Thursday 10 September 2015

The Royal County of Berkshire Show: 19/20 September

With summer holidays a fading memory and autumn in the air, it’s time to look forward to The Royal County of Berkshire Show – one of the best shows of its type in the country and a wonderful weekend of entertainment for all ages.

This year’s show is on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September, and with gates open from 8am to 6pm on both days you can really make the best of a full day out. 


The fun-packed show takes place at its fabulous site, the enormous 150-acre Newbury Showground at Priors Court, Hermitage RG18 9QZ, right in the heart of the Berkshire countryside. It is easily accessible and well signposted for those arriving by car, east–west via the M4 and north–south via the A34. (You are advised to follow the AA signs rather than sat nav as the organisers put a special traffic management system in place to ensure you reach it by the best possible route that keeps the traffic flowing.) Alternatively, there is a bus service operating from Newbury bus station and Thatcham Broadway to the showground.


This year’s star attraction in the main arena will be world-class quad bike stuntman the Kangaroo Kid who is sure to thrill the crowds with daring wheelies, rolls and jumps. He has been known to jump over everything from a steamboat to a plane in flight!

The success of the ‘have a go’ theme of 2014 is being built on this year, with even more opportunities to try ‘taster sessions’, for example on an inflatable Army assault course, riding Segways and skateboards, learning how to milk a cow or build a den … or why not try your hand as a would-be celebrity chef in the cookery theatre?

Food is an important part of the show, and the food tent is always a big draw. Around the showground, too, will be lots of food stalls, with delicious treats to suit every tastebud.

But remaining true to its agricultural origins, a favourite feature of the show is always the livestock classes, with the best breeds of cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry coming from all over Britain. 


Horses are also a mainstay of the two days, and the show provides a great finale to Britain’s outdoor showjumping season, with some of the best international showjumpers competing. Something that will delight everyone in the main arena is the charming Shetland Pony Grand National, a qualifier for a national event for this team of small ponies and young jockeys who are making their first visit to Newbury. Other equine competitions such as scurry driving and the heavy horses are great fun and always attract large audiences.


The shopping village is highly popular and the out-of-town shopping experience offers 500 outlets. This coupled with the not-to-be-missed craft tent makes it the ideal place for a spot of early Christmas shopping.

Looking forward to his first Royal County of Berkshire Show is Daren Bowyer, who took on the role of Chief Executive of Newbury Showground earlier this year. Show Chairman is local businessman George Becknell, who has been involved with the show for four decades, and who is working alongside this year’s Show President Sir John Madejski, well known as Co-Chairman of Reading Football Club.


Entry on the day is £20 for adults, £16 for concession and £7 for children (free for under 5s), but you can make great savings by pre-booking tickets online from www.berkshireshow.co.uk or purchasing from Newbury Visitor Information Centre.

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