One of the nation's oldest agricultural shows will welcome thousands of visitors to Watton today – with its farming and livestock roots are still central to its enduring appeal.
The 145th Wayland Agricultural Show returns with a traditional summer line-up of family entertainment, food stalls, livestock competitions, vintage vehicles and rural sports.
The star attraction in the show's main ring will be the high-octane acrobatics of the Bolddog Lings Motorcycle Display Stunt Team, but the event will also showcase countryside pursuits including displays of working animals, gun dogs and horses.
And Norfolk's agricultural heritage is still at the heart of the one-day show, with the livestock judging and grand parade culminating in the event's unique Champion of Champions prize – which pitches the award-winning cattle, pig, horse, sheep, rabbit, cattle and fowl into competition against each other.
Martin Miller, the show's marketing chairman, said: 'A lot of the shows you go to are the same everywhere, but the Wayland Show is unique. The guys work really hard to produce something that is true to its roots.
'Unlike some of the other big shows which have diversified into a bit of everything, our main focus is still on the livestock and agriculture.
'The big family attraction at the show this year is the Bolddog Lings motorcycle display team, but it is probably the only one of the main arena shows that is not related to agriculture. The show has got so much heritage, and we have got the full list of pigs, sheep, cattle, goats, which will all be in the main ring.'
The one-day show can attract as many as 10,000 visitors, but organisers are hopefully there could be many more if the weather continues to be fine.
Mr Miller said safeguards have been put in place to limit the fire risk if the recent extreme hot and dry weather returns. 'We have decided there will be no smoking on site and no barbecues in the car park, and there will be a bowser so they can dampen the ground beforehand if they need to,' he said.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Kevin Bowes, president of the Wayland Agricultural Society, said the show offered a valuable chance for families to reconnect with nature.
'There has been much talk recently that too much 'screen time' is, not surprisingly, bad for our health and general well-being and that connecting with nature, not surprisingly, is good for our health,' he said. 'So bearing these two facts in mind, enjoy your family day out with us, reconnect with nature and the countryside and learn a little about where our food comes from together with all the attractions that we have put on for you.
'I am a great believer in keeping our rural traditions and pastimes going, as in this ever-changing world it is so easy for these events to disappear.'
2018 SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
The Wayland Show's main arena will feature the Bolddog Lings motorcycle display team, featuring the UK's top-ranked freestyle motocross riders. Using the world's largest mobile landing ramp, the riders can jump gaps over 75ft and perform nail-biting mid-air tricks such as the 'superman seat grab', 'heel-clicker', 'switch blade', and 'kiss of death'.
Other attractions include Stuart Barnes' Dog and Duck Show, using trained and untrained sheep dogs to herd ducks in a fun but informative performance that provides an insight into dog behaviour issues and the way dogs work.
The main ring will also host the Mid Norfolk Gun Dogs and The Dunston Harriers Fox Hounds, and the dedicated horse section will be bigger than ever, offering rides, events and equine entertainment.
There's plenty to get taste-buds tingling in the Taste of East Anglia Marquee, as well as the many food outlets around the showground.
The popular vintage tractors and classic cars are back, as well as the Horticultural Marquee and the Fur and Feather Marquee, home to some unusual breeds.
• The Wayland Show opens to the public from 10am on Sunday August 5 at Brandon Road in Watton. For more information and ticket prices visit the Wayland Show website.
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