The organisers of Tockwith Show have voted to cancel next year’s event.
The agricultural show, which began in 1945, showcases a range of livestock and horticulture, but visitors will have to wait until at least 2025 to go again.
It follows the directors’ recent proposal to take a one-year break after five committee members stepped down from their roles.
The current committee chair, Georgina Watson, who is one of those stepping down, said:
“Although it’s obviously disappointing to have to cancel the 2024 show, this does give us a really valuable opportunity to take a look at every aspect of the show and, in particular, to find ways of spreading the workload.”
The decision was unanimously approved at the committee’s annual general meeting on Wednesday.
The remaining committee hopes the hiatus will offer enough time to recruit new volunteers, as well as review the current content and structure of the show to decide what may need to change.
Ms Watson added:
“Clearly the key to ensuring the show’s future is to recruit more people; that way we can make sure that small groups, rather than individuals, share what at times can be hard work.
“We want to ensure that being involved in the show remains both exciting and enjoyable for everyone.”
One of the directors, Mike Best, said several new people have already come forward to offer their help.
He added:
“The committee has decided to make the focus of 2024 a number of smaller events to help promote the show and raise awareness within the community.”
Ms Watson also said the committee wants to ensure new recruits “can bring in fresh ideas”, adding:
“The show has been incredibly successful in the past, but that doesn’t mean there’s not room to adapt and improve what we are offering.
“The year’s break means we can throw everything up in the air and see what emerges.
“I think this is an exciting opportunity and I’m confident that Tockwith Show will be back better than ever in 2025.”
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Tockwith Show directors propose one-year break after volunteers step down
The directors of Tockwith Show have proposed to cancel next year’s event after five long-standing volunteers stepped down.
The agricultural show, which began in 1945, showcases a variety of livestock, horses and horticulture.
Organisers are now appealing for new people to take over a number of roles.
Current chair Georgina Watson, who is one of those stepping down, said:
“Being involved with Tockwith Show is incredible fun and a real privilege, but it can also take up a lot of time and energy.
“All the committee members standing down at the AGM have been involved with running the event for decades, and they have now decided it’s time to make way for someone else.”
The directors feel the break would allow time for more people to join the committee, as well as the chance to make any necessary changes to the show.
Locals will be able to vote on the proposal at the show’s annual general meeting – which will take place next month.
Ms Watson added:
“Over the past few years, we have been trying to attract new volunteers to prepare for this inevitable moment, but we have only had limited success.
“Our hope now is that we can attract enough new helpers from the community to allow for the key roles to be taken on by at last two people so the burden of the work is spread.
“For the directors and trustees, recommending taking a year’s break in the show was a very difficult decision, but we believe it’s not only the right decision but given our current situation the only decision to ensure the future of the show.”
Those attending the meeting will also be able to put themselves forward for any of the vacant roles, which include chair, secretary, main show ring steward, show direct and chair of the fundraising committee.
One of the directors, Mike Best, said:
“If the recommendation to skip a year is approved, then that gives us a real and exciting opportunity to take a good hard look at everything the show currently offers and see if there are any changes or improvements that can be made.
“Even if people in the community aren’t able to become volunteer helpers, we are hoping they will let us know what works and what doesn’t work.
“Each year we attract thousands of visitors to the event, and those people are the ones who really know what changes we could and should make to ensure that when we return in 2025 Tockwith Show will be better than ever.”
The meeting will be held in Long Marston Village Hall on Wednesday, November 15 at 8.15pm.
Anyone is welcome to attend and those that would like more information can email Mike Best on mike@bestmedia.co.uk
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Family fun and rural education on offer at Tockwith Show
Thousands of people will flock to a field in the Harrogate district on Sunday for the annual Tockwith Show.
One of the biggest agricultural shows in the region, it boasts more than 800 classes, 120 trophies and just over £6,000 in prize money.
Along with providing a family-friendly event, the organising committee is keen to ensure the show serves another purpose.
Show committee chair Georgina Watson said:
“It’s a really important event for the community because, as well as being a fun day for everyone, it provides a valuable educational opportunity.
“Farming has faced many changes and challenges since this event was first held as a horticultural show way back in 1945, but each year since then the show has been able to reflect the importance of the industry in this region, and this year is no exception.”
In the farmers’ market section, demonstrations will be given by experts including BBC Masterchef quarter-finalist Owen Diaram.
With this year’s show themed around pigs, the Harrogate-based private chef will be demonstrating one of his dishes from the show: stuffed pork tenderloin with a deep wood mushroom glaze.
Georgina added:
“Everything is looking good for a great family day out. There’s something in this year’s show for everyone – now we’re just keeping our fingers crossed for a warm sunny day.”
Tickets are £12.50, or free for children aged 12 and under, and available online in advance or on the gate.
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Village show season set to begin in the Harrogate district
As the summer continues, it can only mean one thing…village show season is due to begin.
