THE SHOW RINGS OF NEW ZEALAND - PowerPoint Presentation

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THE SHOW RINGS OF NEW ZEALAND

A PLATFORM FOR CHANGE

Kevin Cholmondeley-SmithSlide2

INTRODUCTION

Agriculture & Pastoral Shows have been a part of the fabric of New Zealand life since early European settlement and have been through periods of huge popularity and times when the relevance of events such as A&P Shows escaped the wider public perception. Slide3

Today some shows have regained their preeminent position on the calendar of local attractions and these shows are scattered throughout New Zealand, however if we are honest we know that are some that are not doing so well and we must surely look at definitive change to ensure the survival of these unique events into the foreseeable future.Slide4

No matter where an A&P Show is staged in New Zealand it is a window on the ever-evolving New Zealand country way of life with events on the schedule that introduce new and exciting ideas while keeping tradition alive in for example home industry competitions, or maintaining commercial reality by judging like against like with breed excellence as the base line, and by offering horse riding competitions in various guises as a sport unique to our show rings, all of these events and displays shared willingly with all comers.Slide5

Today just fewer than 100 A&P Shows continue to present events where almost every facet of farm animal production, rural sports, home industries, entertainment and education report on rural life. Slide6

The events, when properly planned and presented well, then enter into the consciousness of urban-based visitors, increasing our catchment and educating people from far beyond our rural boundaries.Slide7

While lots of beautiful animals, and educational displays mixed with entertainment not always seen elsewhere will help the city people understand how A&P Shows have evolved and remain relevant, what has perplexed the governors of the societies who gather under the umbrella of the Royal Agricultural Society of New Zealand is meeting the changing needs of farmers and how the A&P Show can continue to play an important role in farming life.Slide8

As Farmers select replacement stock, breed for commercial markets and rely less on pedigree as a base we have to plan to design competitions that will be inclusive of modern farming, and be relevant and suitable for display or competition at the annual show.Slide9

THE CHALLENGE

This therefore is the challenge for A&P Shows who must reorganise the traditional competitions to better reflect the way farmers work today so that everything that is offered at the annual show compliments their breeding and farming programs and in no small way adds value to everyday commercial trading and the realities on the farm.Slide10

To attract New Zealand Farmers back to A&P Shows in any numbers it seems certain that competitions must offer more than a satin ribbon or a gilt certificate and be based commercially rather than on the historic conformation classes.Slide11

To starting the ball rolling with ideas that might revolutionise our way of judging cattle, horses, llama, alpaca, sheep, pigs and poultry I am offering some ideas as a starting point.

However, it is not just a matter of redesigning the competitions and how we judge and reward the animals entered. We have to make the shows themselves more attractive.Slide12

Often we take what we know for granted and our wonderful events remain unexplained to visitors thereby missing opportunities to give city folks full insight into rural activities and to understand why so many volunteers work tirelessly to keep A& P Shows alive and well.Slide13
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GIVE OUR SHOWS NEW PURPOSE!!!Slide15

At one time A&P Shows were annual events that bought the entire community together and little effort was needed to achieve great gate numbers and successful financial outcomes.

While there is always a loyal core audience for the local Show emanating from historical attachments or perhaps a wish to compete in one or some of the events the general audience is looking for more than cute animals to gaze at, we compete with other events for their hard earned disposable dollar and on the day of the show we have to deliver events that attract, reward, educate and amuse.Slide16

To achieve local awareness of the value of our shows we need to develop activities that reach deep into the local community educating and informing our potential audience long before the event is due.

AND

We need partnerships with companies that are also looking for gain and a vehicle to move forward alongsideSlide17

There are many ideas we can float that will re-educate the New Zealand public on the worth of annual shows, but I believe first and foremost we must win the hearts and minds of the younger generation who are growing up without any real knowledge of the history of the area they live in let alone their country. Rural activities are far down in their consciousness.Slide18

STARTING WITH CHILDRENSlide19

Let’s look at what we already have:Slide20

Calf Clubs exhibiting finals at some spring A&P Shows

Youth Judging (Cattle)

Youth Ambassador (Cattle)Dare I say it but in the main the calf clubs have left us and are staged mostly at school Ag Days. The Youth initiative while very laudable has small uptake and is only scratching the surface.Slide21

WHAT CAN WE DO THAT MIGHT HAVE IMPACT?Slide22

School Education Packs

(We could easily have projects in primary schools with incentives to be at the local show built into the program, and we should approach this at the top end and the local end)

Enlarge and revitalise the art sections many shows already run, send the top art from smaller shows forward to a district final. Run our rural art competitions with age group differentials with judging to be at the show.Slide23
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Schools Program Overview

The RAS Schools Program could help Teachers plan a series of successful lessons exploring food, fibre and farming. Teachers could use the supplied units as the basis of a term’s work or teachers could choose to dip into any of the units or resources to integrate into their own teaching/learning cycle.

