The Lindsay Agricultural Society Hires New General Manager

The Lindsay Agricultural Society has announced it has hired Shanice Sproule as the new LAS general manager.

Sproule brings a wealth of experience to the position, according to a media release, including four years with the LAS starting as competitions coordinator, then moving into the project manager role. She grew up in Cannington, Ontario on a small horse farm, later moving to Cambray with her family to pursue the dream of building an equestrian competition facility, Edenview Equestrian Centre.

This I.E. Weldon S.S. graduate completed her Bachelor of Business Administration with a focus on Strategic Business Management at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) in 2015, with several graduate awards and business case competition accolades to her name. Sproule then pursued a Master of Education in 21^st Century Teaching & Learning, also at UPEI. She graduated in 2020 and immediately put her MEd skills to work in leading the team that orchestrated the 2020 Virtual LEX. She credits her grandfather, JC Sproule, with instilling in her a strong sense of community mindedness and a passion for agriculture.

Sproule was bit by the fair bug at an early age, winning the Sunderland Fair Princess competition at age six and has fond memories of competing at the Sunderland Fall Fair, Beaverton Fall Fair, and Lindsay Exhibition throughout her childhood, and later volunteering at the Sunderland Fall Fair Light Horse Show. The new general manager is community minded, has a passion for agriculture education, and has a background working with not-for-profit organizations, including the Trillium Hunter Jumper Association. 

“The LAS Board of Directors are pleased to welcome Shanice Sproule as our new General Manager. Shanice brings a level of professionalism and experience well beyond her years to this position”, stated LAS president, Beverley Fisher. “The addition of Shanice to our management team is an important milestone in the growth of the LAS and we look forward to a long relationship”.

“I’m thrilled to be staying on as the new LAS general manager. I’m thankful for the opportunity to take on a new role with the society and am grateful to the volunteers on the hiring team who devoted countless hours to ensure the hiring process was handled with care and thoroughness,” states Sproule in the release. “I’m looking forward to the challenge of stepping into a new role at the LAS and am excited to be putting together some new initiatives as we get ready to host a bigger and better 169^th Lindsay Exhibition.”

The Lindsay Agricultural Society (LAS) is a federally registered charity and governed by a volunteer board of directors. The LAS was established to improve agricultural knowledge within the community and create opportunities for dialogue between the agricultural community and the residents of the Kawartha Lakes. The mission of the LAS is “To showcase the vibrant agricultural industry in the Kawartha Lakes while enriching the life of the community through the Lindsay Exhibition, events, entertainment, and volunteerism.”

The Lindsay Exhibition (LEX) is the annual agricultural fair hosted by the Lindsay Agricultural Society with the help of over 400 volunteers. Attendance averages over 45,000 visitors. The LEX grounds are located at the south end of Angeline Street. The grounds are owned by the Lindsay Agricultural Society. The LEX Grounds host over 40 events each year in addition to the Lindsay Exhibition, drawing over 100,000 visitors annually. 2023 marks the 169^th Lindsay Exhibition.