched alongside the 2025 Manito Ahbee Festival at Assiniboia Downs, opens the door for cross-promotion, increased cultural exchange, and new storytelling at one of Manitoba’s most iconic summer events.
Klym says the museum will share programming updates through media and social platforms as details emerge, with high hopes for what the next five years will bring.