A new kid on the turfcare show block held their debut show this week, with GroundsFest taking place at the NAEC Stoneleigh on Wednesday and Thursday.
I will just clarify that I could only attend on Wednesday - when the weather was pretty apocalyptic at times. This clearly had an impact on what was one of the main selling points of the show - a significant outdoor display area for the exhibiting machinery brands.
One of the first things that should be said, is fair play to the organisers for setting up a brand-new show that succeeded in attracting as many exhibitors as they did. It was certainly well-populated across the two halls and three outdoor sections - and not just with machinery companies. They had expanded out into landscaping and (reminiscent of the old IOG shows at Windsor) outdoor play equipment.
The intention was clearly to appeal to a range of commercial customers beyond the turf professionals that the established shows mostly cater for. To further attract these end users, there were a series of seminar theatres and practical demonstrations of machinery maintenance across the two halls.
Due to the weather on Wednesday, it's hard for me to speculate on just how successful all these measures were in finding an audience. There were times when it was pouring down, that the outside area pretty much cleared, leaving just the stand-holders to gather under wildly flapping gazebos for shelter.
The organisers have told me this morning in fact, that on day one they had 3,426 through the door and day two saw 3,085. This, they said, was unique visitors excluding exhibitors.
Speaking with exhibitors, they were certainly willing the show to do well having taken a punt on it during its inaugural year. I heard it repeated by several that they would qualify the show as a success if they were able to make quality contacts with commercial end-users that were unknown to them previously. It will be interesting to hear, now the show is over, whether this has been the case.
Wayne Stone, Simon Hewitt and Paul Hicks on the STIHL stand
Interestingly, I bumped into some representatives of a machinery manufacturer who weren't exhibiting at Stoneleigh this week, but who were there on a recce, checking out the offering. These guys told me they believe that three national trade shows, within months of each other, is simply too many. Budgets and time would not stretch to appearing at all three, so what were they to do?
This struck me as a fair point. I'm not sure that anyone, be they exhibitor, customer or dealer, has ever actually asked for there to be three national shows a year? To see every main brand that customers use, or that dealers partner with, in one place feels unlikely now with this scenario. Who is that benefiting? Other than show organisers.
Speaking of dealers, I didn't personally happen to see all that many in attendance on Wednesday - although a couple of different exhibitors did mention how they were pleased with the numbers they'd had come on to their stands. It would be good to hear how many did make the trip, considering September is an already busy month for our readers, what with all the manufacturer dealer days that traditionally take place this month.
Peter Chaloner on the Cobra stand
One thing I did observe, and this may have been a consequence of the weather, was that in the outdoor demonstration area, there wasn't all that much actually being demonstrated. At the Equip show in Louisville - which it feels like GroundsFest is wanting to take inspiration from, moreso than any UK show - exhibitors outside each have a considerable sized plot of their own in which to mow, cut, dig, chip and chop - and to let visitors do the same. It's a veritable hive of activity and sound. On Wednesday, yes there were a few machines working occasionally, but mostly they were static, lined-up, filling the exhibitors' allocated space. I did at times feel sorry for reps on stands, stood next to lines of machines in the rain, when they could've been doing the same inside, in the dry.
That said, it does of course make undeniable sense to view these machines outside, on the grass. It's their natural environment, much more so than under that odd, orange glow of an exhibition hall's lights. Perhaps with slightly larger plots for each company, both a display area and a worthwhile demo space could be accommodated?
The other significant aspect of GroundsFest that they were using to differentiate themselves from the established UK shows, was the music festival that took place in the evening after the exhibition closed. Again I can't personally comment on its success or otherwise because I had left by then - but there are some clips on the organiser's official social media that perhaps give a sense of it.
Pic from TurfPro's Laurence Gale who stayed for the music
Is staying for an event like this what visitors and exhibitors want after a day on the show site? At Harrogate for example, a thriving social scene happens organically in the pubs and restaurants around the town once the show closes. At the NEC on the other hand, nothing social seems to happen at all (their announcement today in fact, feels like a direct reaction to GroundsFest). So, this festival appears to be the show wanting to generate its own networking buzz. Again perhaps, if the weather was better and this music had been able to take place outdoors, might it have found wider appeal?
The weather of course, was always going to be a coin-toss at the end of September. A week earlier and it would've been warm, bright sunshine throughout. As it was, Wednesday was pretty hard going.
The larger question is what happens now? In the short-term will we see any tangible difference at SALTEX in a few week's time? Will numbers be down due to punters thinking, 'I've only just visited a show like this?'
More significantly in the longer-term with GroundsFest continuing, what impact will this disrupter have on the national industry show scene? Have they just tossed a hand-grenade into the sector that will have a greater, fundamental effect on the year's calendar of events?
I personally cannot envisage a scenario where either of the established trade associations ever give up running their own, independent show. The value to themselves as industry organisations and not private enterprises, just seems too great. But who knows?!
What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