This program would be designed to enhance and reinforce students’ learning combined with a school excursion to a local Agricultural & Pastoral Show. We would advise schools to contact the Royal Agricultural Society for a list of shows that are suitable for class visits.

We should emphasise that the Royal Agricultural Society of NZ (RAS) is a not for profit society, whose main aim is to forge the future of agriculture through competition, education and events. Slide26

Our education goals:

To build awareness, understanding and respect for agriculture and the fundamental role our farmers play.

To increase the engagement and participation of young people in New Zealand agriculture, with a particular focus on metropolitan audiences.Slide27

To showcase modern and sustainable agriculture and its use of innovation and technology

To create an awareness of the A&P Show movement and the role the shows play in the link between city and country with a focus on heritage, culture, competitions and artefacts.Slide28
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Have relevant and current skill-based competitions

Competitions that have a final at the local show and again, if possible send the top entries forward to district finals. This is something that will be of interest to all age groups.Slide30

Enlarge on the existing competitions:

Painting, drawing, photography, film, sewing, knitting, computer graphics, sign writing, models - it takes very little time to build a portfolio of competition ideas.Slide31

The opportunities are endless.Slide32

LOOKING AT OUR ADULT SUPPORTERS:Slide33

Research tells me that public attendance at the local show is driven by 1) the under 12 years of age and 2) the retired.Slide34

The young because they love to stare at and admire the animals, eat candy floss and ride the merry go round and maybe enter in an event, the older because of the nostalgic pull of remembering good times past.

This leaves a huge gap in our population that seemingly do not give a toss about the local show and if they do attend it is because their youngsters or grandparents cajole them into a visit.Slide35

Even if this research is skewed or too shallow, it gives a clue towards our shortcoming in gathering attendances from the uncommitted.Slide36

OUR COMPETITIONS:

While all this is happening we also need to rejuvenate the competitor based for virtually every competition we offer.

The aim needs to be higher, no longer is winning a ribbon enough, using horses as my first example, our traditional ring competitions lead at most to a Horse of the Year Title and a possible trip to Australia to compete in the Australasian Showing Championships.Slide37

COMPARISONS:

Our fellow organisation Equestrian Sport NZ offers International and Olympic competitions, team competition and a myriad of national titles and events as an aim within every discipline.Slide38

Therefore we need to explore and use every opportunity to

add value

to our competitions and to find new events that will attract entries. Some examples include, inter-island and overseas teams and individuals qualifying for like events away from home, which will then add incentive to our competitions. In the horse world we already are able to send competitors to the Australasian Showing Championships in Melbourne, on the table are other opportunities all spelt out later in this presentation.

 In the non-horse sections of our shows there are already individuals and teams competing in Australia in the Youth Handler sections and these types of events should be encouraged and built on.Slide39

WE NEED TO BUILD RELATIVITY, OPPORTUNITY, INCLUSIVENESS

AND ADD VALUE!Slide40

To achieve this I have some ideas, which are set out below in no particular order of importance, as all are needed to begin change.

IDEAS – FUTURE PROOFING – VALUE ADDINGSlide41

TO HELP SHOWS:Slide42

Build New Zealand wide competitions that are suitable as a base for television and have a place at selected A&P ShowsSlide43

The Garden ShedSlide44

Youth Skills with a competitive baseSlide45

Horticultural based challengesSlide46

InventionsSlide47

Introduce the

X Factor of Country Living

into our vernacular and create round the statement.Slide48

School Education Programmes

Create a give away manual and DVD’s

There are a many activities that will grow from thisSlide49

Rural Excellence Awards for Cottage Industries.Slide50

Wheat Sheaf Tossing in age groups across NZSlide51

Cow Goat & Sheep Hand Milking Time TrialsSlide52

Best Decorated Gumboots in the Art SectionSlide53

Gum Boot Tossing

(and like pole climbing create a circuit and finals.)Slide54

Have a Pole Climbing Circuit at our Shows

This has been done and done well but could take off if reintroduced and also fit into the TV ideasSlide55

