Sunday, 26 May 2013

Vote now for your favourite show to win
An FG Media Partnership for the winning show

Voting has opened to decide which event will win Farmers Guardian’s Show Business 2013 competition, a media partnership with a publicity prize worth thousands of pounds.

The competition, which was won by Mid Devon show last year, is now in its second year. Farmers Guardian editor Emma Penny says: “We were delighted by the volume and quality of entries. It is great to see so many shows keen to take part. We would like to thank every show which entered, as their enthusiasm is a testament to agricultural shows.

“Whittling entries down to the final shortlist has not been an easy task. It is difficult to choose one event over another when they are so diverse.

“The finalists represent a great mix of shows which each have their own challenges, but are working hard within their communities and remaining loyal to their roots.”

The winning show will receive a full-page preview in Farmers Guardian and online. A reporter and photographer will attend the event and a full-page report will appear in the paper and online. Farmers Guardian will also promote the show through advertising and social media. 

Show Business 2013 winner
Turriff Show - read more

The Finalists

Burwarton Show  |  Frome Agricultural and Cheese Show  |  Garstang Show  I  Heathfield and District Show  |  Nidderdale Show  |  
Skelton Show  |  Turriff Show  |  Yetholm Shepherd Show   - click the show name links to find out more

BURWARTON Show is held on the first Thursday of August and attracts over 20,000 visitors. A committee is elected annually from the local farming community and ancillary professions. They work throughout the year and are backed up by 500 volunteers.

The committee works hard to maintain and increase the core agricultural and farming nature of the show with its reputation attracting high quality exhibits.

Displays of static engines and vintage tractors, a thriving home, handicraft and horticulture section and Young Farmers and Women’s Institute competitive classes all attract huge entries.

Trade stands are always fully subscribed and display a wide variety of agricultural machinery, local business and services, as well as promoting the rural economy through groups such as Women in Rural Enterprise and charities with local connections.

We can do so much ourselves, but help with a marketing and PR package would be a great opportunity to give a much needed boost to publicity, after having to cancel the show in 2012 due to the bad weather. It would also give us valuable experience to take the show forward and secure its future.

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THE show is a traditional one-day show in Somerset and is organised by a vast number of volunteers. Our society, which is a charity, hosts a show with the aim to provide the local community with a real understanding of farming, rural countryside skills, cheese and horticulture.

Our thriving livestock competitions promote the many breeds on show and provide visitors with a commentary during judging. The show culminates in the grand parade of prize winners in the main ring.

Frome has the oldest cheese show in the UK. This year, a record 1,400 entries have been received from producers ranging from PLCs to farmhouse cheese makers to artisan producers.

Alongside awards such as best Somerset cheese deli, local produce is the main focus with a marquee dedicated to producers within a 25-mile radius.

The society is proud of the show and has worked hard to improve it year-on-year, making sure the show is accessible to all and giving visitors an informative insight into agriculture.

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WE are proud to be in our 198th year. The past few years have provided us with financial challenges and promotion would always be welcome.

Our show has remained true to its roots without being over commercialised.

We want the world to see how much care and pride goes into making food. We also think our community makes a real difference, with a large number of volunteers involved in the running and promotion of the show.

It would be a great reward for everyone involved to have help in promoting the show as it will aid us in the show being a success.

Some of our committee have been members for more than 60 years, which is a huge commitment. We now have much younger and more dynamic directors who we believe are taking us forward to fresh new challenges.

We think it is important for as many young people to be involved in the show as possible. Each year, we have young handler competitions in each of our sections and there is plenty to get involved in. We have horticulture and craft tents and last year we were actively involved with local schools and received some great feedback. We would like to get more schools and children involved this year and we feel the Farmers Guardian promotion prize would be an invaluable way of helping us achieve this.

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AS the largest one-day agricultural show in the region, the show strives to maintain its farming roots. In 1947, the NFU suggested local farmers raise funds for Sussex hospitals as a gesture of thanks for the war ending. The show was conceived and has become a fixture in the calendar of the local community.

The show is unique in this corner of England. To win the Farmers Guardian Show Business 2013 competition would endorse everything the council is trying to achieve in the local community and would give our showcase a wider audience. It would help promote local businesses, community groups and perhaps most importantly, give a huge boost to participating farmers and the work of our volunteers.

