MARCH 2024 • WINTER FAIR • THE BRANDON SUN
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“ShowGrounds has some unique technology that will allow people to see individual riders, and for the first time ever there’s going to be a level of automation to graphics,” Sherris said of the North American-based app. Meanwhile, by offering a similar experience through the Europe- an-based ClipMyHorse app, Hum- phries says the fair will be able to reach a worldwide network. “You can literally watch every pre- mier show and class in the world on ClipMyHorse,” Humphries said, add- ing that the quality of showmanship at the Royal is among the best. “The RBC Cup, the BMO and the Calcut- ta, they’re really top. You’d be hard pressed to find the quality of show jumping anywhere else in Manitoba. During the day, Sherris says the ACC students will be involved in live streaming the junior show jumping events in the Hunter classes, which are judged based on the horse per- formance, that will take place in the Agriculture Centre of Excellence and Westoba Place. Video production by WCGtv will carry on as it has in years previous, providing taped coverage for the local market. But in the evening for the pro show jumping events, Sherris and his pro- duction team – which will include one student as a freelancer – will take over the social media live stream, adding more than just the value of a live broadcast to those who love all things equestrian. Many horse owners and profes- sional riders use performance anal- ysis tools to track things like jump height, speed, and other metrics. They also use video analysis to review their performance and find ways to improve for competition purposes. It’s this market that Humphries would like to tap into. Even before the pandemic, many show jumping competitors were beginning to fly south to warmer regions to compete during the winter months, and so one of the ways to attract them back to the Royal as part of the show jumping circuit is to provide the extra compet- itive benefits that they’re looking for. Competitors will be able purchase their video clips from the fair for a small fee. “What we’re finding now is that be- cause we’re improving the show all the time... obviously offering these
For the first time in its history, the showjumping events for the Royal Manito- ba Winter Fair will be broadcast live through a pair of smartphone applications called ClipMyHorse and ShowGrounds. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun)
outside of a football field. The same thing happens in showjumping.” Humphries gives Sherris and his students a lot of credit for helping to get the live broadcast project off the ground. The idea has long been talked about, but without the Me- dia and Communications program, and ACC’s production abilities, “it wouldn’t be feasible or affordable.” “I can’t tell you what it means to have ACC’s Greg Sherris there to share his team, you know, in partner- ship with us making that possible,” Humphries said. “Obviously students get the benefit. They get in to do you know, live work, cutting work, edit- ing work. But now they’ll be able to also be a part of either a national or a worldwide network, which is great.” For his part, Sherris says he will be happy to see the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair get some exposure to a wider market, but the best result of this work would be to see the show- jumping competition be reinvigorat- ed after the pandemic. “I’m hoping that it’s going to be something that will help exhibitors be the quality of the show or get in- terested in coming back to the show or coming to the show for the first time and maybe be repeating (com- petitors),” Sherris said. “I think that’s really the hope that we all have for it.”
extra add ons, which is the ClipMy- Horse and ShowGrounds Live... any- thing to actually improve the quality for the competitor, we’re starting to bring people back,” Humphries said. “It’s been an uphill battle, but we’re seeing the turn of the corner, which is great. And people are recogniz- ing that, you know, this show is well worth coming to.” “ Now they’ll be able to also be a part of either a national or a worldwide network, which is great. ” The live video feed will also be made available to competitors on display screens at a new venue called Coach’s Corner near where the horses stables are situated. “We’re starting an area where the coaches, judges, competitors, and whoever else wants to go down there and socialize and meet and greet – we’re going to put that in for them,” Humphries said. “You know, its a very friendly atmosphere within that network. It’s not just about the com- petition in the ring.. but also they’re always swapping ideas of how to im- prove. You often see that camaraderie around the side of a skating rink or
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