John Moore

John Moore first learned about the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV) as a young man through his connection with Victorian Young Farmers (VYF). The Victorian Young Farmers organisation had, at the time of John’s involvement, around 6,500 members across Victoria. Despite the name, almost half of those were not actually farmers. As John remembers it:

It was very much a rural-based self-development organisation when I think back on it. We learnt a lot. I would not have been where I am today without that experience of Young Farmers. 

Victorian Young Farmers had its headquarters at the showgrounds and RASV provided secretarial support for the organisation.

It was, as I recall, a warm relationship … I do recall that when I was State President, and this could be a memory for all State Presidents, we were given a pass to the Show and I would spend three or four days down here in that year … at that time certainly the State President would have had, did have, quite a bit to do with the leadership of the RASV. 

Many RASV councillors had sons or daughters who were part of Victorian Young Farmers. As John reflects, ‘RASV councillors were just being an older generation of the same society, it was quite logical that they would encourage the organisation and be prepared to support it’.

John’s connection with the Show and RASV did not end when he left Victorian Young Farmers. In the late 1980s, he began working in advertising and took on the role of marketing the Royal Melbourne Show. He recalls one publicity campaign to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the establishment of RASV involved a ploughing match at the MCG. John quickly recognised the importance of introducing a theme to the Show each year as another marketing tactic. Like many of the people who have been involved for a number of years, John acknowledges that one of the biggest challenges of RASV and the Show is forging a connection between the city and country.