Pole climbing involves racing up an 80

ft

pole as quickly as possible and would become an arena highlight or become a part of or attached to your Axemans Arena. Offer pole climbers free entry to the Show for themselves and one other, free camping and the chance of winning prize money.  There could be attendance money for those who apply early enough.  You could also offer incentives such as a free barbecue for competitors and their families.Slide56

ADD VALUE TO SHOWS and COMPETITORS by the Careful Use of the Qualification RuleSlide57

Add to the qualification requirements for Horse of the Year (at present competitors must attend three A&P Shows, why not five or six?) which would enable us to look at a simple enticement for entry at Royal Shows where for example if you have been to six A&P’s in the preceding 12 months you get a discount on Royal Entries??Slide58

Expenses are always at the top of the list when competitors look at which and how many shows to attend each year.

We have addressed the trend to try and qualify for HOY at one show by introducing the three show minimum attendance rule, however this qualification requirement is still underutilised and could be a tool to encourage attendance at more than three shows via discounts and incentives.Slide59

GIVE COMPETITORS MORE TO AIM FOR:Slide60

Regional shows run by District Committees whereby everyone in each district comes together once a year to create a significant event.Slide61

The Red Jacket Leader BoardSlide62

Regional and National Points Prizes and CircuitsSlide63

Inter Island Team ChallengesSlide64

North Island/South Island teams visiting each other’s showsSlide65

Special events to be designed – showing workouts to music – fancy dress – teams of four over jumps – mini cross country events - a quadrille in the arena judged “our way” Slide66

Loyalty Bonus

Use the HOY attendance form and give competitors who add at least two more attendances a 20% loyalty discount on their Royal Show Entries and a 5% discount on local show entriesSlide67

HELP & ENCOURAGE COMPETITORS:Slide68

Offer free instruction to horse & rider and calf and handler etc.

Regional practice days

Offer free instruction on Showing Horses/Cattle/Sheep/etc.Symposiums on various aspects of preparing animals for the show ringSlide69

Cattle

In the

cattle sections youth handlers and judges travel to other districts to be challenged on their leader board.Slide70

Sheep

Work with Shearing to create a

RAS youth leader board and the RAS Open Leader Board, run drafting and selection competitions with a leader board.Slide71

Llama and Alpaca

Invite the brains that govern this breed to come up with like ideas.Slide72

Poultry & Pigeons

Get these sections back up and running they attract audiences and are largely ignored in our governing circles. Slide73

Indoor Competitions

Involve the schools which have courses in cooking, sewing, dressmaking etc. create competitions are worth entering (something far beyond a certificate!) Why not (refer to mid-winter activities) bring school designers to our functions and have them parade their garments, art, activities etc.Slide74

COMPETITORS CLUB:

We have agonised endless over the years about Youth Committees why now make it simple and instigate a competitors club for each division (horses, sheep, cattle etc.) the club would be able to send forward ideas without having a formal right to votes within the organisation and the club would be a stepping stone for those who find governance of the organisation of interest.Slide75

HALL OF FAME

Other sports have a hall of fame why not us??Slide76

INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:

Representative Opportunities outside New Zealand must be explored and offered to all competitors.Slide77

CREATE INCLUSIVENESS Slide78

To Bring Us All Together:

A Mid-Winter Weekend includingAnnual Awards Dinners – “The Barn Yard Dance”

Fun SpeakerTrivial Pursuit based on our world Announcing the: -Best NI & SI Small Show of the Year (Less than 250 Competitors)Best NI & SI Large Show of the Year

(Over 250 Competitors)Wearable Fashion Awards “Farmed for Fashion” Category 1) from our farm produced fibre Category 2) From the Farm Yard to Art Slide79

So far so good…Slide80

GET BEHIND NEW COMPETITIONS:Slide81

Stir Up Breeder Loyalties:

The Breeders Challenge

This competition is suitable for every type of animal exhibited at A&P ShowsSlide82

Sires Ratings

(all breeds) based on progeny competing at A& P Shows Slide83

Judging Cattle Sheep

in fact all farm animals

(including led horses) differentlyMove (for example) to a full body analysis with points for, head & neck, top line, legs and feet, body structure and then instead of a felt or satin ribbon give Gold Medals for animals gaining 90-100 points Silver Medals

for those gaining 80-90 points and Bronze for those gaining 70-80 points.Slide84

In other words, not only redesign our classes but lets turn the whole system on its head shake it and come up with something new relevant and awards worth winning!Slide85

