THE FIFTY-FIFTH MORETON-IN-MARSH SHOW
Gloucestershire's County Show
Introduction
The Show is a traditional one day Agricultural and Horse Show and the leading agricultural event in the county. It is held in the extreme north of the Gloucestershire Cotswolds on the first Saturday in September each year - on 1st September in 2007. Farms and Crops Competitions are held throughout the year.
The events are organised by a Society whose objects are improvement in the breeding of farm stock and horses and in the standard of farming in the locality.
The main Exhibition Area is old permanent pasture in a parkland setting. There are no permanent show buildings which means the Show is built up in the traditional way with marquees and hurdle pens giving a true country show atmosphere. Because of this the Show continues to adapt to meet changing needs.
Principal Features
Livestock Competitions; The National Show of the Poll Hereford Cattle Society is held annually at Moreton together with classes for 5 other beef breeds with commercial animals and dairy breeds of cattle. 9 breeds of sheep (including the National Show of the local Cotswold breed) have their own classes and there are also sections for Any Other Breeds, Cross Breeds and Butchers' Lambs. Since 2002 a growing Rare Breed Sheep section is also held, attracting entries from far and wide. Great interest is created by the majority of the cattle judges giving reasons for their placing and the cattle rings are usually a focal point from first thing in the morning.
Horse Competitions; There are more than 50 classes for horses of all descriptions - hunters, hacks, cobs, riding horses, ponies and show jumpers. With the last available opportunity to qualify for the 2007 Horse of the Year Show the standard is extremely high and a rosette won at Moreton is highly valued.
Home and Garden Competitions; 100 classes in this section create much interest - baking, preserves, home made wines, handicrafts, photography, art, vegetables, flowers and floral art all feature and there is a special section for schoolchildren - exhibitors of the future! Since 1999 the prestigious West of England Dahlia and Chrysanthemum Championships have been held at Moreton.
Entertainment; The Show was the pioneer of the separate entertainment arena - something now being copied by much larger shows - and a non-stop programme of entertainment is offered so that the whole family is catered for. In addition there are "mix and mingle" entertainers as well as a Companion Dog Show and Thelwell Pony competition and craft demonstrations.This year for the first time we are hoping to stage an attempt at the record for the Largest Morris Dance - come and support us please! Who knows we may get into the Guinness Book of Records!
Agricultural - around 250 tradestands, including a high proportion representing the agricultural supply industry, regularly attend the Show but the quality of these is carefully monitored.
Retail - many of the smaller stands are housed in a covered shopping arcade and a gathering of good quality clothing retailers is always to be found in the avenue behind the member's enclosure.
Food Retail - a Food Retail Marquee has been developed in the last few years which provides an eclectic mix of food and drink from both local and national exhibitors - everything from a local sausage to cider brandy from Somerset!
It is the general view of the trade exhibitors that they do more business in one day at Moreton than at bigger 2 or 3 day shows.
Audience
Total attendance is estimated to have been 16,250 in 2006 [a wet day], 22,000 in 2005 and 20,000 in 2004. It is drawn principally from a 30 mile radius and includes a substantial element of decision makers within the agricultural and business communities. Exhibitors of Livestock and Horses travel from much further afield and the quality of the exhibits is well recognised in these circles. The exclusion of fairground equipment, cheapjacks and gimmicks has ensured that the Show has kept its traditional atmosphere and maintained the quality of its audience.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Farms and Crops Competitions are organised by the Society throughout the year within the restricted boundary. These range from the Best Farmed Farm to competitions for Ley and Corn Crops, Linseed, Roots, Silage and Farm Boundaries. Conservation is also beginning to feature in the Farm Competitions and, with support from Strutt & Parker, a Diversification competition was included in the Schedule for the first time in 2000. Another recent introduction to the schedule includes a competition for Seed Drill operators.
The Society has also re-started the holding of a Plough Sunday Service which is rotated round the local churches and preceded by lunch in a local hotel or restaurant. .
NOTE
The events are organised by Moreton-in-Marsh and District Agricultural and Horse Show Society, a Company Limited by Guarantee (Registered Number 2397134) whose Registered Office is The Show Office, Oxford Street, Moreton-in-Marsh, Glos., GL56 ONA. Tel. 01608 651908. Fax. 01608 651878. The Society is a Registered Charity, No. 900122.
February, 2007.
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