Lord Taylor named President of Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
The head of one of the UK’s leading horticultural companies has been named as the new President of the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society.
The Lord Taylor of Holbeach, CBE, who is now serving as a Government minister for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, follows in the footsteps of other distinguished Presidents, who have included HRH Princess Anne, the Earl of Yarborough and most recently Professor David Chiddick, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lincoln.
In the presidential role, Lord Taylor will represent the Society at the annual Lincolnshire Show in June, when over 60,000 people come to learn about the importance of agriculture in the life of the county.
Lord Taylor’s involvement in horticulture and farming dates back to his teens, when he joined the family business and started work on the family farm in Holbeach. The peer, who stood down as chairman of the company, Taylors Bulbs, following his appointment said: “It’s a great honour to be invited to act as President. I applaud the Society for the way in which they have kept the agricultural focus of the Lincolnshire Show; in so doing they have ensured that it remains the high point of the farming year in the county.
“The Society plays an important part in the economic life of Lincolnshire as well as performing a great task as advocate for the agricultural and horticultural industry, in what is the country’s premier agricultural county.”
Lincolnshire Agricultural Society operates the Lincolnshire Events Centre, which brings together agricultural, educational and conferencing activities. Research has shown that a massive £44m is being injected into the national economy thanks to the Lincolnshire Events Centre, which attracts over 215,000 visitors a year.
Lord Taylor added: “The biggest challenge facing farming is to make best use of modern technology and remain competitive in the global marketplace. Keeping up to date is vital. “
Lord Taylor entered the House of Lords in 2006, having been made a life peer as Baron Taylor of Holbeach, of South Holland in the County of Lincolnshire. He was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in September 2011.
He was previously Government spokesperson for the Cabinet Office, Energy and Climate Change, and Work and Pensions. He also served as opposition spokesman from 2006-2010 and as a Whip in the House of Lords. He was created a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1992 for political service, and served as Chairman of the National Conservative Convention and Deputy Chairman of the Party from 2000 to 2003.
Taylors Bulbs is one of the largest bulb producers in the UK, farming 317 acres of daffodils and 1860 acres of other crops including vegetables, cereals, potatoes and sugar beet.
Also leading the Society during 2012 is John Lockwood, who continues in his role as Chairman for a third year. Master of the Burton Hunt and a former High Sheriff of Lincolnshire, he runs the family property company, Castle Square Developments, alongside the family farm.
The £7m EPIC Centre at the Lincolnshire Showground was opened three years ago, providing a conference and events facility, capable of hosting conferences, balls and seminars, and is designed also as an educational resource and state-of-the-art events centre for up to 1,900 people.
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Karen Malpass at Lincolnshire Events Centre in Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
kmalpass@lincs-events.co.uk - 01522 585504
Maggie Taylor at Prima PR
maggie@primapr.co.uk – 01400 251557 / 0797 3767 602
Editor’s Note:
Lincolnshire Events Centre is a major national conferencing venue, home of the Lincolnshire Show and the groundbreaking EPIC project. Just outside the historic city of Lincoln, the Centre hosts events for 10 to 10,000 visitors on its 200 acre showground site and 3000 square metres of indoor exhibition and venue space.
Outdoor events include the flagship Lincolnshire Show, antiques fairs and horse trials, attracting over 200,000 visitors each year. Under cover, there are exhibition halls and conferencing facilities, including the recently completed EPIC centre, the second largest purpose-designed showcase for environmental technologies in the UK, it enables event organisers to reduce, monitor and offset their carbon footprint.
Businesswoman steps up to lead Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
Links to some online coverage: Midlands Business News
Promoting Lincolnshire and building further profitability are the top priorities for the new director in charge of Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, home of the annual County Show.
Jayne Southall moves into the lead role after five years of heading finance and general management for the Society and its associated commercial operating arm, Lincolnshire Events Centre.
She has been part of the team that has overseen the shift of the annual County Show into a substantial profit centre, announcing that the 2011 Show made a big shift into the black, thanks to a £200,000 increase in income over the previous year.
The new director has also confirmed that the Show will stay in its mid-week slot, saying this is the strongest way to ensure it retains its agricultural heart.
There have been discussions over recent years around the value of moving the Show to include at least one weekend day, but the idea has been put aside based on the improved financial performance and amidst concerns at losing support from the agricultural community.
Jayne Southall explained: “We are set on innovation and continuing to broaden our appeal, but the Show must support our core charitable aims – which are to promote understanding, and awareness of the role played in the county by agriculture and food production - and we must have the agricultural community fully on board.
“It’s still the county’s best kept secret. We’ve pushed up to more than 60,000 visitors but there is still huge potential and we’re set on increasing numbers of both visitors and exhibitors in 2012.”
Instead, she will be focussing efforts on increasing involvement in the Society by young people, links with education and building the nationally renowned Lincolnshire Events Centre conferencing business.