DISTRICT COMPETITIONS & NATIONAL COMPETITIONSSlide86

BATTLE OF THE BREEDSSlide87

GIVE EVERYONE A STAKE IN THEIR LOCAL SHOWSlide88

THE BUDDY SYSTEMSlide89

CHANGE OUR FINANCIAL MODEL AND CREATE LOYALTY PROGAMMES:Slide90

To summarise just some of the ideas I have listed above

A new financial base model

Fairer taxing of member shows based on sizeCompetitor Membership to assist with the above

Registration of all horses (tied to the present measuring system)Competitor involvement via support clubs or committeesValue added eventsNew judging methods for led eventsYouth InitiativesEducate NZ children via school projects

Create social events that will bring the showing community togetherCreate team events that engender district loyaltyLook for International Team opportunitiesSensibly introduce competitions that reflect modern faming and which will add value to the output of farms.

Make sure everyone has a stake in his or her local show

Introduce Buddy systems.Slide91

The New Financial Model

Please do not confuse this with membership of individual shows; A&P Show membership should be built round loyalty of local followers I am promoting a RAS Membership for Competitors. 

This might be restricted to equestrian and stock entries or be across the board. 

RAS Competitor Membership2000 x $35 070,000.00Annual Registrations(3000 x $25) 075,000.00

Total 145,000.00 OR3000 x $35 105,000.00Annual Registrations 075,000.00

Total 180,000.00

OR

5000 x $35 pa 175,000.00

Annual registrations 075,000.00

Total 250,000.00 

(Currently we earn about $65,00 from equestrian levies x $1 per class & measuring)Slide92

Measuring

(Note: although there are about 12,000 horses registered on our data base, we have no way of knowing how many are current) Measuring currently brings in income to both the Host Organisations owning the stands and a % share goes to the RASSlide93

WHEN WE TAKE WE MUST GIVE FOUR FOLD IN RETURN:

Lower the subscriptions for smaller shows

NewsletterFree instructions days throughout NZ International Teams Sponsored Bonus SchemesRegional Showing Championships

HOY bonus prizesBull Week bonus prizes or incentivesRoyal Show bonus prizes or incentives Breeders ChallengeRegional Leader Board Competitions (Red Jacket to leader etc

)Instructional gatherings – Seminars and help for Farmers Annual Dinner & Awards Weekend – both Islands (inclusiveness – FUN)Slide94

Sponsorship

Why would anyone sponsor us?

To gain significant sponsorship we need accurate information to convince a buy in. Ownership of A&P GroundsInfrastructureBuildings

Stables Stock Pens Level Fields Irrigation systems Beauty of Grounds

Other assets Membership list Membership Numbers Volunteer Numbers The NewsletterSlide95

To achieve the vital information for a sponsorship drive we would need every A&P Show in the country to cooperate with solid information about their ownership of grounds, infrastructure and the use of A&P owned grounds by the wider community.

Together we can become a vibrant cohesive organisation, going alone we will remain fractured, lack loyalty and eventually disappear.Slide96

FUND RAISING IDEAS

Merchandise

There is an opportunity to design and market caps, shirts, jackets, saddle blankets, halters and so forth all with RAS logos and clearly branded stationary.

We have artists and clever people within our community who would surely help with such a project.Slide97

NATIONAL RAFFLE TO SUPPORT YOUTH INITIATIVES

Seek and find a National Sponsor/s to donate significant prizes for us to raffle.

If no one wants to sponsor, buy in for example holiday trips at wholesale rates and raffle the trip!Slide98

Who else can come up with an idea? Don’t leave it all to me!Slide99

Here is a

BEAUTY!

(and some how I don’t think it will be difficult to find helpers with this project!)Slide100

AN ANNUAL RAS HUNKS CALENDAR

Ladies, is there 

anything better than a man in uniform?

Maybe not, but a shirtless man leading a huge cow or bull or shearing a sheep or in riding chaps certainly comes close.Slide101

Because it turns out, there are a lot of lady farmers and equestrians out there who can appreciate a nice set of rippling muscles, a kind face, strong shoulders and a silky mane...

And hey, those hunks aren't too bad either.Slide102

RAS SHED OF THE YEARSlide103

All farms have sheds; most homeowners have garden sheds, why not turn this into a nation wide competition

Categories:

FARM SHED ON SITEGARDEN SHED ON SITESHED ON WHEELS (Judged at the local show with finals in each Island)Slide104
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THE RED JACKET LEADER BOARDSlide108

ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY BREEDERS CHALLENGESlide109

Sponsored Bonus SchemeSlide110

Thank you everyone!

The challenge is out there.