| Author | Message | ||
     Chris Hillman |
Hi, this is very useful to me to get peoples views on what the sport requires. Fortunately we agree, all your points are part of my objectives for the next 12 months. They just needs prioritising. I would welcome a call to discuss your views tel; 01539 824339 mob;07769 253916 | ||
| Christopher Priestley |
Firstly, I acknowledge there are at least two threads discussing points that are similar to this. I was going to post this on the BEF/Marketing debale thread. I hope nobody thinks that me starting a new thread is some sort of vanity-trip, I just don't want my random waffle to be off-topic and distract from the main points in each of those useful threads. Perhaps the sport - BHDTA and clubs together - need to develop an over-arching long term strategy so that marketing and other policies can be decided and prioritised in a joined up way? By way of suggestion/examples/my two pennies worth, a Driving Trials Strategy would have the following main points (they overlap, but just some ideas): 1) GROWTH AND RETENTION OF COMPETITORS – The sport is small and only just sustainable. More competitors need to be entering at all levels to firstly safeguard our future and then to improve income and competition standards. This would involve both attracting more competitors and keeping on those who just try it for a few years. Similarly, how many competitors on the national circuit go to more than one or two events? Would the sport still exist if it wasn’t for the club competitors occasionally topping up the numbers of the national-level ‘core’? Perhaps the hierarchy (especially the financial aspect of the two-tier system) needs to be examined? Should it be based on ability, rather than affordability? 2) COMMERCIAL GROWTH/ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE – The sport is expensive. Ways of reducing costs where possible (sharing call-off contracts for equipment hire, for example) and (critically for marketing) bringing in commercial revenue to sport to help reduce the burden on competitors and to improve the capability of the BHDTA to grow the sport. Big events like Badminton and Burghley bring in millions for British Eventing, not to mention publicity. Losing Lowther is a big blow to the profile of the sport and the potential loss of Brighton (traditional spectator magnets) is worrying too. Perhaps the sport should try to develop a top-class CAI-O event (such as Aachen or other continental events) to act as a flagship event? Windsor is pretty prestigious, but a dedicated driving event in a more central location? Running all classes, perhaps having horse and pony competitions staggered with marathon on Sat and Sun respectively? Minta’s comments on sponsorship (see BEF thread) are evidently well-informed and perhaps they should be the starting point on developing a specific policy for sport-wide sponsorship systems. 3) DEVELOPING GRASS ROOTS – As mentioned, the sport is very much dependent on our Clubs. However, some clubs are bigger than others (EACDG, NEDTL, MDTG, SCDA are the ‘biggies’) and do very well in their areas. Are there areas of the country where the grass roots are not as well developed? How many counties can you think of that are ‘equestrian’, but have no driving trials events – Gloucestershire? (a useful study if it were to be done). 4) DEVELOPING INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS – Should the sport do more to help develop future world champions? Would gold medals mean more funding from Sport England? 5) SUPPORTING INDOOR EVENTS – This maybe comes under grass roots, but it is a very important part of the sport in its own right. Could more be done to encourage indoor only competitors to invest in three phase vehicles and camping equipment? 6) PARA-DRIVING – Driving is a sport that provides fantastic opportunities for those with disabilities, and has an almost unique opportunity for disabled drivers to compete equally with able-bodied drivers. Incidently, I remember in the 1980s we used to boast that ours was the 'fastest growing equine sport'. Shame it's stopped growing so fast! |