Wiltshire is a county where the horse comes first. Equestrian sport, be that racing or eventing, sits firmly at the centre of the sporting and social heart of the county. And the Avon Vale Point-to-Point Races are a standing dish for many in that social calendar.

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Horses have been trained for racing on Salisbury Plain and across the down land and vales of Wiltshire for centuries. Even now, the county hosts more horses trained for racing than any other in the South except its neighbour Gloucestershire. The Avon Vale Hunt, owner and promoter of our horserace meeting, sits astride this interest group as a constant and viable route to market to speak to an affluent land and property owning demographic that lives or works within the county.

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Who are our customers?

In recent research at one of our events, we discovered that 65% of attendees were in full-time or self-employment, 40% drove an All Wheel Drive vehicle, 70% lived in rural areas, a very high proportion were animal lovers (82% owned a horse, 63% a dog, 40% a cat), their average household income was greater than £50,000, against a national average of £30,000, and they over-indexed as readers of the Telegraph, Times & Daily Mail.

If therefore you have a brand that is directed toward an affluent, home-owning demographic between 25-65, this is a group you could target through us with success.

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What’s in it for you and your business?

Sponsorship of Avon Vale Races can be as flexible or adaptable as you want it to be, to meet your specific objectives, and of course, your budget.

What we deliver can be from among the following:

• Brand awareness

Lending your name to a race or event means the title is carried in literature relating to the event, in results and reports, and triggers name recognition with consumers through repeated Public Address mentions. This familiarity provides a platform for subsequent calls to action to consumers or customers.

• Newspaper & media partnerships

Community sports like Point-to-Point racing resonate with local media owners and stories from amidst their readers provide reasons to purchase. Sport, local or national, is a key driver to circulation and drives online page impressions. The national body behind Point-to-Point racing works hard to provide visibility for its constituents through news portals, both online and in print. Media owners, hungry for content, are willing to partner with sponsors to drive consumer interest and stimulate participation.

• Data capture

Our events lend themselves very well to data capturee solutions. Followers are hungry for information, and ticket competitions are always well subscribed. In addition, the lengthy dwell time at each event provides plenty of time to engage consumers, between races, out shopping, or after lunch! And we're geared up to communicate with our customers by direct mail, social media and online newsletters, so this exposure doesn't need to finish when the racing is over.

• Experiential activity & product placement

That dwell time also plays to a sponsor’s advantage in presenting goods directly for sale. Whilst footfall numbers are not on a par with the county show circuit, the quality of the racing audience is stronger, and one or two customers can make a huge difference. Stands are well supported, and represent excellent value either for FMCG goods or for professional products & services. To book a trade stand or concession, call Peter McNeile on 07850 091523 or contact us directly.

• Online exposure, social media & SEO

Fresh content is key to accelerating your online footprint. Media releases about upcoming events, news stories about fancied runners, and reports of close-fought finishes all lend themselves to stronger sponsor name recognition and improved Search Engine Optimization. And social media is taking this exposure to fresh and younger audiences, and providing great interaction with the customer.

• Ticket inventory

Everyone loves a day or a night out. We want our events to be well supported by the public. Ticket inventory can be used to bring guests, reward or incentivize customers or staff, or to run media competitions. Ultimately, this is a simple way to provide a prompt to a lapsed customer, or to say thank you to an existing one.

• Hospitality

Avon Vale Races can cover the full range of hospitality options from picnics from the boot of your car to formal luncheons. It’s a perfect way to entertain key customers or to position your business in front of some key decision-makers.