More than 500 volunteers help on show day, representing local societies, churches, school PTAs and rugby clubs. As a thank you, the show makes donations to the volunteers’ organisations.

It is important for the show to support the rural community and small businesses as it is helping establish the area not only as a beautiful part of the countryside but also one which produces a diverse array of foods and products.

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NIDDERDALE is a traditional show which attracts thousands of people each year.

At the heart of the show is a strong livestock section which is credited as one of the best shows within the country due to the quality and numbers entered.

As well as animal classes, Nidderdale Show also hosts dry stone walling competitions and forestry and ground maintenance demonstrations. Working closely with the local Women’s Institute and the younger community of Nidderdale, we offer a fantastic range of arts and crafts. These include anything from dressed walking sticks to vegetables, home produce and art.

The young community of Nidderdale is imperative to the show and this is shown in our commitment to Young Farmers, currently in 10 classes as well as six in the domestic section.

Stockjudging events are held prior to the show for about 70 competitors where prize money and dinner are provided.

Attending Nidderdale Show, where the local community works together, is a memorable experience where you are able to compete, watch and learn. Visitors return annually to take in the show’s unique atmosphere.

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SKELTON Show is the largest village show in the north of England. While promoting the interests of farmers, horticulturalists and other parties to facilitate co-operation and improvement, it has constantly sought to evolve and respond to changing needs of rural life by embracing social media and online bookings.

The volunteer committee has always succeeded in providing a showcase of country life.

The show has evolved and now provides a great day in the countryside with an annual attendance approaching 10,000. Exhibitors compete for more than £12,000 in prize money and 130 trophies. As well as cattle, sheep, dogs and a full range of horse and pony classes, a large marquee contains horticultural and industrial exhibits along with fur and feathers.

In the last 12 years, we have had to cancel four shows (including last year’s) and restrict another two due to a combination of waterlogged ground and footand- mouth disease. These cancellations have depleted our reserves, so we have to plan the 2013 show on a very tight budget. Winning the Farmers Guardian promotion package would make a huge difference in helping market the return of this popular event so we can achieve record entries and attendance.

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THE show is the largest two-day agricultural show in Scotland.

We have fostered strong links with local schools to aid further education of agriculture and food production, and also work closely with local community groups.

We used up a large part of our resources for a new exhibition hall and purchase of a ninehectare (23-acre) field, and it would not have been prudent to use remaining reserves to finance the infrastructure.

Wet weather has played havoc up and down the country, with shows curtailed or cancelled, so we decided to mount a campaign to raise funds.

The project, costing more than £100,000, kicked off in June and by the time of the show, not only had the work been carried out, but the project had been entirely sponsored by local businesses and organisations. We are immensely proud of this achievement and extremely grateful to all those who contributed to this project.

If Turriff Show was to win the Farmers Guardian media package competition, it would be an opportunity to acknowledge this extraordinary support. The new site has allowed us to build the show without weather restrictions.

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THE 150th show is anticipated with great excitement here in the Cheviots and in the sheep world on both sides of the border.

Since the mid-19th Century, we have offered this finale to the show year with a platform for proud sheep men and women. We have only missed through war, foot-and-mouth and storm.

We want this anniversary to be a celebration of sheep farming in our rural economy. Hit badly by foot-and-mouth, watching lowland farmers turning away from sheep, passionate about the place of sheep in hill management, we want to make a statement this year that we are at the heart of a traditional and indispensable industry.

The focus of the show is on the 10 classes of sheep, plus entries from young handlers. Being a sheep show, this is a place where few breeds really matter.

One of the regular features is a sheepdog trial attracting more than 70 entries. We host the Scottish champion of champions stick dressing competition. We would use this opportunity not only for our own benefit, but also as an opportunity to affirm and promote the pace of sheep in hill farming.

We might be known to grumble now and again, but we are convinced of the value and satisfaction of what we do.

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_{Terms and Conditions}

1. _{The vote is open to UK residents (aged 18yrs or over), with the exception of ‘employees’ or ‘relatives of employees’ of Briefing Media Ltd.}
2. _{Voting closes on Friday March 22, 2013.}
3. _{Only one vote per person will be counted.}
4. _{All valid votes will be combined with the votes from our independent judging panel to determine the winner.}
5. _{The judges’ decision is final. No correspondence or discussion shall be entered into.}
6. _{Completion of this form implies acceptance of these terms and conditions.}

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