See my reply to this question in your Y2K Spitfire thread. Your question as to why the Abbotsford airshow doesn't have more of a warbird presence is very simple. The organizers, take them for what they're worth, decided years ago that they could put on a much better show by paying the US and Canadian militaries to bring large and fast jets which make lots of noise, and that local warbirds would just show up and do the show without any compensation (fuel). On top of that, while military pilots were getting wined and dined in the chalets, civilian pilots (not including acrobatic acts) were expected to provide their own food and admission to the show. Most local warbirders got fed up, and as a result they would rather take their airplanes down south for shows like Olympia, Arlington (before the debacle), and Fairchild.
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I fantasize about airshows like Geneseo, etc. and wish I could run a warbird airshow in Vancouver that could attract more than 2 Harvard's, more than one twin engine (anything type), and maybe a single Mustang. I saw a picture of Geneseo with 6 Harvards in a row, and I can only imagine there were more elsewhere on the field. Seeing 2+ P-40's, 2+ Spitfires, 1+ Hurricanes, a Lancaster, 1+ B-17's, 5+ Stearmans, 5+ Harvards..... that would be my description of heaven. Sigh...
Believe it or not, there was a day when no less than 6 Harvards/T-6s were based at Delta Airpark. Not to mention some T-28s, a couple Tiger Moths, a few Chipmunks and many more. A weekly occurrence would see those airplanes all come to life on Saturday morning for a day of formation practice and turning gas into noise all over the Fraser Valley, practicing for shows like Penticton, Victoria, Comox, and the yearly West Coast warbird gathering. You can thank the GVRD, the NIMBYs, and the combined airspaces of CYVR and CZBB for putting a stop to that scene. Vancouver used to be a major destination for warbirds, thanks to the members of the Western Warbirds, the Confederate Air Force, the CWH, and the early founders of the Cascade Warbirds. Once a year the WW would have a "squadron gathering", usually in conjunction with the shows at places like Oliver, Nelson, Crystal Lakes, Vanderhoof, Namao, Lethbridge, and Comox. Warbirders would come from the "Gopher Wing" (Alberta warbirders), "Seagull Wing" (BC warbirders, and there was another name for the Ontario wing but I forget. They were the group responsible for bringing the CAF and CWH to the Abbotsford airshows, and in turn they took the whole fleet of 50+ airplanes to Oshkosh, Hamilton, and Harlingen. Unfortunately, fuel, insurance, lack of willingness, lack of reciprocity, and family commitments etc. brought it to an end. A few still continue on, going to the local American shows and enjoying what they do. You also have to remember that this was a generation ago, many of whom have passed on, taken up golf, or just stopped flying. A great number of those involved in that scene have seen a Mustang fly enough times (usually because they were the ones flying it) that they don't need to experience it any more, and they have passed the torch onto the next generation to carry it on. I count myself extremely fortunate to have been able to experience even at the tail end the warbird movement in the Vancouver area before it completely extinguished, and as a new pilot (and with the luck to be in my current position) I plan on keeping the warbird movement alive and to carry on the names and the legacies of those who brought me up in the warbird world.
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