NBFSC wins Canadian ‘Go Snowmobiling’ Award for 2012

At the 44th

International Snowmobile Congress the New Brunswick Federation of Snowmobile Clubs

(NBFSC) was recognized and awarded as the Canadian winner of the “Go Snowmobiling, Take a Friend

“campaign for 2012.

All Provinces in Canada and States in the USA were eligible to win respective national awards. The NBFSC

were awarded as the best in Canada because of “their total integration of the Go Snowmobiling lifestyle

into all aspects of organized snowmobiling in New Brunswick”, announced Ed Klim, President of the

International Snowmobiler Manufacturers Association (ISMA) to the Congress’ 500 delegates from

Canada, United States, Sweden and Russia.

“Go Snowmobiling” is the brainchild of ISMA and first began in 2008. New Brunswick has participated in

and integrated the program into our communications from the very beginning;

We have “Gone Snowmobiling” ever since.

In 2008 we partnered with the City of Bathurst’s Tourism Department, Meredith Caissie and local Member

of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), Brian Kenny to host our very first “Go Snowmobiling” Ride in New

Brunswick. We spent an entire day, beginning with a local breakfast, greetings and a welcome from

Bathurst Mayor Stephen Brunet and MLA, Brian Kenny. The Hon. Roland Hache’, Minister of Environment

for New Brunswick joined us to ride Bathurst’s snowmobile trails with many community dignitaries that

afternoon as we promoted the new message.

We hosted two “Go Snowmobiling” rides in 2009.

On our first ride we were honored to have the privilege to ride one evening with not only our Minister of

Justice, Hon. T.J. Burke but he also invited our Premier, the Hon. Shawn Graham to join the NBFSC. Our

second ride in 2009 began with a different approach. We had invited many of the senior

management and staff from our provinces Department’s of Tourism, Natural Resources,

Transportation and Public Safety. We work with these bureaucrats year round and knew the

experience of having them actually ride would benefit everyone.

Before the 2010 snowmobile season began we entered into a joint idea to promote “Go

Snowmobiling” that to this day we feel is relatively unique across the North American snow-belt.

We formed a new partnership with Nova Scotia (SANS), Prince Edward Island (PEISA) and the four

manufacturer’s District Sales Managers (DSM); Mr. Chris Thebeau of Arctic Cat, Mr. Rick Lingley

of BRP-Ski-Doo, Mr. Frank Blouin (Mr. Corey MacDonald now) of Polaris and Mr. Pat Hicks and

Mr. Clad Cock of Yamaha.

The concept was simple and is still in place today. Each provincial Federation/Association would

host a “Go Snowmobiling” Ride, in our respective provinces, back to back to back. The

manufacturers DSM’s were critical to our individual and collective success’ by assisting us with

demonstration sleds for the rides and being the conduit with their snowmobile dealers. No one

province deserves credit for this idea; we have all equally benefitted from this experience and

have formed a very cohesive group that we all simply call the Maritime Go Snowmobiling Group.

In February 2010, with the assistance and new partnership of our entire group, we were

extremely pleased to announce that the NBFSC would be hosting the Hon. Shawn Graham,

Premier of New Brunswick for the New Brunswick “Go Snowmobiling” Ride. Everyone joined the

NBFSC and our Premier to ride the trails just outside of our capital City, Fredericton, through

Provincial Park, Mactaquac. We were joined by our provincial partners and the DSM’s and the

assistance of the Nackawic Snowmobile Club to provide Premier Graham with a fun, relaxing

afternoon.

In 2011, after our Provincial Government changed political stripes that previous summer, we

were looking to proceed with our positive momentum. We began to work with the new

Provincial Government that previous summer and at every opportunity invited every Minister of

the five critical departments we work with year-round in addition to the Premier’s Chief of Staff.

For February 1st

2011 the NBFSC announced to our Maritime Group that New Brunswick’s newest

Premier, the Hon. David Alward would be joining the N.B. “Go Snowmobiling” Ride. We hosted

the ride in Premier Alward’s home riding, Woodstock, N.B. with the assistance f the Woodstock

Trailmakers S.C.

Joining Premier Alward was our Minister for Tourism & Parks, Hon. Trevor Holder and MLA for

York, Carl Urquhart. A planned short ride turned into an unexpected bonus as Premier Alward

made the personal call on our return ride to extend his day. Everyone arrived back to the

Trailmakers Groomer Shed for some pizza, reheated, but welcome.

During 2011, in addition to our Premier’s Ride we began to host additional rides at various

snowmobile events, throughout the Province. We are able to accomplish these additional “Go

Snowmobiling” Rides because of the Corporate Partnerships we have developed with the four

snowmobile manufacturers and the demonstration sleds we are provided with as a component

of the annual NBFSC Corporate Partnerships.

The 2012 season also brought everyone the NBFSC’s 30th

Anniversary. This provided us with a

number of opportunities during the 2012 season to further expand our exposure of “Go

Snowmobiling” by hosting three provincial ‘Ride-Ins’ at various partners. We hosted rides at

Doaktown in January, at Sussex-Shepody the last weekend in January and in mid March near

Kedgwick all with the assistance of three more NBFSC Corporate Partners. Among many events at

each Ride-In from Classic & Antique displays to large bonfires we displayed and hosted, with our

demonstration sleds, a number of rides to the public and snowmobilers, all day.

On January 31st

, 2012 we were pleased to again with our Maritime Group’s support to host

Premier David Alward, this season, near Doaktown, N.B. The entire day also included the

presence of a number of New Brunswick’s Cabinet Ministers, our largest single “Go

Snowmobiling” event since 2008. NBFSC Member Club, Miramichi Sno-Goers responded to our

calls helping us to provide awesome groomed trails even though mother nature was less than

cooperative just two days before the event. Also joining us; Finance Minister, Hon. Blaine Higgs,

Tourism & Parks Minister, Hon. Trevor Holder, Public Safety Minister, Hon. Robert Trevors,

Transportation & Infrastructure Minister, Hon. Claude Williams, Environment Minister, Hon.

Bruce Fitch and local MLA for Southwest Miramichi, Jake Stewart.

The NBFSC is extremely proud of the progress, recognition and image that the “Go

Snowmobiling, Take a Friend” campaign, concept and message has provided us with. From

Premiers to Ministers, MLAs, bureaucrats and hundreds of snowmobilers and non-snowmobilers

we have attempted to carefully and calculated provide multiple opportunities to “Go

Snowmobiling”.

In 2013, The NBFSC and ISMA will recognize “Go Snowmobiling, Take a Friend” week from

February 9th

to 16th

, 2013.