“Our other biggest challenge is retaining and building a substantial share of the local and national conferencing market,” added Jayne. “We have a unique capability in delivering events for bigger numbers, indoors and outside, such as the antiques fairs and recently the very successful Christmas Food and Gift fair, but we are also competing for the smaller end of the seminar and conference market with our purpose designed EPIC venue.
“Everyone in the tourism and conferencing sector needs to keep talking up Lincolnshire outside the county. People still don’t realise how well served the county is with hotels and other business and tourist support.”
Jayne has lived in the county since 2001, and lives in Welton with her two grown up children. She keeps in touch with the Society’s heart outside work as well, as a keen walker who looks to get out into the country as often as possible.
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Karen Malpass at Lincolnshire Events Centre in Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
kmalpass@lincs-events.co.uk - 01522 585504
Maggie Taylor at Prima PR
maggie@primapr.co.uk – 01400 251557 / 0797 3767 602
Editor’s Note:
Lincolnshire Events Centre is a major national conferencing venue, home of the Lincolnshire Show and the groundbreaking EPIC project. Just outside the historic city of Lincoln, the Centre hosts events for 10 to 10,000 visitors on its 200 acre showground site and 3000 square metres of indoor exhibition and venue space.
Outdoor events include the flagship Lincolnshire Show, antiques fairs and horse trials, attracting over 200,000 visitors each year. Under cover, there are exhibition halls and conferencing facilities, including the recently completed EPIC centre, the second largest purpose-designed showcase for environmental technologies in the UK, it enables event organisers to reduce, monitor and offset their carbon footprint.
Crowds shrug off showers to enjoy the County Show
Showers failed to stop the fun at this year’s Lincolnshire Show, the county’s big day out.
Early estimates put total visitor figures at around 68,000, matching last year’s record figures.
This was also the year that social media attention for the Show stormed ahead, with their Twitter feed recording 2.56 million visits from 286,000 people, with over 1000 tweets made during the two days, helping to drive visitor interest before and during the Show.
Alongside old favourites like pig racing and the big agricultural machinery displays, new attractions for this year included horseback falconry, Express Eventing and the Scruffts crossbreed dog competition, which helped to drive new interest. Organisers also reported livestock entries and trade stand bookings well up on last year.
“Everyone loves to see the livestock and the big agricultural machinery and alongside that we had even more attractions with families and young people in mind for this year,” said chief executive Mark Farmer.
“We’re very happy overall, we had a very good crowd, excellent trade bookings and attendance looks to be in line with last year’s figure.”
“Extending into the evening with activities such as concerts went well and we’ll definitely be looking to build on that next year. The new areas like the Kennel Club dog ring and the Express Eventing series qualifier both helped to boost interest and attract new visitors,” he added.
The Lincolnshire Show is not just a two day showcase for the county; it’s a big revenue booster, generating £20 for the local economy for every £1 spent. It’s also big business for the trade exhibitors and local companies who connect with customers during the relaxed social atmosphere of the two day event.
In the Countryside ring, the programme included medieval jousting and pig racing and the livestock lines played host to more than 1800 entries of cattle, sheep, pigs and goats.
Nearly 1800 horses and ponies were on show throughout the two days in the equine ring, and local rider Malcolm Wright claimed his second win in the Express Eventing 2011 series, in a thrilling finish which went right to the final fence in the showjumping.
In the sports zone, the many attractions included Leicester Tigers rugby coaches and Great Britain Paralympics hopeful Richard Sargent, representing wheelchair basketball, part of the many sports being demonstrated in run up to the 2012 Olympics.
Winners of the Schools Challenge competition were John Fielding Community Special School from Boston; Trent Valley Academy and Whites Wood Lane Junior School both from Gainsborough.
“Everyone has enjoyed the Show, despite the odd shower,” said show director Richard Collett, in his first year in the role. “Fortunately the land here drains quickly and easily so the rain doesn’t cause any real problem. Whatever the weather, there’s so much on offer with the hundreds of trade stands and shops, and exciting programmes in all the rings.”
“It’s gone very well and I’m very pleased.”
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Sarah Poucher at Lincolnshire Events Centre in Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
lluty@lincs-events.co.uk - 01522 585501
Maggie Taylorat Prima PR
maggie@primapr.co.uk – 01400 251557 / 0797 3767 602
Investment boost for Lincolnshire venue
See coverage at :
Lincolnshire Agricultural Society has announced that it will be making further investment in its major conference and events centre on the Showground site at Grange de Lings.
As the Showground makes ready for the annual County Show on 22nd-23rd June, the Society has confirmed it will be releasing investment funds to support the Show itself, as well as for its EPIC Conference Centre, a purpose-designed showcase of environmental building technologies.
The Lincolnshire Show is the major food and farming showcase event in the Society’s calendar, and whilst it attracts crowds of up to 70,000 and generates a significant economic impact on the local economy, it is not an income generator in itself. Its costs are supported by the commercial income-generating conference and events arm, which was developed to fund all the Society’s educational activities.
