Sydney Royal Easter Show receives international recognition with array of IAFE awards

Sydney Royal Easter Show secured 22 awards at last month’s International Association Fairs and Expositions (IAFE) Awards held in Salt Lake City, Utah – delivering international recognition for the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS).

The IAFE Awards recognise U.S and international State Fairs and Agricultural Shows for their contribution to education and innovation in the agricultural sector, judging events across four major categories of competition exhibits, agriculture, marketing, and sponsorship.

Despite tough competition provided by popular North American events, including the Calgary Stampede and Minnesota State Fair, Sydney’s premier agricultural event managed to take home twelve first place, five second place, and five third place awards. 

General Manager, Agriculture and Sydney Royal Easter Show, Murray Wilton, says he is incredibly proud of the team’s achievements and recognition on the international stage.

Wilton shared “It is an honour to be awarded and recognised by our international peers for our contribution to Agriculture.

“Our team works tirelessly to put on a fantastic event for the community, to celebrate the country coming to the city, and to promote the importance of agriculture to our everyday lives. The last few years have presented tremendous challenges, and it is a real credit to the team that they continue to deliver such an innovative and impactful event.

“It’s also exciting to have some of our smaller and innovative programs honoured, such as ‘Ag in a Box’, which has been recognised as a front-runner in agricultural education for school-age children, many of whom have never stepped foot on a farm, and our ‘Showbag Launch’, which offers children from local hospitals the opportunity to experience a small taste of the Easter Show”.

The awards were accepted by Sydney Royal Easter Show Head of Entertainment, Lynelle Smith CFE, who last year became the first graduate of the IAFE Institute of Fair Management in Australasia.

The 2024 Sydney Royal Easter Show will take place from Friday 22nd March to Tuesday 2nd April 2024.

The complete list of awards won by Royal Agricultural Society of NSW at International Association of Fairs & Expositions is below.

AGRICULTURE AWARDS:
First Place – Category 1 – Agricultural exhibitor events, awards, participation incentives or retention programs
AGRICULTURAL SHOWS MEDAL – PROVIDED TO EACH NSW SHOW SOCIETY AS A WAY TO RECOGNISE AND THANK A HARD-WORKING SHOW VOLUNTEER

First Place – Category 5 – Unique exhibit/promotion/special event/community engagement/competition showcased during the year
EDUCATION PROGRAM – AG IN A BOX

First Place – Category 6A – Agriculture individual photo: Livestock (not equine)
YOUNG GIRL WITH WINNING DAIRY COW

First Place – Category 6B – Agriculture individual photo: Horticulture/Crops
PUMPKIN HARVEST IN THE DISTRICT EXHIBITS

First Place – Category 6C – Agriculture individual photo: Equine
STUNT HORSE RIDING DURING NIGHT TIME SHOW – THUNDER OF A THOUSAND HOOVES

Second Place – Category 4 – Program/event/exhibit designed to educate consumers/fair-going public on the story of food
DISTRICT PRODUCT TALKS – TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON HOW DIFFERENT PRODUCE ITEMS ARE GROWN AND HOW TO IDENTIFY OUTSTANDING PRODUCE

COMPETITIVE EXHIBITS:
First Place – Category 6 – Competitive Exhibit (Photo series)
BEE HOTEL MAKING PHOTO SERIES (EDUCATIONAL CHILDREN’S WORKSHOP)

First Place – Category 10 – Any other competitive exhibits
BALCONY GARDENS – OFFERING CREATIVE IDEAS FOR GARDENS IN SMALL SPACES

Second Place – Category 5 – Strategy or tactic to engage competitive exhibits participants
SYDNEY ROYAL CAT SHOW

Third Place – Category 1 – Use of theme throughout multiple divisions of competitive exhibits
POETRY IN MOTION (SYDNEY ROYAL FLOWER & GARDEN SHOW) – FLORAL THEMES BASED ON AUSTRALIAN POETS

Third Place – Category 2 – New class of competition
SYDNEY ROYAL DOG SHOW – BEST BABY PUPPY OF THE DAY

Third Place – Category 4 – Display method and/or prop
HONEY CABINET 

MARKETING:
First Place - Category 1A – Television Commercial
TELEVISION COMMERCIAL – FIND YOUR HAPPY PLACE

First Place – Category 3 – Single-sided, flat promotional ad
FULL PAGE ADVERTISEMENT FOR SYDNEY ROYAL EASTER SHOW

First Place – Category 9 – Online advertisements
ONLINE ADVERTISEMENT SIX-WEEK CAMPAIGN

First Place - Category 11 – Out-of-the-Box marketing/promotion
SHOWBAG LAUNCH – PROMOTION OF THE 2023 SYDNEY ROYAL EASTER SHOW SHOWBAGS

Second Place – Category 2 – Radio
RADIO ADVERTISEMENT – FIND YOUR HAPPY PLACE

Second Place – Category 5 – Promotional/Advertising Poster
PROMOTIONAL POSTER FOR SYDNEY ROYAL EASTER SHOW – FEATURING NIGHT-TIME ENTERTAINMENT

Second Place – Category 12 – Best Marketing Campaign
SYDNEY ROYAL EASTER SHOW MARKETING CAMPAIGN – FIND YOUR HAPPY PLACE

Third Place – Category 8 – Promotional Advertising: Outdoor
SYDNEY ROYAL EASTER SHOW BILLBOARD ADVERTISEMENT 

SPONSORSHIP:
First Place – Category 4 – Sponsorship Exposure
SPONSORSHIP CAMPAIGN FOR NEWS LIMITED

Third Place – Category 4 – Sponsorship Exposure
SPONSORSHIP CAMPAIGN FOR SUSHI HUB