From vintage tractors and giant tortoises to handwriting competitions and terrier racing, we’ve collated a list of village shows happening across the district this summer.
If you have something to add to the round-up, email us the details.
Weeton Show
Titled “The Greatest Little Show in Yorkshire”, Weeton Show offers locals a jam-packed day of guaranteed fun.
The village show will host a wealth of entertainment throughout the day, with food stalls, live brass bands, a Punch and Judy performance, farrier demonstrations and much more.
The day will also include over 200 classes of horses, sheep, dogs, produce and horticulture.
Weeton show has been an integral part of the village since 1947 and still promises to be fun for all the family.
The show will take place on Sunday, July 30.
Tickets start at £7 – more information can be found here.
Pic: Valeria Mather from Weeton Show website.
Birstwith Show
This year marks the 127th annual Birstwith Show and, after all these years, it still has lots on offer.
For any local horticulturists, the village show has an extensive list of classes to enter or enjoy, ranging from pansies and delphiniums to hydrangeas and hanging baskets.
The show will also showcase a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Children can also get involved in classes and can show off their photography, baking, or even sock puppet-making skills.
Birstwith Show will take place on Saturday, July 29.
Find more information here – ticket prices begin at £7.
Pic: Sarah Jane Osler
Ripley Show
Ripley Show takes place in the grounds of the iconic Ripley Castle and, too, offers a day of agricultural fun.
The show offers a wide range of events and classes, including ferret racing, a companion dog show, children’s fancy dress, and much more.
This year’s attendees can also expect some updates to the schedule – from donkey classes to novice gardener classes.
Ripley Show will take place on Sunday, August 13.
Click here for more information – tickets start at £6.50.
Pic: Ripley Show Facebook page
Tockwith Show
Tockwith Show will also host a day of agricultural and horticultural excitement.
The village show – which was established in 1945 – will hold over 800 classes throughout the day.
Attendees can expect to see giant tortoises, trade stands, Farlavale gun dogs, farm animals and demonstrations.
There will also be pony club displays, a tractor parade, and a dog dash.
The show will take place on Sunday, August 6.
More information can be found here – tickets cost £10.
Pic: Tockwith Show Facebook page
Nidderdale Show
Nidderdale Show (affectionately known at Pateley Show) boats one of the finest exhibitions of animals in the UK.
The show will host a variety of animal competitions, show jumping, horticulture, crops, dry stone walling and more.
People can also enjoy a cricket match, funfair and live music.
There will be a two-course carvery lunch, as well as other hot meals, afternoon teas, sandwiches, and hot beverages available. There will also be mobile catering units and bars located around the showground.
Sunflowers Day Nursery will have staff on-hand to provide a relaxing family area for children (and parents) when necessary.
The show will take place on Sunday, September 24.
Find more information here – tickets cost £13.50.
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Tockwith Show’s crook and stick competition lacking entries
The organisers of Tockwith Agricultural Show are hoping for a surge in entries to save one of its longest running competitions.
After years of popularity, entries into the Sticks and Crooks Competition have dwindled, according to one of the stewards.
Out of thousands of attendees, the show is hoping some may showcase their creative talents and enter a handmade stick or crook into the competition.
Organisers say the crook-making competition has been part of the show for decades and fear a lack of entries could remove it from the show’s schedule entirely.
The show dates back to 1945 and has since established itself as one of the largest in the region, with more than 120 trophies up for grabs and over £6,000 in prize money to be won on the day.
The show will host more than 800 classes, including classic cars, poetry, and pigs.
Nigel Keenlyside, steward, said:
“In past years the Sticks and Crooks Competition at the show has been hotly contested and attracted some incredible examples of handiwork from many members of the community.
“We are sure there must be plenty of people in the area with woodworking skills, and we’re keen for them to enter this category”.
Georgina Watson, show committee chair, said they were determined to build on what was a hugely successful show last year.
She said:
“It’s a really important event for the community because as well as being a fun day for everyone, it provides a valuable educational opportunity.
“Farming has faced many changes and challenges since this event was first held as a horticultural show way back in 1945, but each year since then the Show has been able to reflect the importance of the industry in this region.”
Tockwith Show takes place annually on the first Sunday of August.
More information can be found here.
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No Bonfire Night event in Tockwith this year
The organisers of the annual Bonfire Night celebrations in Tockwith have said the event will not take place this year.
Tockwith and District Agricultural Society has previously used the bonfire and fireworks to raise funds for the village show in the summer.
However, the committee has decided not to run it this year because of the amount of work involved and the difficulties of using the showfield site.
Committee chair Georgina Watson said:
“It was a hard decision for the committee but ultimately our focus as an agricultural society is making sure we can put on the annual Tockwith Show.
“We have just held an incredibly successful show in August, but organising it, staging it on the day and most importantly clearing up the field afterwards involved a tremendous amount of work by a relatively small group of volunteers, and the burden of organising the Bonfire Night event would have fallen on the shoulders of that same group.