The Lincolnshire Events Centre on the Showground is now recognised as a major national conference venue, hosting events for up to 10,000 visitors on its 200 acre showground site and 3000 square metres of indoor exhibition and venue space. Since the EPIC Centre opened in 2009 it has brought a host of new events to the Showground which include antiques fairs, the BMF motorbike show and summer concerts, attracting over 200,000 visitors each year.
The Society will be realising funds from the sale of 70 acres of farmland bought in 1990 with two fields which borderBurton Roadearmarked for disposal. The fields comprise farmland and were bought as an investment and do not form part of the Society’s masterplan for the Showground. Adjoining land bought at the same time which provides for future development on the Showground site and is home to the two very successful annual Point to Point meetings, is being retained.
“Land prices are at an all time high, so the Board of Trustees have agreed it’s the right time to sell, to maximise the levels of funds that go back into the fabric of the Showground,” said the Society Treasurer, Jane Hiles. “It’s not an easy decision for a Board with farming blood to sell farmland, but we are sure this is the right decision, as it is exactly what this land was bought for.”
Chief executive Mark Farmer said: “With economic conditions remaining difficult, we want some stability to continue to grow the business and whilst we’ve made major savings through efficiencies in both the Events side of the business and on the Show, to go further would affect the character of the Lincolnshire Show itself.
“Releasing this investment back into the business will help preserve this great County institution for the future. The Lincolnshire Show cannot stand still, we need to keep investing in it to ensure it is attractive to all of our visitors from both city and countryside.”
He added: “Advance ticket sales for this year are looking promising; the livestock and equine entries are doing well; and the bookings for trade stands are exceptional with many more traders booked than in 2010.”
Local agents J H Walter will be handling the sale of the farmland.
ENDS
Countdown to the County's big day out
Just four weeks to go until this year’s Lincolnshire Show, and as the countdown begins to the county’s big day out, some of the latest exhibitors and features have been unveiled.
Alongside the family attractions, local food producers and agricultural displays, there’s a Scruffts dog competition, top class equestrian eventing, eco-education and art exhibitions.
It’s all taking place at the Lincolnshire Showground, Grange de Lings on Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd June 2011.
Visitors are well used to parades – there are grand parades of livestock, of agricultural machinery or of Young Farmers’ floats – but this year there will be a rather unusual addition, with a parade that explores the idea of what is normal, and whether anyone is truly normal.
Developed by Lincoln Art Programme, in conjunction with artist Anthony Schrag, local groups in Lincoln have donated objects or people that are representative of their ‘normal activities’. They include a cake from the WI, a pair of binoculars from a bird watching group, and they will be marched around by Yellowbellies in a Parade of Normal Things. The aim is to show that what is normal to some, might be considered eccentric by someone else. The parade will meander slowly around the Show offering a chance to explore the objects and how they relate to one another and to Lincolnshire.
Something for everyone is also on offer at the BBC Lincolnshire stand where the costumes and trophy from BBC’s chart-topping Strictly Come Dancing series rubbing shoulders with a fashion show of designs from Lincoln University students. Also on the stand are two contrasting musical attractions – there's Abba Salute, the tribute band, and a community musical commissioned by the BBC, telling the story of Priscilla Biggadike, the Lincolnshire woman wrongly hanged for the murder of her husband.
Visitors can ask find out to live greener lives when they speak to The Greenhouse, a group of local companies designed to showcase renewable technologies. All of the companies are based in and around Lincolnshire and are all experts in their field. It’s been organised by Jo Huggett of Binbrook-based 4Eco who supply solar thermal systems and air source and ground Source heat pumps, for both domestic and commercial properties.
For those looking to get an agricultural hit, this 127th Lincolnshire Show will be keeping agriculture at its heart. The Show – on 22nd and 23rd June – includes the best of the county’s livestock on the judging lines and all the latest trends in farming and agriculture from the top breeds to top machines, as well as the best produce from the county.
In the Select Lincolnshire and Tastes of Lincolnshire Food Court the special Lincolnshire produce area will include national award-winning farmers and producers of free range pork, Redhill Farm, winners of the Countryside Alliance Local Food Award for East of England 2010 and Tastes of Lincolnshire BIG Sausage Festival 2010 for Lincolnshire’s Favourite Sausage. The Farm will be hoping for a repeat of their victory at last year’s Show, when they won the Oscar Brown Perpetual Challenge Cup awarded at last year’s Show for the best food stand.
In the livestock lines, two native breeds that are likely to attract much attention once again are the Lincoln Longwool sheep and Lincoln Red cattle.
From near Woodhall Spa in eastern Lincolnshire, Maurice Parker will bring his 6 Lincoln Longwools when he attends the Lincolnshire Show for the 41st time. He said: “It’s one of the best shows in the country. It’s our home county show and the stewarding at Lincolnshire is always brilliant.” Maurice has been winning championships firstly for others and for himself since 2000, including wool on hoof, interbreed and overall breed Champion.
