The upcoming 2022 Royal Adelaide Show will be the last one for John Rothwell at the helm of the Royal Agricultural & Horticultural Society of SA.
Recruitment began last weekend for his replacement and after a changeover period he will retire later this year after nearly 20 years as chief executive of the 183 year old society.
Mr Rothwell said he had planned to step down a couple of years earlier but had agreed to stay on and steer the Society through the difficult pandemic period which saw the show cancelled twice in 2020 and 2021.
This was the first time the show had not been held since World War II.
Joining the Society as an assistant director, Mr Rothwell spent six and a half years in the role before ascending to chief executive on Gary Campbell's retirement in early 2003.
He is incredibly proud of the achievements he has made with his board especially making the Adelaide Showground a multi-purpose venue that is well used throughout the year.
"The horse precinct for example was only used nine days of the year but now in that area we have hosted Circus Soleil and are set to again when they return in 2024, it can also be a music festival venue for 14,000 people or a caravan park, which since COVID hit has been a wonderful success for us," he said.
Mr Rothwell says the show remains the "flagship event" for the year and continues to be a vehicle to promote excellence in SA agriculture.
"The show is also the only opportunity for the year when city people can experience where their food comes from and experience agriculture in a really positive way, people are only just wising up to food security and the importance of it," he said.
He paid tribute to the many volunteers who collectively pulled together to make the Royal Adelaide Show such a "top public event".
The show attracts easily the highest percentage of the state's population compared to Royals in other states, with nearly 500,000 people through the gates.
Another achievement Mr Rothwell was extremely proud of was working with Graham Brookman from the Food Forest and former CEO of the Willunga Farmers Market Zannie Flanagan to develop and launch the Adelaide Showground Farmers' Market in 2006, with financial support from the Society.
Society president Andrew Hardy said Mr Rothwell has made an "outstanding contribution to the society and agricultural industry in SA" with some enormous changes to the show and grounds.
"John's vision and drive has seen the Showground transform into a sought-after event and exhibition venue, spearheading the development of the Kingsway event area, the Goyder Pavilion, and northwest corner of the Showground into a site which today is used for large music festivals, automated parking for events and stages the main carnival for the Royal Adelaide Show," he said.
"Most recently John led the redevelopment of the southeast corner to present what has quickly become a successful caravan park and during the Royal Show a state-of-the-art horse precinct."
Mr Rothwell has also served as a director on Agricultural Shows Australia and the International Association of Fairs and Expositions based in the United States bringing many great ideas back to SA from other shows.