The improvement in weather has been welcomed with relief by a number of smaller agricultural shows that are struggling to survive. The issue for most of them is not soft ground conditions but the size of the attendance – which can be badly hit if show day is wet. Smaller shows rely on gate earnings to help cover their running costs. But on wet days, local people seem to prefer to stay at home.
Three long established and well-known shows that were scheduled to be held this month were cancelled because of either poor weather or plain financial uncertainty. They were Sligo Agricultural Show, Carnew Show in Co Wicklow and Drimoleague Show based in west Cork. All three hope to go ahead next year.
Shows derive income from four main sources: sponsorship, entry fees for livestock and other competitions, gate fees and sale of food and other items on the day. However, they face strong competition for sponsorship money from the many other fundraising events that now happen every week across the country, many of these charity fundraisers.
The gate fee for most shows varies from a low of €5 per adult to the €20 charged at the National Ploughing Championships. But while the Ploughing attracts up to 127,000 per day and Tullamore Show 60,000 visitors, it is a very different story at local shows. Some attract only a few hundred paying visitors meaning that their total gate fee might be only around €1,000. Such shows must keep costs to a minimum and rely on voluntary help by local people.
The main costs faced by shows are prize money for competitions; hire of a field and marquees; hire of toilets; judges expenses including possibly accommodation, and advertising. Insurance is not a huge cost as the Irish Shows Association has agreed a special rate with FBD. In addition, the Department of Agriculture supports local shows with a financial contribution towards insurance. The net cost of insurance for many local, one-day shows is €500 to €800.
Gerard McCarthy, chair of Drimoleague Show in west Cork, told the Irish Farmers Journal that this year’s event was cancelled because of financial concerns.
“For the last few years, we were running at a loss. Basically, we are a horse show but the horse competitions don’t cover themselves. So we’ve relied on the gate and sponsorship money.’’
In 2012, the show cost €10,000 to stage. Prize money on the day was €4,270.In 2013 the committee reduced the running cost to €7,500 – but it still did not break even.In 2014 the committee cut prize money by €1,000 to €3,385 and brought the cost of staging the show down to €6,500. But, again, takings were a few hundred euro shy of this.These figures do not include the huge time put in by Gerard and his committee and many helpers, all on a voluntary basis. “It takes two full days beforehand and one after cleaning up,” he says.He ran through the figures for 2014. The show took in €2,880 in sponsorship; €1,350 in entry fees; €1,289 at the gate; €400 in the tea marquee and €200 for the dog show. It got a rebate of €450 from the Irish Shows Association to help with insurance.
“We charged €8 at the gate,” he says. Ironically, Gerard credits the event’s popular dog show with delivering much of the gate fee. “Only for it, the gate fee would be smaller.” For the horse competitions, the show charged €12 per class and €10 per pony. The entry fee for the dog competitions were €2 and €3 per class. “We’re very grateful to the horse owners, our sponsors and the landowner for use of his field.”
The biggest outgoing was prize money of €3,385. Other costs included €250 for a Red Cross ambulance; €470 for toilets and a caravan; judges’ expenses of €661; €165 for a band; €270 for competition rosettes and plaques; €250 for paper and postage; and €400 for use of the field. The show has its own marquee which it bought secondhand for €400 a few years ago and is used for catering. Insurance was €750 before the rebate from the Department of Agriculture or €300 net. Catalogues are made up by a committee member at no cost to the show.
Drimoleague Show has been taking place for over 50 years. Not so long ago, the show had gate earnings of up to €3,000 and sponsorship of up to €12,000. Why have both fallen – is it poor farm prices? “It’s not farm incomes,” Gerard says. “I think it’s that there are so many family events on now.”
Bigger shows
Some of the bigger, regional shows operate on a huge scale – but they too still rely on voluntary time and effort. The successful, one day Bonniconlon Show in Co Mayo cost almost €180,000 to run in 2014 and brought in turnover of €194,747. Takings at the gate and sale of catalogues are a mainstay, bringing in €96,785. Sponsorship brought in approximately €74,700; competition entries €18,900, social and dance entertainment €3,357, while society income was €1,000.
Tullamore Show is even bigger again, costing up to €900,000 to stage while, in 2014, the show had an income of €750,000. It has healthy savings of about €750,000 in the bank. Then, of course, there’s the Ploughing which is one of the biggest farm events in the world.
It is likely that the bigger shows have grown attendances and sponsorship at the expense of smaller local shows. The punters – farm families and other rural dwellers – are voting with their feet. The trade companies that take stands and provide sponsorship are following them.