In the cattle lines, Geoff Bolton from Market Rasen has notched up 52 Lincolnshire Shows, since his first visit as a schoolboy in 1959. Now chairman of Lincoln Red Cattle Society for the second time, and a judge himself at other agricultural shows, he has breeding Lincoln Reds for over 20 years and now has a herd of 30 beast
He said: “Lincolnshire Show is largely still agricultural and it’s got an important role to play in education. I first came to the Show on a School trip in 1959, and now, just as then, it’s an opportunity for young people to learn and to be involved in agriculture, livestock and where food comes from.”
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Sarah Poucher at Lincolnshire Events Centre inc Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
spoucher@lincs-events.co.uk - 01522 585501
Maggie Taylor at Prima PR
maggie@primapr.co.uk – 01400 251557 / 0797 3767 602
More about the Show:
See other releases and facts about the Show by clicking here
Follow the Show:
Twitter : @lincsshow
Facebook: LincolnshireAgriculturalSociety
www.lincolnshireshowground.co.uk
County’s big day out promises more than ever
Lincolnshire Show 2011 : Feature article : download a copy of this : County’s big day out promises more than ever
Pictures for download on Flickr : click here
More, more, more.... That’s the message from the organisers of this year’s Lincolnshire Show - the County’s big day out.
The two-day event is overflowing with attractions for the whole family and organisers promise that it will be even bigger and better than ever.
For at this 127th Show, there are more family attractions, more delicious foods from local producers, more schools taking part in the big Challenge and more sports to try out. There are also more new attractions - like Express Eventing and the Scruffts crossbreed pooch competition.
It’s all taking place at the Lincolnshire Showground, Grange de Lings on Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd June 2011.
One of the star attractions, the Knights of the Damned, are returning with a new show. Britain’s premier medieval jousting stunt team are promising more excitement and a new format for this year, according to leader Justin Pearson, who is fresh back from performing the stunts on Pirates of the Caribbean IV. The troupe also includes two local riders, Rob and James Pavey, both 21 and just qualifying as stuntmen. The Knights of the Damned will be performing both days of the Show in the Isuzu Countryside Arena.
This year’s Sports Zone is doubled in size and in the run up to the 2012 Olympics, it will feature almost all the Olympic sports. Features include the ECB cricket factory – an 11 x 9m self contained cricket batting and fielding area. Boston United will bring their inflatable penalty shoot out and wheelchair basketball in an inflatable sports barn, 20 x 11 ft. For water based sports, Lincoln Canoe Club will have virtual racing machines linked to a computer screen for visitors to test their technique and the RYA will have dinghies on show. Other sports include table tennis, volleyball, badminton, hockey and a specially adapted set up for street athletics.
Joining the Show will be Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls from the county. They are all on the Lincolnshire Elite Champions programme and include Andy Skinner of Lincoln, the GB sitting volleyball player; Bernice Wilson, the 100m sprinter from Boston, who has just undertaken the European championship; and Richard Sargent, representing wheelchair basketball.
Said Marc Rhodes, events officer with Lincolnshire Sports Partnership: “We’ve got a fantastic range of sports on offer for visitors to try out, including nearly all the Olympic sports. My favourite thing about coming to the Lincolnshire Show is the sheer numbers we get taking part. Last year we had 3,400 young people taking part and around 1,000 adults. We’re hoping to beat that this year, with even more on offer.”
In the Exhibition Hall, more local schools than ever will be taking part in this year’s Schools’ Challenge, sponsored by Farmacy Plc and E Park and Sons, it aims to encourage young people to understand more about food, farming and agriculture. Phil Everett, marketing and communications coordinator with the Education Business Partnership explained: “Every previous year we have been over-subscribed so we’ve decided to move from the Discovery Zone into the Exhibition Hall, and that allows us to have 33 entrants this year. We’ve also got a new special schools category. It’s all booked up and with a waiting list – the schools love it.”
Primary, secondary and special schools are all taking part and one new challenge for this year is called One Brand, which encourages young people to make contact with a school in a different country, where they speak a different language and have a different climate.
Phil added: “Lincolnshire is a rural county and this Challenge gives children an excellent foundation in understanding where food comes from and how it can be sourced locally. They also go on farm visits as part of the Challenge which helps to show career options in the horticulture and agricultural industry.”
This year is a real first for dog lovers. For the first time dogs will be allowed to join in the fun at the Show. They must be kept on a lead, but owners can also leave them with a special doggy-crèche being run during the Show by local animal charity, Jerry Green Dog Rescue. And not only can people bring their dogs, there’s also a chance to compete - with the Kennel Club Scruffts Competition, sponsored by James Wellbeloved, taking place at Thursday’s Show. The four competitions taking place are The Most Handsome Crossbreed Dog, The Prettiest Crossbreed Bitch, Child’s Best Friend and Golden Oldie Crossbreed. Entries for the heats will be taken on the day.
