The East of England Agricultural Society and the Royal Smithfield Club have today announced their intention to create a new winter primestock show as a joint venture for 2011 and future years.
This new event, to be held at Peterborough Showground on 2 and 3 December 2011, will build on the successful East of England Winter Stock Festival, which has grown rapidly in three years to be recognised as one of the premier primestock shows in the UK, explained East of England Agricultural Society chief executive Paul Wallwork.
“The growth of our Winter Stock Festival has been phenomenal and our hosting of last year’s Royal Smithfield Primestock championships, following the cancellation of AgriLIVE Smithfield, underlined it’s recognition as one of the leading winter events.
“This new agreement, which will see the show housed in the showground’s purpose built Exec exhibition centre, will allow the event to move forward significantly and secures the future of the Royal Smithfield Club’s championships too.”
Primestock classes at the event will include classes for prime cattle and sheep, with the traditional auction sale of exhibits to round the event off, with the event being managed by East of England Agricultural Society agricultural manager Kerry Buttriss.
Speaking on behalf of the Royal Smithfield Club, the Club’s secretary Geoff Burgess said the new event would build on the successful relationship between the two organisations which existed as a result of last year’s successful show.
“We are looking forward to working with the East of England Agricultural Society to create a new showpiece event in the winter primestock calendar. This new prestigious event should attract entries from across the UK and provide a much needed end of season spectacle for the winter primestock circuit,” he added.