[SEL] Nat Rally

[Bill Dickerson]

We found locally that expenses could be reduced when competition was
introduced.
For example, due to lack of volunteers, there was always the same person
lining up certain things like the toilets. Then suddenly someone else says
"hey, what about Joe's Toilets" or whatever. Then suddenly the cost goes
down, the service is better.
Similar for food - when one group controls it, it's costly and people
complain (man, don't we know that here). Then you get some competition in
there and prices drop. 
Of course in this part of the country we complain if a meal costs more than
$4 so you can imagine.
Gee, competition, supply and demand, capitalism, hmmmmmm.
When you get rid of the same old bunch always doing the same old thing the
same old way and get some new blood in and some competition and do things
differently, you'll succeed in not only growing the show but reducing costs.

(Have some drink company sponsor the toilets - then they can control the
coming and going of liquid refreshments.)

Sounds to me like that was an event to make money, not to put on a show for
the public and enjoyment of the hobby.

And yeah, take some examples away from successful shows in the US, like
Arnie said. IF we can do it, they can do it.

Bill

-----Original Message-----
From: sel-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com
[mailto:sel-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com] On Behalf Of Arnie Fero
Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 8:17 AM
To: The SEL email discussion list
Subject: Re: [SEL] Nat Rally


Hi Adam,

Given the sorts of numbers that Reg has posted, I'm pretty stunned about the
Aussie National Rally.

I think Portland may serve as the defacto National Rally here in the US. I
think it holds fair claim to being the biggest rally in the world.  This
year the event runs from August 25-29.  Typical registered exhibits are on
the order of 2,500 stationary engines and 600 1955 and older tractors.
>From my observations there are probably that many engines not 
>registered
/ for sale.

Exhibitors & families are free.  The admission fee for the general public is
on the order of $5.  Camping on grassy sites with electric power and a
shower house with toilets is $5 for the entire show for exhibitors.
Non-exhibitors pay $10 per day for the camping.  Food on the grounds is
abundent, good, and cheap; generally done by service organizations as a fund
raiser.  Free gasoline is provided to exhibitors for their exhibit engines.

Rally plaques are free to exhibitors.  Granted they are silkscreened sheet
aluminum not the massive cast brass varity given in other parts of the
world, but they suffice.

I sincerely hope that you will pass contact info along to the National Rally
Committee at the first opportunity.
http://www.adamswells.com/%7Etristate/tractorshow.htm

The National folks are SERIOUSLY out of touch with the world-wide engine
rally mainstream and should REALLY gather some of the "best practices" from
organizers like the folks at Portland who are getting ready for their 39th
annual "National Rally."

See ya,  Arnie

Arnie Fero
Pittsburgh, PA USA
fero_ah at city-net.com

PS - Portland also manages heaving crowds of spectators around running
engines and exhibits with a single strand of rope between 'em and no
carnage.  But that's another discussion....  8-))

On Wed, 21 Jul 2004, Adam Cottrill wrote:

> I felt I had to reply to this one, I was at a meeting of the (NHMA) 
> National Rally committee last Thursday in South Aus and it seems after 
> some internal difficulties you most likely know about they are getting 
> things back on track.
>
> I'm not sure if you realise how much an event of this size costs to 
> put on? You just don't wake up one morning and decide I'm going to 
> hold a national rally. A good example of this is the portable toilets 
> costing $17,000 for the event. In stead of complaining about that 
> costs supply a solution of how a cost such as this can be paid for or 
> eliminated from the rally... should one bring there own toilet paper?

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