A major new attraction that will make it into the Clydesdale Bank Main Ring this year is the qualifying heat for Express Eventing, a mini version of eventing which promises a thrill a minute. The Express Eventing Series 2011 will see dressage, cross country and show jumping being completed in one arena. Eventing celebrity and 2008 winner Oliver Townend has already announced his intention to compete. “I am really looking forward to having the chance to compete. It is developing into a spectator and TV friendly version of our great sport.”
Throughout the Show, the Lincs FM stage will host the best acts who make it through the qualifiers of the radio station’s You’ve Got Talent competition. Also appearing will be two successful acts from previous years - The Substitutes and Route East. Said Katie Trinder of Lincs FM: “We have something for everyone on the stage during the two days – from rap music to heavy rock, pop to classical.” The Lincs FM presenters will also be trying their skills as a dance troupe, with some help from local dance school Streetbeat.
And BBC Lincolnshire will be in a new home near the entrance to the Clydesdale Bank Main Ring, with on stage entertainment throughout the two days, together with an exhibition explaining the digital switchover which is coming to Lincolnshire this summer.
The Select Lincolnshire and Tastes of Lincolnshire Food Court will feature a special Lincolnshire producer and supplier section this year, with a mouth-watering selection of local produce and some great homemade recipe demonstrations throughout each day from local food champion Rachel Green.
The Select Lincolnshire programme aims to raise awareness of the county’s food brands directly to the consumer. Its sister organisation Tastes of Lincolnshire encourages tourism destinations like bed and breakfasts and farm shops to put Lincolnshire produce on the menu.
“The Show is the home of Lincolnshire produce, which is arguably the best in Britain, and we need to be shouting about it,” said Helen Scott of Select Lincolnshire and Tastes of Lincolnshire. “The biggest draw is always the demonstration marquee and we’re very pleased to have local celebrity chef Rachel Green leading the line up once more.”
In the Greenhouse, a range of companies will be explaining how to live a more sustainable lifestyle. The organiser, Jo Huggett, director of 4Eco explained: “We have put together companies who cover a range of different techniques, and importantly they are all accredited organisations.” Technologies on display include solar power, biomass, wind turbines, ground source heat pumps and rain water harvesting.
And for the shopper, there will be more than 600 stands to visit, including the boutique style shopping on The Mews avenue featuring everything from bespoke kitchens to handmade pearl bracelets.
Alongside all the new attractions will be the features that lie at the heart of the Show’s traditional agricultural heritage, with events such as pig racing, showjumping, the spectacular Grand Parade of the best of the county’s livestock sponsored by Saul Fairholm in the Clydesdale Bank Main Ring and the vintage to modern day agricultural machinery display sponsored by Spaldings and Woldmarsh.
And from one of the county’s farms, an outstanding family tradition will be recognised when four brothers from Wrisdale’s farm in Wainfleet St Mary’s receive Long Service Awards, sponsored by Harold Woolgar Insurance for their contribution to the farming industry. For Norman, Percy, Gordon and Colin Gostelow have served a total of 174 years between them. Oldest brother Norman first started work in 1961, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather at the farm.
Said Mark Farmer, chief executive of Lincolnshire Agricultural Society: “This is the county’s big day out and we’re really thrilled with this year’s line up. There’s something for everyone who has a love of the countryside.”
He added: “The Lincolnshire Show is an agricultural show, one of the few county shows to remain true to its agricultural heritage, a strength which has carried us forward. It’s important to stimulate awareness of countryside matters, and the vital role that agriculture plays in the local economy.”
The Show will be open from 8am to 6pm each day. Visit the Show’s website for more information and to book your tickets www.lincs-events.co.uk or call the ticket hotline 0845 2305171
ENDS
More about the Show:
See other releases and facts about the Show by clicking here
Follow the Show:
Twitter : @lincsshow
Facebook: LincolnshireAgriculturalSociety
www.lincolnshireshowground.co.uk
Lincolnshire Show 2011: press passes, feature articles and reader competitions
This year’s Show takes place on Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd June 2011
PRESS PASSES WILL BE DIGITAL: For 2011, press passes for the Lincolnshire Show will be managed online. ALL requests will have to be made through the website, specifying named contacts and the days on which they are attending, as digital passes will be issued this year. This forms part of the media centre area of the web site which is scheduled to go live in April.
PRESS RELEASES AND FEATURE ARTICLES ONLINE: The media centre on the web site will also include copies of all press releases and feature articles as they go live, providing a single easy-to-access route. In addition, if you would like exclusive feature material, or if you require interviews before or at the Show, we will be happy to work with you – contact Maggie Taylor at Prima PR : maggie@primapr.co.uk
READER COMPETITIONS: Each year we work with media titles to offer their readers the chance to win tickets to the Lincolnshire Show. If you are interested in discussing such joint promotions, then please get in touch and tell us how you would promote the offer to your readers or use the request form you will find within the media centre pages of the web site, when live.
PHOTOGRAPHY FROM PREVIOUS SHOWS: A selection of stock photographs from previous shows is available. A small batch from 2010 is on Flickr at the following link: primaprandmarketing You can also find many pictures from other people on Flickr if you search for Lincolnshire Show. We have archive catalogues here and elsewhere online click here for a 2009 gallery and will be happy to provide unique or specific shots on request.
