Jerome County Fair earns multiple industry recognitions
The Jerome County Fair & Rodeo has followed up the success of the 2021 event by winning multiple awards and recognitions in the Fair & Rodeo industries from PRCA, WPRA, the Rocky Mountain Association of Fairs (RMAF) and the International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE).
“The credit for these awards goes to our board, staff, volunteers, sponsors, and superintendents who all give it their all to make 2021 a successful event. We also know that we could not do what we do without our exhibitors and fairgoers who Joined the Fun!,” said Fair Manager Andrea Wiesenmeyer. “I’m so proud of our organization and am excited to build on these awards for 2022.”
The Fair claimed the following rodeo awards this year:
- PRCA Wilderness Circuit Medium Rodeo of the Year Nomination – Top Five
- WPRA Wilderness Circuit, Justin Boots Best Footing Award – Second Place
The Fair & Rodeo was awarded the following Summit Awards at the RMAF Convention in Billings, MT November 10-12:
- RMAF Summit Awards
Poster Design – First Place
Event Guide – Second Place
Theme Logo – Second Place
The goal of the RMAF Summit Awards Program is to recognize the outstanding achievements of fair & festival members. It is intended to encourage innovation, resourcefulness, collaboration and celebration of the impact of the work fairs do in our communities. The awards program is divided into three divisions, based fair size; the Jerome County Fair & Rodeo participates in Division A – Fairs with up to 50,000 attendees.
Awarded at an online awards presentation on November 18, the Fair & Rodeo received the following recognitions from IAFE:
- IAFE Agriculture Awards:
Agriculture Individual Photo: Horticulture/Crops (Sugar beet photo) – First Place
- IAFE Innovation in Sponsorship Awards:
Sponsorship Innovation (awarded for Tiny Town) – Second Place
First Time Sponsorship (awarded for Tiny Town) – Second Place
- IAFE Hall of Honor Communications:
Single-Side, Flat Promotional Ad (Kachele ad) – Third Place
Promotional/Advertising Poster (Advertising poster) – Second Place
Best Marketing Campaign (Overall 2021 marketing) – Second Place
The IAFE awards program allows member fairs to enter competitions based on competitive exhibits, agricultural education, communications, and non-fair events. The entries are evaluated and judged by teams of industry leaders. For the awards program, the approximately 1,100 member fairs of the IAFE are split into five categories based on attendance. The Jerome County Fair & Rodeo participates in Division One, which is limited to fairs across the globe with an attendance of less than 100,000.
In addition, the Fair & Rodeo’s manager, Andrea Wiesenmeyer, manager, will participate in the 2021 IAFE annual convention in San Antonio November 28 – December 1. As part of the convention, Wiesenmeyer will graduate from Institute of Fair Management on November 30. The mission of The Institute of Fair Management is to enhance the professional development of the employees and volunteers of our member fairs and expositions by providing education and training in areas of core competency necessary for the operations of today’s fairs, large or small. The core competency areas in which the courses of the Institute will be focused include management, risk management, marketing, programming, operations and facility usage.
Additionally, Wiesenmeyer will present on the creation and sponsorship of Tiny Town, as well as moderate multiple round table sessions throughout the convention as well as participate in a “ment-a-minute” session with IAFE Young Professionals.
Wiesenmeyer will also be promoted to Chair of the IAFE Advertising and PR committee and will serve on the 2022 IAFE annual convention planning committee.
Gary Warr, Board President said, “I commend the staff, board, and volunteers for executing a successful event in a very short planning period, all while dealing with the challenges of a completely new staff and a tough labor market. We are excited to be honored for our efforts and 2021 and can’t wait to announce new things 2022.”