Press Releases
- 1 July 2011Winners of Scruffts cross breed competition at Lincolnshire Show
- 23 June 2011Crowds shrug off showers to enjoy the County Show
- 20 June 2011Full press pack
- 20 June 2011Media Update: Access, press passes, wifi etc
- 20 June 2011Final countdown to this year’s County Big Day Out
- 1 June 2011Getting set for a doggy-do
- 26 May 2011Counting down to the county’s big day out
- 18 May 2011Lincolnshire’s county show keeps agriculture at its heart
- 17 April 2011County’s big day out promises more than ever
- 12 April 2011FAQs about the Show and the Showground:
Click on the links to go to the release.
A GALLERY OF 2011 IMAGES IS NOW ONLINE AT FLICKR: http://www.flickr.com/photos/55414176@N07/sets/72157627030998730/
Further content, feature material and background is available from our PR contact, Prima PR : click here.
You can also download images of the 2010 Show from flickr: click here
Winners of Scruffts cross breed competition at Lincolnshire Show
3rd Place - Most Handsome Crossbreed Dog. Jasper with owner Cassandra Jameson
2nd Place - Most Handsome Crossbreed Dog. Teddy with owner William Denton
1st Place - Most Handsome Crossbreed Dog. Fergus with owner Kathryn Hoffman
3rd Place - Child's Best Friend. Bob with James Burman
2nd Place - Child's Best Friend. Spotless with owner Jenny Spence
1st Place - Child's Best Friend. Poppet with St Lawrence School
3rd Place - Prettiest Crossbreed Bitch. Millie with owner Jacqueline Fawcett
2nd Place - Prettiest Crossbreed Bitch. Izzy with owner Julie Marris
1st Place - Prettiest Crossbreed Bitch. Freya with owner Kerrie Ambrose
1st Place - Golden Oldie. Paddy with owner Andrea Rogers
Images: click here http://www.flickr.com/photos/thekennelclub/sets/72157626910453239/
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 Taylor at Prima PR
maggie@primapr.co.uk – 01400 251557 / 0797 3767 602
Media Update: Access, press passes, wifi etc
Before the show:
Press passes and proof of identity: You must have a press pass showing your name and the correct date of entry. To enter the Show you will have to show your press pass and produce matching proof of identity. This should be your business card showing your name, job title and publication, or otherwise your photocard driving licence. Remember: Press passes are valid for one person, as named, for one day, as printed.
Change of name: If any personnel have changed, just log back on to the Evenbrite site and make your changes and download new passes.
Gates and car parking: All car parking is free and you can enter from any of the numbered gates (see the map on the press feed).
At the show:
Register: Come to the Press Tent near the Secretary’s Office to get your badge and a press pack. There are drinks during the day and sandwiches at lunchtime.
Press packs: Now available on line for download, click here, hard copies will be available in the press tent.
Wi Fi: Available in the press tent, log on as follows:
User Name: Press Tent
Password: L1ncsShow2011
Tweeting? Hash tag for the Show is #LincsShow
ENDS
Media enquiries:
Maggie Taylor at 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 eve of show. Download pictures from the archive on Flickr
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.
ENDS
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.
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
Getting set for a doggy-do
This year’s Lincolnshire Show is a bit of a doggy-do for tail waggers.....
For it’s the first year that dogs have been allowed on the Showground and there are all sorts of treats in store for four-legged visitors.
As well as just being allowed to have a bow-wow with the other hounds around, the best-behaved mutts will be able to strut their stuff in the dog ring in the Discovery Zone. For the Kennel Club is holding a Scruffts Competition for cross-breed dogs, sponsored by James Wellbeloved, which takes place during Thursday’s Show.
And dog-owning visitors will be able to leave their pooch down at the canine- crèche, being run by local animal charity, Jerry Green Dog Rescue.
“This year is a real first for dog lovers and it’s great to see how much support there has been,” said marketing manager Sarah Poucher. “It’s been on the agenda for some years and needed careful consideration because of issues of hygiene, the livestock on site, and the areas which are not open to dogs such as the food court.
“Obviously dogs have to be on leads and some areas are out of bounds, but other shows have been trialling it and we’ve been learning from their experience, and are looking forward to seeing some happy tail wagging this year!”
Any crossbreed dog owners who are interested in competing in the Scruffts competition can just turn up on the day and pay £1 entry, and all the money raised go to the Kennel Club Charitable Trust. The judges will be looking for good character, health and temperament in the following classes:
Most Handsome Crossbreed Dog : 6 months - 7 years
Prettiest Crossbreed Bitch : 6 months - 7 years
Child's Best Friend : 6 months - 12 years and handled by a young person between 6 and 16 years
Golden Oldie Crossbreed : 8 years or over
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
Counting down 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
Lincolnshire’s county show keeps agriculture at its heart
For agricultural media:
The 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.