Keep in touch:
The Show online: www.lincolnshireshowground.co.uk
Follow the Show on Twitter: @lincsshow
Follow the Show on Facebook: LincolnshireAgriculturalSociety
All PR and Media enquiries should be made via:
Prima PR & Marketing : info@primapr.co.uk : Tel: 01400 251557 : www.primapr.co.uk
Twitter: @magtay
Flickr: primaprandmarketing
Client news feed: click here
NB: Press releases about the Show are also available online through the Prima PR client news feed. There is also content and photography from previous years still available online, but it sits within the old client news area of www.primapr.co.uk – links can be provided on request.
ENDS
http://twitter.com/#!/magtay/status/52697287100600320
World class event draws international names
28.03.11 : POST EVENT UPDATE: For results from the Lincolnshire Horse Trials click here to read the report in Horse and Hound. And click here to read the Event Centre's review of the coverage.
The annual Lincolnshire Horse Trials takes place in March at the Lincolnshire Showground at Grange de Lings.
International riders will head up an exciting three day event when this year’s Lincolnshire Horse Trials gets under way, with up to 700 competitors expected to take part.
The 2011 event takes place at the Lincolnshire Showground from Friday 18th to Sunday 20th March with competitors taking part in dressage, show jumping and cross country over the three days at pre novice (BE100), novice and intermediate levels.
Once again, selectors for the British team are expected to be on the lookout during the pony trials that are also held.
The venue is recognised as an excellent event for early season because the flat, well drained ground is a good proving ground for both horse and rider.
International names attracted over recent years include last year’s Open intermediate winner Piggy French, Oliver Townend, Polly Stockton, Caroline Powell, Sharon Hunt, and Ruth Edge; and Olympic riders William Fox-Pitt and Nicola Wilson, both members of the Gold medal winning team at the World Equestrian Games last year, and New Zealand double gold medallist Mark Todd.
The event has also positioned itself as a showcase for local Lincolnshire talent. Last year’s successes included local Walesby rider Emily Parker who took the under-21 Open Intermediate section on Treefers, her 2009 young rider team gold medal winner. In recent years, Emily has had a stream of successes including runner up in the Pony Club Championships and Junior Regional Novice Championships in 2007. She was also fourth in the U21 Eventing National Championships at Weston Park.
Amongst other local riders, Matthew Wright from Retford won the 2010 final Open Intermediate section on Hugginstown. From Louth, Rosalind Canter had success with a win in one of the BE100 sections plus placings in other sections. And 17 year old Gina Ruck friom Tealby, a previous gold medal winner for Britain at pony level, came in sixth in the Open Intermediate Under 21 Sections.
Another BE100 section winner was Helen Scholl from near Grantham on Blackstairs King, and in the local novice section, the winner was Deborah Doyle from Lincoln.
Last year’s event provided record visitor numbers and Show director Charles Hood is hoping to build on that success in 2011. He said: “Our courses have a good variety of well-built straight forward fences, designed to give confidence for early season and it’s run over flat, extremely well-drained light land, giving ideal going.”
The event draws large visitor numbers to the county each year, providing a boost to the local economy, and is organised by Lincolnshire Events Centre on the showground site at Grange-de-Lings, which is also home to a major national conferencing venue and the groundbreaking EPIC green building project.
Running order:
Each day of this three day event is focussed on a particular class, giving visitors the chance to see all events each day, cross country, dressage and show jumping.
Friday 18th March:
BE100 and Open BE100 classes.
8.00am Dressage
8.50am Show jumping
9.30am Cross country
5.00pm Approx finishing time
Saturday 19th March:
Novice and Open Novice plus Pony Trial dressage and show jumping
8.00am Dressage
8.50am Show jumping
9.30am Cross country
5.00pm Approx finishing time
Also taking place on Saturday is Pony Trial dressage and show jumping. The pony cross country is on Sunday at 9.00 am.
Sunday 20th March
Intermediate and Open Intermediate classes plus Pony Trial cross country
8.30am Dressage
9.00am Show jumping
9.00am Pony Trial Cross country, then the open intermediate cross country
Entry on Saturday and Sunday is £5.00 per car to include all occupants.
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Laura Luty at Lincolnshire Events Centre inc Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
lluty@lincs-events.co.uk - 01522 585501
Maggie Taylor at Prima PR
maggie@primapr.co.uk – 01400 251557 / 0797 3767 602
Editor’s Note:
Lincolnshire Events Centre is a major national conferencing venue, home of the Lincolnshire Show and the groundbreaking EPIC project. Just outside the historic city of Lincoln, the Centre hosts events for 10 to 10,000 visitors on its 200 acre showground site and 3000 square metres of indoor exhibition and venue space.
