The Midlands’ premier one-day agricultural
show is set to champion Rare Breed Livestock more than ever at the 2024 event
scheduled for Saturday 7th September.
As the new year
begins, Moreton Show organisers are working hard to boost support for the UK’s
rare and minority livestock breeds. Moreton Show has a long history of
promoting and encouraging the keeping of both rare breed and commercial
livestock – indeed, this is one of the central aims of the show.
CAPTION: A Gloucester Cow, one of the many rare breeds livestock being championed on
Saturday 7th September at Moreton Show.
2024 brings a renewed
focus, as the cost of living and environmental pressures impact the UK’s
livestock industry. Many livestock rare
breeds are increasingly seen as lower cost, both environmentally and
economically on land, and can often provide a more sustainable source of protein
and fibre.
Exciting
new developments for the 2024 Moreton Show include the introduction of
competition classes for UK rare breeds, including Gloucester Cattle - winning
the Stuart Mace Cup, and ‘Any Other Native Rare Breeds’ Cattle Class, winning
The Society Chairman Trophy and £200. These
thrilling new classes will see an array of beautiful UK rare breed cattle go head-to-head
for the Championship.
Mr Will Bevan, Moreton
Show Livestock Chairman, says: ‘It’s fantastic for the Show to be able to offer
a greater number of classes for rare breeds in 2024. I am particularly excited
to see the introduction of Gloucester Cattle classes. This distinctive local
breed - which was once extremely rare – has in recent years made a great
comeback. It is fitting that Gloucestershire’s best celebration of farming and
rural life hosts classes for the county breed of cattle’.
Moreton Show already
hosts a huge range of classes for rare breeds including the prestigious
National Cotswold Sheep Society Show. In 2023, Moreton Show received over 1,000
cattle and sheep entries, meaning that it is - without doubt - one of the most
comprehensive one-day agricultural shows in the country.
Mr Steve Parkes, Show
Vice Chairman, noted that: ‘Moreton Show provides a great platform for rare
breed livestock keepers to travel from far and wide to compete their animals at
a friendly and welcoming traditional country Show’. Steve went on to say that:
‘The need to preserve rare breeds is essential and the holding of breed
specific classes ensures the continued improvement and relevance of a breed’.
The Show Chairman, Mr
Stuart Mace stated: ‘I am a great supporter of rare breeds, centuries of
selective breeding have led to a diverse and distinctive range of livestock,
some with long horns, curly horns, long fleeces, numerous colours and coat
patterns, to describe a few’.
‘Moreton Show has
strong charitable principles; one important objective is the promotion of and
education in agriculture, to both farmers and the public. By hosting more
classes for rare breeds, and encouraging more people to exhibit at the Show, we
are working hard to fulfill this objective.’
Stuart, continued: ‘The
highlight of the Show for me is the Parade of Livestock in the Grand Arena,
seeing the arena full of animals and their proud owners is a great spectacle
and one I greatly recommend to everyone.’
The Moreton Show
Livestock Schedule will be published in April. Anyone wishing to receive an
email to say the Schedule is online, and entries open, can write to the
Livestock Secretary: lynne@moretonshow.co.uk.
Not only will rare-breed
sheep and cattle be on show, but Moreton Show will also be hosting a display of
Oxford Sandy and Black pigs. The locally developed breed of pig, with a rusty
brown coat and black spots, will be the centerpiece of a new feature provided
by the Oxford Sandy and Black Pig Group Charity.
Beyond the livestock, there will also be a great
display of rare breed heavy horses including Shires, Suffolk Punch and
Clydesdales. These majestic horses will be found in the Hooky Horse Area and
will be on display in the Grand Arena for the best turned out class.
Don’t forget to put Moreton Show in your diary –
Saturday 7th September 2024. Advance tickets can be purchased by
visiting: www.moretonshow.co.uk.
