A popular agricultural show is set to return this summer after three years away due to COVID-19.
Millom and Broughton Agricultural Show will be staged on Saturday, August 27, at West Park at Broughton-in-Furness.
This year’s event, the first ‘in-person’ show the organisers have staged since 2019, will include a number of new innovations and attractions, including a free bus service to the show from Millom.
“We are very excited that the show will be back this year,” said show secretary Natalie Edmondson.
“We are excited to get the community together and for people to have the opportunity to learn more about agriculture, food and farming. It will be really nice to have a big event like this in the village again.”
Natalie said it was a traditional agricultural show, featuring a mixture of livestock, including cattle, sheep and horses. This year there will also be a goat class for the first time.
“In the first year of the pandemic we did a virtual show, which included children’s pets. The children sent in videos of their pets and we noticed there were some entries for goats so we decided to introduce a small goat show this year,” said Natalie.
This year’s show – the 134th its history – also includes a dog show, home industries, Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling, children’s sports and classes, calf and sheep handling, crafts and a vintage tractor parade.
For the first time, a free bus service will be run to the show from Millom Square, calling at The Hill and The Green. The coach will be operated by Sim’s Travel of Eskdale.
“With the cost of living rising we wanted to do our bit to help support people and also encourage more local people and visitors to attend the show,” said Natalie.
Among the exhibitors’ stands this year will be Duddon Valley Local History Group, which will be displaying information about the history of Broughton and the surrounding area, including photographs and documents about the show.
“The history of the show is important to us,” said Natalie. “A few years ago, someone from the South got in touch to say he had found a tea pot which had come from the show many years ago. He gave it to us and it is now presented each year to the champion exhibitor.”
The show includes two classes for vintage vehicles and this year the top exhibit will receive a specially-made trophy in memory of Stephen Mase Mason, who died in 2020 at the age of 36.
“Mase attended the show for many years with his Massey Ferguson 35 tractor and the prize will be presented after the vintage tractor parade around the main ring,” said Natalie.
A new attraction this year will be a scarecrow class. The theme will be farm animals and the scarecrows will be dotted around the showfield. Any group or individual can enter and the best scarecrow, as judged by show president Dorothy Sharp, will receive a £25 prize.
The layout of the showfield has been rejigged this year to make it more open-plan to ensure visitors do not miss anything.
“We usually get around 3,000 to 4,000 people at the show but we are hoping for an increased number this year as it is the first show for three years,” said Natalie.
She stressed the importance of agricultural shows like Millom and Broughton. “Farmers are busier and busier these days so they have less time to socialise,” she said. “The show allows them to mix with like-minded people and showcase the stock they have been looking after over the year.
“From a visitors’ point of view, it is good we can educate the general public about food and farming and for them to be able to see animals, buy local produce, see local crafts and skills and have a good day out.”
