Livestock and agriculture are rightfully the heart of one of the region’s most celebrated rural days out, the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show.
Taking place on 17th August at Turnpike Showground near Motcombe, the committee behind the show believes showcasing agriculture to its 30,000 visitors is their priority. The 2022 show will bring the much-loved Grand Parade of Livestock, sponsored by Woolley & Wallis, back to the Main Ring for the first time in over 15 years. The Gritchie Brewing Co Main Ring will see the show’s champion cattle and sheep parade together – allowing the crowds to enjoy the best of the best from the days competitions, including rare and minority breeds. It’s a reassuring move, and against the prevailing trend for rural shows to lose their traditional agricultural business focus as they lean towards becoming ‘attractions’ for their thousands of visitors.
Giles Simpson, local farmer and agronomist who is the newly appointed Show Chairman said: ‘This spectacular parade sums up what this agricultural show is all about. Our aim this year has been to put livestock and agriculture truly at the heart of the Show. This is an event where business gets done in the agricultural sector, and this year it will have agricultural and rural businesses on all four sides of the ring.’
Facts and myths
This year, the show welcomes over 85 agricultural businesses including machinery dealerships, buyers, suppliers, agents and farmers – it’s a key date in the rural calendar for agricultural businesses to come together for networking and business opportunities.
The Food and Farming Area combines entertainment with education on all things to do with dairy and beef farming. James Cox, Show Organiser, explained: ‘From field to fork, we want to give visitors a unique insight into the facts and myths about this industry which is worth £112 billion and employing over four million people.’
The evolution of farming is also celebrated with the Heavy Horse Village and Steam Section – twice as big as last year. See the gentle giants who worked the land for millennia as they are put through their paces. Follow through to the noise and smell of the steam engines, and the rapid revolution of modern farming machinery that we see in the fields today.
(do come and meet the BV team – we’re Stand E13!)
Tickets are on sale now – book early to save. Adults £14, Children £3, Family £32
