The show is held annually on the first Thursday in August and has grown to be one of the largest one day agricultural shows in the country. The venue is in the heart of the East Devon Countryside on a 140 acre site, which was purchased by the Honiton & District Agricultural Association in 2003. The show has a unique atmosphere, blending traditional and new, with its emphasis on agriculture and its associated activities, first and foremose. Each year an official charity is nominated by the President elect and is given the opportunity to raise funds during the show.
It is a showcase for the best of local farming, produce, crafts and rural skills and there are in excess of 400 trade exhibitors, including crafts, shopping and fabulous food. It is one of the largest business and social events in East Devon and more than 20,000 visitors enjoy the day, as well as over 1,000 livestock entries. Honiton Show is delighted to host the West of England Hound Show, the second largest in the Country, attracting packs from all over the British Isles.
The first Honiton Show was held in 1890, the 54th year of Queen Victoria’s reign, in fields on Bramble Hill, Honiton. The Association was then named The Honiton Union District Store Cattle and Poultry Association. Its first president was Viscount Sidmouth. Admission cost just one shilling and that year the show was held on 2nd October, with a grand after show dinner at the Dolphin Hotel.
Thirty years and a world war later, in 1920 the show moved to Dowell Street and the association was re-named Honiton Union District Agricultural Association. After the second world war, in 1946, the classes included Labourers Long Service Awards and judging of the Hunting Hounds. Poultry classes disappeared and dairy cattle were very low on entries; This was due to the rationing taking effect during the war. In 1948 the show saw the introduction of The West Of England Hound Show. This was the beginning of what is now one of the largest and most prestigious Hound Shows in the country.
The association, now known as Honiton & District Agricultural Association, celebrated its centenary in 1990 as a limited company and held a special show to commemorate, with some 290 trade stands. The association has come a long way since 1890 and is ready for the next one hundred years!
A TRADITIONAL SHOW FOR THE FARMING COMMUNITY
THURSDAY 4TH AUGUST 8.00AM – 6.00PM
Advance Tickets – Adult – £14.00
On the Day Ticket – Adult – £16.50
Children (Under 16) admitted FREE of charge when accompanied by an adult
All public car parking – FREE
Shuttle Bus – FREE of Charge – Starting at 9.00 from Honiton High Street, Lace Walk
Disabled Persons – Pay admission but essential carers are admitted Free of Charge
Mobility Scooters Available to Hire – Please contact Newton Abbot Shop Mobility
01626 335775
Dogs are permitted on non-retractable leads but are not allowed in the Food Hall or within the Cattle Lines.
Advance Tickets can be purchased from the following outlets;
Honiton Toy Shop High Street Honiton
Mole Valley Farmers Ltd Honiton Road Cullompton
Mole Avon Station Yard Axminster
Stags Estate Agents High Street Honiton
The Exmoor Horn Wool project is all about promoting and adding value to the Exmoor Horn sheep by selling their wool. Of all the hill breeds of sheep, Exmoor Horns have some of the finest wool. A group of Exmoor farmers, in partnership with the Exmoor National Park, got together a couple of years ago to form the Exmoor Horn Wool company and try and capitalise on the quality of the wool. Part of this involves taking stands at various shows, the most important of which is Woolfest, so important in fact that it required the presence of Mr Terry himself.
In contrast, the rams are more relaxed about life. For rams generally this is unusual, and trying to stop rams fighting each other is a constant problem. Terry lives with two Suffolk rams, who will fight over nothing. When Terry was first introduced to them we feared the worst so we had them penned up tight in the sheep shed, not allowing them room to take a run at each other. We need not have worried. Terry turned to face one of the shed supports, rammed it furiously with his horns until the whole shed shook, then turned to face the Suffolks. The two Suffolks both became very interested with something on the ground. They have got on ever since.
