Olds College is gearing up to host the 2013 World Plowing Championships on July 19 and 20 and the local economy is already experiencing some benefits from the upcoming event.
More than 400 people from around the world have registered for the competition so far, including competitors, coaches, officials, World Plowing Organization board members, family members, friends and fan club members, including a contingent from Austria.
“We're very pleased with the response on the registrations,” said Kerry Moynihan, general manager of centennial events at the college, adding that almost $550,000 has already been collected in registration fees. “We're above what we expected to be and we should end up somewhere between 450 and 500 people, which would be incredible.”
About 60 competitors will be taking part in the championships from 30 countries, including two female competitors from Austria – something Moynihan said is rare in plowing. The competitors will be arriving in Olds on June 15 to begin practising.
All 82 rooms at the Pomeroy Inn and Suites, plus 40 campus townhouses, 40 dormitories at the college's Frank Grisdale Hall and almost 50 rooms at the Ramada Inn have been rented to accommodate visitors.
“It's been overwhelmingly successful. It should be very good in terms of economic impact for the town and the businesses,” Moynihan said.
Doug Rieberger, president of the Olds and District Chamber of Commerce, said his organization is anticipating that the championships will have a positive effect for local businesses. He said the chamber is leaving it up to individual business owners to respond to the event in whatever ways they choose, but that the college and chamber are collaborating on a “business after hours” networking event.
“(The plowing championships) will definitely have an impact on the (community) because most people will be staying in town,” he said.
But Norm McInnis, the town's chief administrative officer, said the Olds Aquatic Centre and the Olds Sports Complex – the town's two main recreation venues – aren't seeing an increase in bookings due to the plowing championships.
Moynihan said the event's participants will be touring various venues around Alberta, including the Calgary Stampede and the Royal Tyrrell Museum, beginning about a week before the championships.
As for the event itself, it will get underway at 8:30 a.m. on July 19 with opening ceremonies and then the plowing competition running until about 5 p.m. There will also be horse plowing demonstrations and about 400 pieces of antique farm equipment from around Western Canada on display. There will also be children's entertainment and an agricultural trade show all on the college grounds.
Moynihan said the college hopes to gain greater name recognition from hosting the plowing championships.
“It's certainly one of our primary signature events. It's a salute to agriculture and the history of plowing. We held this event in 1986, and certainly we hope to bring lots of good entertainment to the people of Olds and Central Alberta,” he said.
The plowing championship is also an opportunity to show off the college to many agricultural people from around the world.
Moynihan said there is also the potential for the college to host a high-level meeting of seven federal ministers of agriculture from southeastern Europe. The meeting would take place at the Pomeroy Inn and Suites from July 15 to 20.
“We're in the final stage of planning that. They'll be having meetings, they'll be doing (agricultural) tours, they'll hopefully be meeting with various commodity groups as well as attending the plowing championships,” he said, adding a delegation from the Russian ministry of agriculture may also be attending the meetings.
Tickets for the championships are available at the gate. They will be $10 per day for adults, $5 for seniors each day and $5 for youth between four and 17.