“Unlike the show itself the Bonfire Night event is totally at the mercy of the weather but still involves the same amount of hard work, so given both reasons we have with regret decided to cancel the event.”
The event was held last year, after a gap in 2020 because of the covid pandemic. In 2019, it had to be called off at the last minute when heavy rain left the showfield waterlogged.
The waterlogged field in 2019. Photo: Tockwith and District Agricultural Society
The announcement this week follows a decision by Harrogate’s Round Table to alter the format of its event on the Stray.
Rather than a bonfire, the volunteers said they would offer family entertainments including fairground rides, as well as the popular firework display.
A survey of the public after last year’s event found people were ambivalent about the bonfire, which the Round Table said was expensive and challenging to organise.
Are you putting on a community Bonfire Night event? Email the details to us for our round-up next month.
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Farming life on display as Tockwith Show returns on Sunday
A one-day show attracting around 8,000 visitors is set to make its return this Sunday, August 7.
Tockwith Show has not been held since 2019 thanks to the covid pandemic — and organisers have said this year’s event will be bigger and better than ever before.
Committee chair Georgina Watson said:
“Basically we are an educational charity and a huge part of why we hold the show is to showcase the range of farming activities that make up such an important part of this region’s economy and community.
“One of our main themes this year is sheep. We have performances of dancing sheep, demonstrations of sheep shearing, and a chance for younger visitors to work with wool.
“But we also have pigs, horses, pigeons, rabbits, falcons, dogs, tractors, classic cars and even our very own sandy beach for children to play in. So hopefully we have got something for everyone.”
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The one-day event features more than 300 prize classes for everything from farm animals and show jumping to crafts and cookery.
It is held on Tockwith Show Field, on Cattal Moor Lane on the edge of the village. Entry is £12.50 for adults and teenagers, either via the website or on the gate, while children aged 12 and under go free.
For show president Michelle Lee, the return of the event on Sunday can’t come soon enough. She said:
No. 6: Prince Charles visits Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Show“Being chosen as the show president is a great honour, and I had that honour back in 2019. But then covid struck and the 2020 and 2021 shows had to be cancelled so hopefully Sunday will be third time lucky for me!
“It’s always a really fun day. It takes a huge amount of work but it’s worth it and our aim is to ensure that our community is able to share in the rich agricultural heritage we have and also have a great day out: in short, to educate and entertain.”
In this article, which is part of a series on the 15 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2021, we look at the return of the show in a year in which many smaller agricultural events in the district fell victim to covid again.
The Great Yorkshire Show in July signalled a brief return to some sort of normality after covid decimated another year of outdoor events.
The show was cancelled last year and the venue’s Yorkshire Event Centre was converted into a covid vaccination site in the early months of the year.
For a while, it seemed possible that Yorkshire’s flagship farming event might have to be cancelled for a second year running. But the Yorkshire Agricultural Society took the decision to hold it over four days so visitors could spread out — and the risk paid off.
Prince Charles at the show
The Stray Ferret attended all four sun-kissed days to watch award-winning goats, sample delicious local food and drink, and we were front row for a surprise royal visit when the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall attended.
The couple arrived at lunchtime on day three and were greeted by hundreds of visitors at the gate.
Prince Charles spent time inspecting sheep, while the Duchess of Cornwall visited the children’s discovery zone.
Both also took time out to speak with the many visitors and exhibitors, including Phil Airey from Harrogate gardening charity Horticap.
The Stray Ferret’s videos of the royal couple attending the event and leaving the Stray via helicopter went viral and received over 200,000 views on our Facebook page. You can view them on our YouTube page here and here.
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This year’s show also got a happy (and emotional) ending a week after it ended.
Farmer David Mitchell and his wife Annette drove 200 miles from East Ayrshire to be reunited with the intrepid Puss the Cat, who they feared was lost forever after she bolted from his trailer after sneaking in and hitching a ride to Harrogate.
Many shows cancelled
But although the Great Yorkshire Show went ahead, and will remain a four-day event in 2022, other agricultural shows weren’t as fortunate.
Nidderdale Show, which usually attracts about 15,000 people to Pateley Bridge in September, was cancelled.
So was Ripley Show, Birstwith Show and Tockwith Show, with organisers citing concerns over health, logistics and the extension of social distancing restrictions.
Masham Steam Engine and Fair Organ Rally called off its summer event, citing “too many uncertainties to proceed”.
But the unique Masham Sheep Fair went ahead in September.
Masham Sheep Fair
There is no other event like it in the district. As well as sheep judging, it offered sheepdog trials, tours of the Theakston and Black Sheep breweries, Morris dancing, fleece stalls and even sheep racing to keep the crowds entertained.
Organiser Susan Cunliffe-Lister told the Stray Ferret she was determined to hold the fair this year despite uncertainty over covid.
Weeton Show also decided to proceed and was rewarded with a sell-out crowd and glorious sun.
Agricultural shows are a major part of the district’s summer life and many people will be hoping they return en masse in 2022.