Latest news with #agriculturalshow
BBC News
4 days ago
- BBC News
Hunts to miss agricultural show's hound parade after convictions
Two Dorset hunts have been asked not to participate in an annual parade of hounds at an agricultural show after the convictions of six people for illegal fox and Shaftesbury Agricultural Society said it asked the Blackmore & Sparkford Vale Hunt and the Portman Hunt to sit out this year's show on 13 and 14 comes after the convictions of four men linked with the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt in April and two from the Portman Hunt in September agricultural society said the request did not reflect a shift in its values and was not a "commentary on legal hunting activity". The annual show, at the Turnpike Showground in Motcombe, is a celebration of rural life and includes a 20-minute parade of said the parade, which offers a "glimpse into a longstanding countryside tradition" would go ahead.A statement said: "We understand that trail hunting remains a divisive issue. "This decision does not reflect a shift in the society's values, nor is it a commentary on legal hunting activity. "Rather, it is a response to recent legal convictions and our responsibility to maintain the reputation and charitable aims of the show."As well as the parade of hounds, the show will feature medieval jousting, motorcycle stunt riders, livestock parades, show jumping, terrier racing and steam vehicles. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
01-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Bluetongue restrictions' impact on Oswestry Show planning
Bluetongue restrictions will have an impact on the planning of an agricultural show, the event's chairman has introduced this month to prevent the spread of the potentially fatal livestock disease mean that cattle, sheep and goats need to test negative before they can be transported across the border from England to Kempster from Shropshire's Oswestry Show said it meant Welsh farmers were not willing to exhibit, because they would have to pay for their animals to be tested when they returned said it was "not ideal", but hoped to attract more English farmers to take their place this year. The restrictions were introduced by the UK government to prevent Bluetongue from spreading from England to animal which crosses the border into Wales has to be tested at a cost of up to £70 each and Mr Kempster said he recognised it was a "huge expense".He said he knew of many "very loyal supporters" of the show from the Welsh side of the border who had chosen not to attend this included Helen Roberts, who farms said her family had been "big supporters" of the show and had been bringing animals for more than three decades, but could not afford to visit under the current restrictions."It will be very disappointing that we can't go there and compete," she Kempster said: "It's not ideal for the show at all but we've got to live with it and we've got to do our best."He said his committee had been "working very hard to attract competitors from the English side of the border" and he thought that would include some English farmers who had chosen not to visit Welsh shows this show is due to take place on 2 August and he said it would be "100% going ahead as normal", with preparations at the showground starting on he added: "I think the whole farming community needs this one to be sorted out, we can't carry on with this situation." Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Times
14-05-2025
- General
- Times
Reader's recipe: courgette loaf
More than 50 years since his wife discovered 'zucchini bread' on a school exchange trip to California, John Smail has kept this taste of the Golden State alive in Scotland.' John Smail, 71, Selkirk, Scottish Borders This recipe was brought back from San Bernardino, California, by my wife, Mary, after her year-long high school exchange trip in 1969. Her host mother was a wonderful baker and wrote out the recipe for Mary to take back to the UK. I have passed it on to friends all over the globe, including Sweden, New Zealand and Switzerland. The loaf won first prize in its section at our local agricultural show. • 3 eggs• 180ml vegetable oil• 190g sugar• Two or three medium-sized courgettes, grated
