
Event Details:
Venue: Shongweni Polo Club
Date: Saturday, 2 August 2025
Event Times: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Setup: Friday afternoon or from 7:00 AM on Saturday (setup must be completed by 10:00 AM)
Breakdown: Earliest from 6:00 PM; event closes at 10:00 PM. No vehicles will be permitted inside the venue until attendees have left.
Application Deadline: 21 February 2025
Thank you for your interest in becoming one of our beneficiaries for Ideal Ales for Tails 2025! Since its inception in 2016, this event has raised over R800,000 for animal welfare, with nearly R200,000 raised in 2024 alone. This year, we have exciting plans to push that even higher!
To accommodate our growth, we are moving to a new venue: the Shongweni Polo Club near Hillcrest. This move enables us to expand our support to multiple charities, allowing for a more impactful distribution of funds. With the help of KZN Valley Dogs, we have also secured a title sponsor, making this expansion possible.
Why Join the Event?
Being part of Ideal Ales for Tails offers incredible benefits beyond just fundraising. Participating charities gain access to a broader audience by reaching new followers through our event promotions, including features on the Ales for Tails, artists and sponsor pages. The event provides an excellent opportunity to connect with local businesses, forge meaningful partnerships, and gain exposure on the day through signage, networking, and event activities. You’ll also be able to engage with thousands of attendees, many of whom may become long-term supporters of your cause. And, of course, the biggest benefit—raising significant funds for your organisation while having a fantastic day celebrating with the community!
Charity selection process
KwaZulu-Natal is home to many incredible organisations, but to ensure that each participating charity benefits meaningfully, we have limited the number of beneficiaries to 15. Based on projected ticket sales and fundraising efforts, each charity could receive at least R20,000.
We have also introduced a structure where charities that put in extra effort will reap greater rewards.
Selection Process:
- Automatic inclusion: KZN Valley Dogs (due to their role in securing sponsorship).
- Public vote: A poll will determine the top 5 charities, which will receive automatic inclusion (subject to credibility check).
- Selection by criteria: 9 additional charities will be chosen based on the following factors:
• Position in the poll
• Proximity of followers to the event venue
• Access to willing suppliers (security, marquee, etc.)
• Access to media partners (radio, print, social media, etc.)
• Diversity of audience compared to other selected charities
• Consideration for new charities trying to establish themselves
Final decisions are not open to discussion. We appreciate your patience as we refine this process for future events.
How you receive funds
The more effort you put into promoting and participating in the event, the greater your financial benefit.
1. Ticket Sales
- Pre-sold ticket sales will be handled online.
- When purchasing tickets, buyers will select the charity they wish to support.
- 70% of the ticket price will go to the chosen charity.
- If a charity sells 100 tickets, they can expect to raise approximately R10,000.
- We aim to sell over 3,000 tickets this year.
2. Adoption Fees & Activity Tokens
- Each charity can be adopted by a local business for a fee, 70% of which goes to the charity.
- The adopted business will partner with the charity to run an activity (e.g. mechanical bull rides, face painting) to raise additional funds.
- 70% of activity income will go directly to the charity.
3. Gate & Other Revenue Sharing
- Any funds raised outside of your direct sales will be evenly distributed after covering event expenses.
Funds will be paid out within two weeks after the event.
We appreciate your passion and dedication to making a difference in animal welfare. We look forward to working with you to make Ideal Ales for Tails 2025 our most successful event yet!
To apply, please submit the below form by 21 February 2025.