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: “I’m a small player but I have had a fair bit of success both here and at other shows, including winning Lincolnshire Show Champion. It’s one of our favourite shows and the one where you will see most Lincoln Reds. Twenty years ago there were about five exhibitors, now there are many more, although they’re generally much smaller teams than they used to be, as I am”.
Her added: “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.”
On the machinery lines, one major exhibitor is Househam Sprayers, the UK’s biggest supplier of crop sprayers, all manufactured in Lincolnshire and exported worldwide. Said Mick Hill of Househam Sprayers: “The Show is our PR flagship of the year. It’s great to see our customers and good to be on our home territory. We’ll be bringing a range of our machines, from a 600l mounted sprayer to our massive 6000l self-propelled sprayer with a 36m boom.”
There’s a vintage to modern day agricultural machinery display, sponsored by Spaldings and Woldmarsh.
There is a special Lincolnshire producer and supplier section in the food court this year and an educational framework for local schools in a series of farming related challenges.
And from Wrisdale’s farm in Wainfleet St Mary’s, four brothers will receive Long Service Awards for their contribution to the farming industry. Norman, Percy, Gordon and Colin Gostelow have served a total of 174 years between them.
David Chiddick, the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society President said: “The Lincolnshire Show is one of the few county shows to remain true to its agricultural heritage, a strength which has carried us forward. The Show has a valuable role for the agricultural community with excellent networking, as well as educating our community.”
He added: “The Show makes a major economic contribution too. Every £1 spent generates £20 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
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
County’s big day out promises more than ever
A FEATURE LENGTH VERSION IS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST : maggie@primapr.co.uk
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.
Medieval jousting stunt team, the Knights of the Damned, return with a promise of more excitement when they perform on both days of the Show in the Isuzu Countryside Arena. Leader Justin Pearson is fresh back from performing stunts for blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean IV and the troupe includes two local riders, Rob and James Pavey, both 21 and just qualifying as stuntmen.
This year’s Sports Zone is doubled in size and in the run up to the 2012 Olympics, it will feature a chance to try out almost all the Olympic sports with appearances from Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls from the county. Features include the ECB cricket factory, Boston United’s inflatable penalty shoot out; and an inflatable sports barn for wheelchair basketball. Lincoln Canoe Club will have virtual racing machines and other sports include table tennis, volleyball, badminton, hockey and a specially adapted set up for street athletics.
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 as long as they are on a lead, and owners can also leave them with a special doggy-crèche being run by local animal charity, Jerry Green Dog Rescue. There’s also a chance for dogs to compete - with the Kennel Club Scruffts Competition, sponsored by James Wellbeloved, taking place at Thursday’s Show.
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 top class equestrian 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.
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.
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.
In the Greenhouse, a range of companies will be explaining how to live a more sustainable lifestyle with technologies that include solar power, biomass, wind turbines, ground source heat pumps and rain water harvesting.
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. 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.
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.
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
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
FAQs about the Show and the Showground:
Lincolnshire Agricultural Society was formed in 1869 and is best known throughout the county as the organiser of the annual Lincolnshire Show, an event which draws visitors from all over the county and beyond.
Its objectives, as laid down by its Victorian founders, are “the furtherance, welfare and progress of the Agricultural Industry and all professions, trades and crafts connected therewith”.
Today those objectives are more important than ever to us and since 2005 we have had the additional focus of sustainability and protection of our natural environment for the benefit of future generations.
We work closely with individuals, schools, organisations and businesses whose common vision is to promote the agricultural industry and pursue activities that have a positive effect on our environment and community.
As a charity, sponsorship and support is vital to our success. We also generate income to support our activities through the Lincolnshire Events Centre, the trading arm of Lincolnshire Agricultural Society.
Lincolnshire Events Centre:
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, now in its 126th year, antiques fairs and horse trials, attracting 300,000 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.
The Lincolnshire Show:
Just some of the statistics involved in managing the spectacular annual event that is the Lincolnshire County Show.
10,000 square metres of marquees, 20 miles of electrical cable, 800 tables, 3,000 chairs, 12,000 loo rolls, and 45,000 copies of a 66 page programme.
A complete town emerges on the 200 acre showground site at Grange de Lings. There are road names, car parks are marked out, and the marquees are all in place and 12000 cars have to be parked during for the Show.
More than 100 stewards are involved, one for every aspect of the show, each in their distinctive bowler hats.
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.
