Dear Editor,
I refer to your recent article in the “Beagle” highlighting the events within Eurobodalla, specifically the Flathead and Bream Tournament held in March this year. The Tuross Head Country Club Fishing supports your comments as without sponsorship small villages such as Tuross Head would find it impossible to attract large number or entrants/tourists to local events.
The Fishing Club takes the opportunity of holding this event on the Sat/Sunday prior to the Canberra public holiday long weekend. This works well as over 70% of entrants come from Canberra. This provides the opportunity for entrants to stay in Tuross from Friday afternoon to Monday. With registration on Friday evening this means that entrants stay three nights in sunny Tuross and quite a number bring their family members for the weekend, enjoying our lovely beaches.
Planning for the events starts around Oct/Nov of the previous year. Our sponsors make a commitment some four to five months before the event so that their advertising is included on the tournament shirts (which are designed by Tuross resident Jo Starling) ensuring the shirts are received prior to the event.
This years shirt modeled by Neil and unknown
Early Jan until March it is “full-on” with numerous meetings to arrange the more minor but important issues such as catering, parking, boat marshalling and safety to ensure a successful tournament. Our purpose made data base is used to accurately record entrants details, payment and shirt sizes. And all of this is done by volunteers. The event has got a lot more potential and the objective is to make it better each year! It is very common to see fishers wearing these shirts throughout the year so sponsors are receiving repeat advertising for their contribution. The shirts are very popular! Our very sincere thanks must go to the major sponsors who significantly increase the prize pool and are significant players in the event. Many many thanks must go to our sponsors as without them there wouldn't be an event of this scale and with so many especially good prizes. We basically had three levels of sponsors. The Tournament naming right sponsors, major sponsors and the many other sponsers (many were locally owned, sole proprietor operated businesses) Too many to individually name, however, a big big thanks. The major sponsors were Motorguide and Lowrance along with Mako Eyewear. Paul McLean from Motorguide, (pictured below), a Director of MotorGuide Parts and Accessories, spent the weekend at the Tournament and made his presence felt awarding the major prize.
Lowrance thanks go to Laura Tolmay, PR & Sponsorship Manager for Navico Australia, and Luke Reilly, PR & Sponsorship Coordinator for Navico Australia. Mako thanks go to company Directors Ian and Gaile Hoole, as the the Mako Eyewear prizes were particularly generous and consultant Dom.
The support from the local small business community is outstanding as each year many don’t hesitate in providing their ongoing support to this well attended event. With 300 meals being provided to competitors and volunteers on the Saturday night, the Country Club is full to capacity. Local business always report a good trading weekend. Our local sponsors were:
Tuross Head Country Club Tuross Head Service Station Moruya Brewing Camping and Fishing N.B. &P Alexander Bricklaying Tony Brown-Tuross Head Builder P/L www.turosshead.org Tuross Village Hardware Tuross Lakeside Caravan Park Tuross Head Butchery The Handiest Man Moruya Lyne Gatty Real Estate Sails Takeaway Jaypet Roofing Buffers Kitchen
Many thanks again to all the sponsors, competitors, volunteers, organising committee, Joe Starling, Country Club staff, the Beagle for advertising, and others behind the scene who contributed to this year’s event. Max Castle Tuross Head Fishing Club
