How Fig Tree Pocket Equestrian Club are turning their vision into a reality

and how CPR Group supported them

The first step for any club wanting to turn their vision into a reality is to actually have a clear vision. It seems obvious, but you would be surprised how often this step is missed.

Fig Tree Pocket Equestrian Club was awarded a grant through Brisbane City Council’s Building Stronger Communities Program to improve club governance and long-term sustainability. The club offers activities across a wide range of equestrian disciplines, but is known for its eventing. The club is located in the heart of Brisbane on the banks of the Brisbane River. This unique location means the club must ensure they are excellent tenants on the land they occupy and that they continually innovate to match demand for facility access and competition delivery.

The club engaged CPR Group to help develop a strategic plan to effectively plan for the future, improve organisation governance and enhance facility management practices.

CPR Group’s equestrian development specialist Melissa Driscoll, worked closely with the Fig Tree Pocket Equestrian Club committee during the project. During a planning workshop, they discussed the club’s Why. As Simon Sinek discusses in his inspiring Ted Talk, successful organisations start with the Why. What’s your purpose, what’s your calling, why do you exist? Too often organisations think and communicate the What and the How when they should start with the why, then visualise.

Initial hand drawn strategic vision by Fig Tree Pocket Equestrian Club committee member

You can see the final Fig Tree Pocket Equestrian Club Visual Strategic Plan on their website.

CPR Group developed a strategic plan with a visual vision poster and an operation plan for 3-5 years. The plan was informed by an interactive planning workshop, a member survey, a governance needs analysis and working closely with the club’s leadership team.

The planning workshop was an exciting session, accompanied with pizza and wine, where members got to dream big and discuss the club’s potential. Sketches completed during the session resulted in a final strategic plan image which is relevant to all members.

Further support included:

Implementation of an electronic asset management system, assetTRAC, which helped the club meet their leaseholder agreement with Council
Constitution and bylaws review

As one of CPR Group’s Senior Consultants, Melissa utilises her extensive knowledge of equestrian sport to provide in-depth and relevant support and advice. She has also worked with Equestrian Queensland to develop the Statewide Facility Plan, and the clubs Caboolture Dressage Group, Warwick Horse Trials and Towers Jockey Club amongst many others.

Fig Tree Pocket Equestrian Club have put their strategic plan to work immediately, using it to support an application for the Queensland Government’s Active Community Infrastructure program for new lights.