It’s the second Wednesday in August, so of course it must be time for the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show. After a scorching heatwave for set-up, show day dawned cloudy and overcast – perfect show weather. Dry, warm and not too hot, it was ideal for a full day on Turnpike Showground. From gates opening at 8.30 the traffic flowed steadily, and by lunchtime the aisles were full and the crowds were three deep around the Main Ring for the second jousting tournament.
And what a tournament it was. The Main Ring is spacious, and it takes something special to truly pull the audience in – but the jousting team managed it in style. Four knights battled it out with skill and drama, the bad knight Sir John proving an entire comedy act in his own right (the small boy next to me was utterly beside himself when Sir John cheated outrageously). Laughter, cheering, gasps – it was a shame the first show was at 9.15am and many missed it. The Thursday timings of late morning and early afternoon should mean two deservedly big crowds on the second day.
Another personal highlight was the Heavy Horses. I’ll admit, we’d sponsored the Heavy Horse Village this year without realising it had been completely revamped. Now a purpose-built, large ring with both competitions and demonstrations, it’s just brilliant to wander round – and to simply stop and watch. You can get really close to the horses – head there early to see the prep work for the day; the intricate plaiting is fascinating (stepladders essential for those towering shires) – and then see them in action in the Main Ring. The Ladies Cart, Agricultural and Trade Heavy Horse Turnouts were an absolute spectacle.
The hound parade drew spontaneous applause from the Members’ Area, with the bloodhounds – under the expert control of Wessex Bloodhounds Master Jeremy Whalen – a particularly popular crowd-pleaser.
At the other end of the showground in the Turnpike Ring, the crowd favourites were back: terrier and ferret racing for a dose of pure countryside chaos, the ever-impressive gun dog displays, and the meet-the-hounds sessions that always draw a crowd.
Elsewhere on the ground it was brilliant to see what felt like a lot more agricultural trade stands this year – the G&S is notable for being one of the few rural shows which has firmly held on to its agricultural roots, and it’s lovely to see this part thriving. With harvest already done, they were doing a brisk trade, and all seemed very busy as farmers had the rare chance to spend the day browsing and talking business.
In the main trade aisles (and who doesn’t look forward to the show in part just for the mooch up and down – and up, and down, and up, and down…?), there was something for everyone. Looking for a handmade walking stick? Plus-size jodhpurs? Perhaps a bucket hat with frog eyes… or the obligatory bag of fudge? The answer is yes to all, of course. Well-known brands like Joules and Craghoppers rubbed shoulders with Dorset’s craft artisans, keeping the keenest of shoppers busy and happy.
Food? Everything from vegan curry to local goat burgers to full-on fairground dirty burgers – all eaten picnic-style around the grounds, where families mingled happily. It was lovely to see so many young teenagers roaming in safe freedom too.
The Tigers Motorcycle Display Team brought their own special 8- to 16-year-old brand of thrills to the Main Ring, followed by the Grand Parade – always the absolute show highlight for so many. It’s what it’s all about, after all. More heavy horses than in years past led the way, then making space for the sheep and cattle. The bulls are always unexpectedly huge and imposing, the sheep immaculate (if occasionally wilful – the Texel Show Champion was far more interested in grazing than posing), and the whole ring felt alive with pride and tradition.
The G&S Show remains something special. For more than 160 years it has been an agricultural show, and that heritage is not just preserved but celebrated. With farming firmly at its heart, it’s a brilliant rural day out for everyone – farmer or not.
(TOP TIP – If you’re planning on visiting for Day Two, Thursday 14th August, then don’t forget to download the show magazine here, and screenshot the map and timetable – phone signal on the ground is rubbish once it filles up!)
https://gillinghamandshaftesburyshow.co.uk/