Outdoor events include the flagship Lincolnshire Show, antiques fairs and horse trials, attracting over 200,000 visitors each year. Under cover, there are exhibition halls and conferencing facilities, including the recently completed EPIC centre, the second largest purpose-designed showcase for environmental technologies in the UK, it enables event organisers to reduce, monitor and offset their carbon footprint.
Business gets on board to back this year’s Lincolnshire Show
Big business and small local companies are coming together to help Lincolnshire’s agricultural heritage and education to flourish.
They are all backing the annual County Show, organised by the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society to boost awareness of countryside matters, and the vital role that agriculture plays in the local economy.
It will be the 127th Show, the 52nd to be held at the Grange-de-Lings 200 acre site and the two-day event will take place on Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd June 2011.
Billed as Lincolnshire’s big day out, the Lincolnshire Show is an agricultural show, one of the few county shows to remain true to its heritage, and last year attracted more than 68,000 visitors and some 650 exhibitors – both numbers that the organisers hope to beat this year.
“The Show is for everyone living in the countryside, working in the countryside and those who enjoy the countryside,” explained the Show’s business development manager Laura Luty. “It’s really great that local businesses are keen to back us in this way. As a charity, it’s sponsorship like this which allows us to continue to develop the Show. As well as helping us to keep costs down, such as visitor prices, we also inject the sponsorship support into educational activities, such as our Schools’ Challenge, which encourages young people to get involved.”
She added: “Many of our sponsors come year after year, because they know it has a commercial value as well as supporting their place in our local community. We have had an excellent response so far but are still talking to companies that are active across Lincolnshire and the East Midlands region.”
Clydesdale Bank is once again the major sponsor for the Show, Langleys Solicitors and BBC Lincolnshire are jointly sponsoring the equine area, which attracts 2000 entries each year across show jumping, mountain and moorland ponies and ex racehorse classes.
Plans for this year’s Show will be announced soon, but organisers say visitors can be confident they will experience another exciting line-up at the renowned county event, with entertainment that will appeal to all tastes and ages.
As well as the show’s traditional agricultural theme – with events including pig racing, show-jumping, the spectacular Grand Parade of the best of the county’s livestock in the Clydesdale Bank Main Ring and the vintage to modern day agricultural machinery display – there will also be a host of other stalls and activities. Last year’s line up included medieval cooking and world-class jousting knights, through to advice on horticulture and sustainable living.
Sponsor of the Lincoln Red Cattle once again this year is The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation plc (AMC). Adrian Cawood, regional agricultural manager said: "AMC view Lincolnshire as one of the most important and foremost farming counties, and the Lincolnshire Show demonstrates the great commitment and enthusiasm towards farming within the county.
“When the opportunity arose three years ago to sponsor the native breed we were very happy to support it and are delighted to continue sponsor the Lincoln Reds again in 2011."
SHOW IS BIG EARNER
The Show is a big earner for Lincolnshire and research carried out last year showed that a massive £44m is being injected into the national economy thanks to the events held at the Lincolnshire Events Centre at the county’s Showground, attracting over 215,000 visitors a year.
More than 80 per cent of exhibitors return each year because of the amount of business they do at the Show and it is estimated that every £1 spent at the Show generates £20 in the local economy. The Show and other events at the Showground boost local hotels and B&Bs, creating demand for 18,400 overnight stays locally.
“The annual County Show is a major tourism attraction, alongside the city’s Cathedral and Castle,” said chief executive Mark Farmer, “It’s also a big earner for the economy, although it’s not just about the Show nowadays, as we have expanded the Showground site to become a major year-round regional conferencing and outdoor events centre.”
Images and captions from the 2010 County Show are available for download at :http://www.flickr.com/photos/55414176@N07/sets/72157625298289904/
Who’s backing this year’s Show:
| Company: | Sponsoring : |
| Jackie Strange
Private sponsor |
Shire Horses |
| BBC Lincolnshire | Equine Ring |
| Brown Butlin
A trading arm of Farmacy PLC |
Young Farmers’ Trailers |
| Woldmarsh
Farming agricultural buying group, Louth |
Machinery Parade |
| Spaldings
Agricultural and groundcare replacement parts, tools and accessories |
Machinery Parade |
| Streets
UK Top 30 firm of accountants, Lincoln |
Vice President’s Area |
| E Park & Sons Ltd
Potato supplier |
Schools’ Challenge |
| Farmacy PLC
Agronomy and environmental services to arable sector, Sleaford |
Schools’ Challenge |
| Complete Print Group
Printing supplies |
General support |
| Osborne Refrigerators | Double Harness Scurry |
| Brewin Dolphin
Investment solutions, Lincoln |
Parade of Hounds |
| McKinnells
Solicitors, Lincoln |
Courtyard |
| Langleys
Solicitors, Lincoln |
Ancaster Ring |
| Clydesdale Bank | Main Ring |
| Double M Catering
Catering business, Lincolnshire |
General support |
| Lincolnshire Co-op | Lincoln Longwool |
| Lincolnshire Co-op | Commercial Beef |
| Savills
Agricultural and rural estate agency services, Lincoln |
Roadside Signage |
| Swales Yorkshire Dales Ice Cream | British Charolais |
| Agricultural Mortgage Company Plc
Mortgage finance for land based commercial businesses |
Lincoln Red |
| Robert Bell & Co
Auctioneers and Land Agents, Horncastle, Coningsby, Woodhall Spa and Lincoln |
Pig Interbreed Supreme Champion |
| Masons Chartered Surveyors
Property professionals, Louth |
Interbreed Championships |
| Bang & Olufsen
Sound and vision products, Lincoln |
Screens in the EPIC Centre |
| Saul Fairholm
Chartered Accountants and Auditors, Lincoln |
Grand Parade of Livestock |
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Sarah Poucher at Lincolnshire Events Centre inc Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
spoucher@lincs-events.co.uk - 01522 585501
Maggie Taylor at Prima PR
maggie@primapr.co.uk – 01400 251557 / 0797 3767 602
Editor’s Note:
Lincolnshire Events Centre is a major national conferencing venue, home of the Lincolnshire Show and the groundbreaking EPIC project. Just outside the historic city of Lincoln, the Centre hosts events for 10 to 10,000 visitors on its 200 acre showground site and 3000 square metres of indoor exhibition and venue space.
Outdoor events include the flagship Lincolnshire Show, antiques fairs and horse trials, attracting over 200,000 visitors each year. Under cover, there are exhibition halls and conferencing facilities, including the recently completed EPIC centre, the second largest purpose-designed showcase for environmental technologies in the UK, it enables event organisers to reduce, monitor and offset their carbon footprint.
£44m injection that is helping put Lincolnshire on the map
A new economic impact survey has shown that a massive £44m is being injected into the national economy thanks to the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society’s events centre, which attracts over 215,000 visitors a year.
That’s equivalent to £120,000 and over 600 visitors for every single day of the year.
The annual County Show attracted 65,000 visitors in 2010.
Antiques fairs are held six times a year, each attracting 3000 antiques traders from across Europe
Other events range from a reception for 600 guests at an Asian wedding through to smaller events, like board meetings and staff training days.
And, according to the research, which was backed by West Lindsey District Council, the Centre is making a massive contribution to both the local and national economy.
It’s good news for the county against the backdrop of economic recession and public sector cuts, and, says the chief executive Mark Farmer, a big justification for the £1m injection of investment made by the County Council and £250,000 by West Lindsey District Council in 2007, with around half of the income generated staying in the East Midlands economy each year at a value of £22m.
The study was carried out to help guide future growth plans for the Lincolnshire Events Centre, and it demonstrates how successful the Lincolnshire Events Centre has been in attracting big events and boosting tourism.
“The annual County Show is a big earner for the economy and a major tourism attraction, alongside the city’s Cathedral and Castle,” said Mark Farmer, “But it’s not just about the Show nowadays, as we have expanded to become a major year-round regional conferencing and outdoor events centre.”
The £7m EPIC Centre at the Showground was opened two years ago, providing a conference and events facility, capable of hosting conferences, balls and seminars, and is designed also as an educational resource and state-of-the-art events centre for up to 1,900 people. Environmental sustainability is at the core of these recent developments, and is a defining theme of a proposed master-plan now being drawn up for the Showground.
The Show and other events at the Showground boost local hotels and B&Bs too, creating demand for 18,400 overnight stays locally. Around 20% relates to the Show, the balance being drawn by major events such as Arthur Swallows antiques fairs, which draw 3000 traders from across the UK and overseas and attract 72,000 visitors every year. Other big draws are Grapevine, the major national religious festival, the Lincolnshire Steam and Vintage Rally, the Warner Motorhome event and this year, the British Motorcycle Federation season finale.
For the future, the Centre’s forward booking list also includes a number of high profile outdoor music concerts from big name promoters.
As well as the direct economic impact of the Lincolnshire Show, the researchers found that there was a positive financial impact on the schools, churches, charities and voluntary organisations in the area, through their involvement in the annual event.
The Lincolnshire Events Centre is the commercial operating arm of the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society.
ENDS
488 words
Media enquiries:
Laura Luty at Lincolnshire Events Centre inc Lincolnshire Agricultural Society
lluty@lincs-events.co.uk - 01522 585501
Maggie Taylor at Prima PR
maggie@primapr.co.uk – 01400 251557 / 0797 3767 602
Editor’s Note:
Lincolnshire Events Centre is a major national conferencing venue, home of the Lincolnshire Show and the groundbreaking EPIC project. Just outside the historic city of Lincoln, the Centre hosts events for 10 to 10,000 visitors on its 200 acre showground site and 3000 square metres of indoor exhibition and venue space.
Outdoor events include the flagship Lincolnshire Show, antiques fairs and horse trials, attracting over 200,000 visitors each year. Under cover, there are exhibition halls and conferencing facilities, including the recently completed EPIC centre, the second largest purpose-designed showcase for environmental technologies in the UK, it enables event organisers to reduce, monitor and offset their carbon footprint.