Weather failed to stop play at autumn show & game fair
Despite inclement weather, the Autumn Show & Game Fair maintained its key place in the calendar as a high quality, country sports and family entertainment event.
The Show’s two mornings started with glimpses of sunshine before periods of wind and rain. But this did nothing, it seems, to deter the hardy supporters of the popular event at the South of England Centre which saw attendance of 13,000 this year.
The two-day Show, staged by the South of England Agricultural Society, has become an important event in the Autumn calendar, and the organisers say it is particularly encouraging that the public show their enjoyment and appreciation for country sports. It is also gaining a reputation for the high quality shooting competition, although Dan Kerwood from Fletching-based Northall Clay Pigeon Club, who organises the event on behalf of the Society, is very concerned that banning lead shot could have a devastating effect on future events.
He said: “If lead shot is banned, it would shut 70% of the shoots and that would have a dramatic impact on the sport enjoyed by so many of all ages”. Most of the world uses lead shot, but we have never seen damage to the environment. On the3 other hand, steel shot is totally unsafe and ricochets. At present lead shot is only banned on wetlands for wildfowl, but if the law is widened, the impact on sport will be enormous.”
While visitors donned waterproofs and carried on enjoying the Show, most of the animals at the Show were oblivious to the weather, and the Cheshire Dog Display, Terrier racing, the Bob Hogg Sheep Dog Display, Warrenby Gundog Display, Kent & Surrey Bloodhounds and the Pony Club Mounted Games wowed the visitors with their animal antics and displays.
Fur and Feather was once again well supported, with more than 700 examples of feathered friends and hundreds of rabbits and guinea pigs; and the Abergavenny building played host to beef and dairy cattle, pigs and llamas which, along with the Donkey Show on Sunday proved particularly popular with the many younger visitors.
The two-day Show produced a wonderful display of regional-grown produce, including giant vegetables and spectacular floral displays as well as top quality, mouth-watering home baking from the Sussex Federation of WIs.
Visitors welcomed a contingent of Chelsea Pensioners, who toured the Show on Sunday in support of ABF, the Soldiers’ Charity, which successfully raised more than £3,500 musically supported by the REME Band. The ever-popular youth steel band and Punch & Judy man provided music and family entertainment.
On Sunday morning the Show played host to a special Harvest Festival Service, held in front of the Norfolk Pavilion and conducted by the rector of Ardingly, the Rev John Crutchley. The Service was enjoyed by the congregation as a real celebration of harvest time.
Society Director, Deborah Barber, said: “The Service captured not only the spirit of the season, but also that enduring link between churches and farming. This was the third year of welcoming our local rector and his congregation, and we sincerely hope it will remain an annual event integral to this Show which especially celebrates the countryside at this time of year.”