The improvement in weather has been welcomed with relief by a number of smaller agricultural shows that are struggling to survive. The issue for most of them is not soft ground conditions but the size of the attendance – which can be badly hit if show day is wet. Smaller shows rely on gate earnings to help cover their running costs. But on wet days, local people seem to prefer to stay at home.
Three long established and well-known shows that were scheduled to be held this month were cancelled because of either poor weather or plain financial uncertainty. They were Sligo Agricultural Show, Carnew Show in Co Wicklow and Drimoleague Show based in west Cork. All three hope to go ahead next year.
Shows derive income from four main sources: sponsorship, entry fees for livestock and other competitions, gate fees and sale of food and other items on the day. However, they face strong competition for sponsorship money from the many other fundraising events that now happen every week across the country, many of these charity fundraisers.
The gate fee for most shows varies from a low of €5 per adult to the €20 charged at the National Ploughing Championships. But while the Ploughing attracts up to 127,000 per day and Tullamore Show 60,000 visitors, it is a very different story at local shows. Some attract only a few hundred paying visitors meaning that their total gate fee might be only around €1,000. Such shows must keep costs to a minimum and rely on voluntary help by local people.
The main costs faced by shows are prize money for competitions; hire of a field and marquees; hire of toilets; judges expenses including possibly accommodation, and advertising. Insurance is not a huge cost as the Irish Shows Association has agreed a special rate with FBD. In addition, the Department of Agriculture supports local shows with a financial contribution towards insurance. The net cost of insurance for many local, one-day shows is €500 to €800.
Gerard McCarthy, chair of Drimoleague Show in west Cork, told the Irish Farmers Journal that this year’s event was cancelled because of financial concerns.
“For the last few years, we were running at a loss. Basically, we are a horse show but the horse competitions don’t cover themselves. So we’ve relied on the gate and sponsorship money.’’
In 2012, the show cost €10,000 to stage. Prize money on the day was €4,270.In 2013 the committee reduced the running cost to €7,500 – but it still did not break even.In 2014 the committee cut prize money by €1,000 to €3,385 and brought the cost of staging the show down to €6,500. But, again, takings were a few hundred euro shy of this.These figures do not include the huge time put in by Gerard and his committee and many helpers, all on a voluntary basis. “It takes two full days beforehand and one after cleaning up,” he says.He ran through the figures for 2014. The show took in €2,880 in sponsorship; €1,350 in entry fees; €1,289 at the gate; €400 in the tea marquee and €200 for the dog show. It got a rebate of €450 from the Irish Shows Association to help with insurance.
“We charged €8 at the gate,” he says. Ironically, Gerard credits the event’s popular dog show with delivering much of the gate fee. “Only for it, the gate fee would be smaller.” For the horse competitions, the show charged €12 per class and €10 per pony. The entry fee for the dog competitions were €2 and €3 per class. “We’re very grateful to the horse owners, our sponsors and the landowner for use of his field.”
The biggest outgoing was prize money of €3,385. Other costs included €250 for a Red Cross ambulance; €470 for toilets and a caravan; judges’ expenses of €661; €165 for a band; €270 for competition rosettes and plaques; €250 for paper and postage; and €400 for use of the field. The show has its own marquee which it bought secondhand for €400 a few years ago and is used for catering. Insurance was €750 before the rebate from the Department of Agriculture or €300 net. Catalogues are made up by a committee member at no cost to the show.
Drimoleague Show has been taking place for over 50 years. Not so long ago, the show had gate earnings of up to €3,000 and sponsorship of up to €12,000. Why have both fallen – is it poor farm prices? “It’s not farm incomes,” Gerard says. “I think it’s that there are so many family events on now.”
Bigger shows
Some of the bigger, regional shows operate on a huge scale – but they too still rely on voluntary time and effort. The successful, one day Bonniconlon Show in Co Mayo cost almost €180,000 to run in 2014 and brought in turnover of €194,747. Takings at the gate and sale of catalogues are a mainstay, bringing in €96,785. Sponsorship brought in approximately €74,700; competition entries €18,900, social and dance entertainment €3,357, while society income was €1,000.
Tullamore Show is even bigger again, costing up to €900,000 to stage while, in 2014, the show had an income of €750,000. It has healthy savings of about €750,000 in the bank. Then, of course, there’s the Ploughing which is one of the biggest farm events in the world.
It is likely that the bigger shows have grown attendances and sponsorship at the expense of smaller local shows. The punters – farm families and other rural dwellers – are voting with their feet. The trade companies that take stands and provide sponsorship are following them.
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: