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.”
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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
Final countdown to this year’s County Big Day Out
See below for picture opportunities on eve of show, Tuesday 21st June 2011. Photo archive available on Flickr for download: click here
As the final preparation is made for the spectacular annual event that is the Lincolnshire County Show, a complete town has emerged on the 200 acre showground site at Grange de Lings.
Signposts and road names are in place and 10,000 square metres of marquees have been erected. Some 20 miles of electrical cable has been laid, 800 tables and 3,000 chairs have been set out. And there are car parks for 12,000 cars, and 45,000 copies of an 88 page programme.
There are 11 rings, 1800 horses and ponies entries, over 1300 cattle, pigs, sheep and goats in the livestock entries, and there are over 600 trade stands selling everything from frying pans to fashion.
More than 100 stewards are involved, one for every aspect of the show, each in their distinctive bowler hats.
Said Mark Farmer, chief executive of Lincolnshire Agricultural Society : “Everything is going very well and we’re hoping to beat last year’s record for overall visitors. We’ve received record bookings from traders to attend and the livestock and equine entries are also excellent.”
This year’s event features an even wider array of events for the whole family, including a concert on the Wednesday that will entertain visitors through into the evening.
“As the flagship event at the Showground, this year’s Show is set to be a fantastic day out for the whole family,” added Mark Farmer.
Visitors can follow the set up through the Showground’s live Twitter stream at @lincsshow or through the Show’s Facebook page.
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Picture opportunities Tuesday 21st June 2011: Eve of Show
Mark Farmer, chief executive will be on site and available for interview, but a slot would need to be pre-arranged.
Mambo the mammoth – constructed entirely of straw bales. Originally created for a Weetabix competition. Mambo on Facebook
Cross country fences go in place around 2.30 - 3.00pm – forklifts in the main ring putting huge fences into place.
Cattle coming into the showground, being washed down and going into the stock lines. Throughout the day.
Food court – set up of stall and producers throughout the day. E.g. Redhill Farm, prize winners at Lincs Show last year and also recent winners of Countryside Alliance Local Food Award for East of England 2010 and Tastes of Lincolnshire BIG Sausage Festival 2010 for Lincolnshire’s Favourite Sausage.
Flower show / floral decorations – day-long activity to create huge floral displays.
Tennyson Pavilion – latest new building on site, which will be opened for the first time at the Show and being used for corporate hospitality guests at the Show.
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.
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