Press Area
PRESS RELEASES FOR THE 2024 ENGLISH WINTER FAIR
AND NATIONAL PEDIGREE CALF SHOW
.English Winter Fair Celebrates its 175th Anniversary
Special commemorative coins will be given to competitors at this year’s English Winter Fair to mark its 175th Anniversary when it returns to Staffordshire County Showground on November 16 and 17. Alongside this, there will be £20,000 in prize money up for grabs across hundreds of classes. It represents a significant milestone for the event, which began at Bingley Hall in 1889 and moved to Staffordshire in 1970, when the hall was demolished to make way for the International Conference Centre. It remains the only showground in the country to have a purpose-built carcase hall to display chilled carcasses.
The Fair encompasses the National Pedigree Calf Show as well as the presentation of the prestigious Duke of Norfolk perpetual trophy for the best group of three pedigree cattle. This year’s judge is show stalwart George Young from Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, who has been chief steward at the fair for the past seven years. Mr Young hails from Earlston in the Scottish Borders and moved to Lincolnshire to manage the Limestone pedigree herd of Charolais, where he resided for 30 years. He is no stranger to the showring, having won various accolades during his illustrious career, including winning the championship at the English Winter Fair in 1998. He has judged numerous shows nationwide, but it will be his first time judging the English Winter Fair. He said it will be an honour having shown there for almost three decades since making his first appearance in 1973. He added: “I’m a stickler for correctness, and I will be on the lookout for cattle with correct legs that are true to breed type.”
Visitor numbers exceeded 5,000 last year, with more than 600 animals exhibited across the different classes. The competition will also feature beef, lamb, pig and poultry carcase competitions and presents an opportunity for young handlers to shine in the beef and sheep rings. On Saturday, the best young handlers in the country will go head-to-head in the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) Young Shepherd Final. This will see shepherds aged 8-16 from 24 qualifiers at shows across the UK compete for two coveted trophies: senior handler and young handler. The two-day event will culminate with the hotly contested livestock championships on Sunday, followed by the auction sale from 1pm onwards.
With over 100 tradestands, it presents the perfect opportunity to buy some unique gifts in time for Christmas.
Schedules will open from September and forms will be available on the Staffordshire County Showground website. Advance tickets, which are discounted from £15 on the gate to £12, go on sale online from 1 October until 11 November.
To purchase tickets or enter the competition, visit www.staffscountyshowground.co.uk
The Fair encompasses the National Pedigree Calf Show as well as the presentation of the prestigious Duke of Norfolk perpetual trophy for the best group of three pedigree cattle. This year’s judge is show stalwart George Young from Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, who has been chief steward at the fair for the past seven years. Mr Young hails from Earlston in the Scottish Borders and moved to Lincolnshire to manage the Limestone pedigree herd of Charolais, where he resided for 30 years. He is no stranger to the showring, having won various accolades during his illustrious career, including winning the championship at the English Winter Fair in 1998. He has judged numerous shows nationwide, but it will be his first time judging the English Winter Fair. He said it will be an honour having shown there for almost three decades since making his first appearance in 1973. He added: “I’m a stickler for correctness, and I will be on the lookout for cattle with correct legs that are true to breed type.”
Visitor numbers exceeded 5,000 last year, with more than 600 animals exhibited across the different classes. The competition will also feature beef, lamb, pig and poultry carcase competitions and presents an opportunity for young handlers to shine in the beef and sheep rings. On Saturday, the best young handlers in the country will go head-to-head in the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) Young Shepherd Final. This will see shepherds aged 8-16 from 24 qualifiers at shows across the UK compete for two coveted trophies: senior handler and young handler. The two-day event will culminate with the hotly contested livestock championships on Sunday, followed by the auction sale from 1pm onwards.
With over 100 tradestands, it presents the perfect opportunity to buy some unique gifts in time for Christmas.
Schedules will open from September and forms will be available on the Staffordshire County Showground website. Advance tickets, which are discounted from £15 on the gate to £12, go on sale online from 1 October until 11 November.
To purchase tickets or enter the competition, visit www.staffscountyshowground.co.uk