The South of England Agricultural Society is announcing enhancements to the benefits and support offered to livestock exhibitors at this year’s South of England Show in June.
Aimed at helping support our British livestock farmers and recognising the effort and expense of exhibiting, while also fostering public education about their essential work, the changes include:
- – Increased prize money for cattle champions: the Supreme Beef Champion and Supreme Dairy Champion will now receive £500, with reserves increasing to £350. Additionally, the Inter Breed Teams of Four Beef and the Dairy Breeders Group will experience enhanced prize money pots of £2100 and £525, respectively.
- – Appearance money for cattle exhibitors: the Society will now allocate appearance money of £30 per head of cattle put forward at the show (excluding calves).
- – Free tickets to their ‘Stockman’s Dinner’: the traditional Stockman’s Dinner at the South of England Show will now be free of charge for livestock exhibitors. Tickets will be allocated based on the number of animals brought to the show.
In addition to these, the Show will feature several elements to connect with and support farmers and exhibitors, including:
- – A stand from The Rural Payments Agency for direct engagement and information exchange.
- – A Technical Forum on Saturday 8th June, in the Young Farmers Club building, focusing on ‘How can agriculture better connect with the public.’
- – A Panel Talk with the NFU and other industry leaders on the afternoon of Friday 7th
- – A ringside Farmers’ Marquee, hosted by Longman Brewery, providing a space for talks, socialising and to enjoy the show.
- – Improvements to the Stockman’s marquee at the Showground and an onsite general store and newsagent.
Martyn Sands, Chair of the Cattle Committee for the South of England Agricultural Society, expressed excitement about these changes, stating:
“These enhancements signify our unwavering commitment to the livestock exhibitors and farmers who make the South of England Show a showcase of excellence. By recognising their efforts with increased rewards and creating new opportunities for engagement, we aim to elevate the experience for exhibitors and with other additional elements for the public, including bringing back the Vintage Dairy Display and increased informational signage to educate the public about their vital role in our society.”
The 2024 South of England Show will take place from Friday 7th to Sunday 9th June 2024. For more information and to enter, visit https://www.seas.org.uk/.