Our spring crops have been planted and are thriving in the warm sunshine. The grass has been growing so well that it is now time to cut it and store it to feed our sheep and cattle through the winter. We have recently made some round bale silage. This involves cutting a field of grass and leaving it to dry. We generally leave it in situ for a couple of days, turning it twice a day to reduce the moisture content. When it is ready a local contractor comes to the farm and in farming terms ‘rues up’, which basically means a racking machine puts it into neat rows for the baler. Afterwards, another tractor and baler compacts the grass into round bales and wraps it in black plastic – the bales are stored in plastic so that the grass ferments into silage. The cattle love to eat this in the colder months of the year. While we were baling this year, a friend came along with his drone and took some wonderful photos of the field and our farm.
Killerton House is a particularly elegant 18th century building, surrounded by eighteen acres of landscaped and parkland gardens. They boast a wide variety of unusual trees and shrubs, collected by some of the great Victorian plant hunters. There are also wonderful herbaceous borders, a Victorian laundry, ice house, bear hut and chapel.
The interior of the house reveals a warm and welcoming Georgian family home, with a colourful history. On the first floor you can browse the renowned historical fashion collection, which is changed annually. During a visit you will be able to learn the history behind the many family portraits and listen to the country-house organ, still played every day.
Budlake Old Post Office – A stone’s throw from Killerton House you’ll find a 1950s post office that served the community until 1976. Fascinating vintage items fill the shelves and don’t miss the beautiful cottage garden with rose border, herb and vegetable plots.
Markers – An intriguing medieval hall-house with smoke blackened timbers and a rare 15th century cross passage screen, intricately painted and depicting St Andrew and his boat.
I had put her back in calf to a Blonde Aquitaine bull and was very excited at the prospect of new life on the farm. A cow is in calf for about 283 days, similar to us in the region of 9 months, so I was fairly certain that the day was soon approaching when another beautiful calf was to grace our farm.
I had her in a field near the house so that I could keep a close eye on her and it wasn’t long before the day arrived and she was showing sure signs of starting to calve. It is so important that the cow remains as quiet as possible, but, after a while with no visible progress, I started to feel concerned that things were not as they should be. She was getting very agitated and clearly not getting on with the job as in previous calvings. A very good friend of ours was an excellent cowman and I was soon on my mobile calling him from the field and describing what was going on. I explained that Daisy has started calving and I felt slightly worried.
Clearly Daisy didn’t much care for this idea! She let out this almighty bellow, gave one enormous push and the calf’s head appeared. A beautiful golden coloured bull calf was born and seemed none the worse for his journey into the world. Daisy turned slowly and began licking her newborn and within no time the calf was up and searching for the milk bar. A truly wonderful sight!
The remainder of the route covers a wide variety of landscapes, including wooded river valleys, moorland, coastal cliffs and sandy bays. Walking varies from easy through to moderate and strenuous, depending on the location, but, in general, it is comprehensively waymarked.
The trails are a popular tourist destination and bicycle hire businesses are available for those who wish to cycle along suitable sections of the Trail. A section of the Trail is part of the National Cycle Network’s route number 27 and forms part of the route known as the Devon Coast to Coast Cycle Route. This is a route of 102 miles stretching from Ilfracombe to Plymouth, largely using former railway lines.
Your first glimpses of the village of Widecombe-in-the-Moor is of a picturesque little hamlet that nestles snuggly between the rolling green hills of Devon farmland. It is set off by a spectacular backdrop of granite tors and moorland. The village has a coach and car park as well as the usual collection of craft shops and tea rooms, serving refreshments.
Next to the churchyard is Church House, built in 1537 as a brew house for the production of church ales. Church House is now managed by the National Trust, having also been a school house and alms house at various times in its history. The old Sexton’s cottage is also part of the complex, currently being utilised as a National Trust and Dartmoor National Park Information Centre and shop.
Catering facilities are available in the competitors paddock (admission FREE of charge) where a selection of food and beverages are available, both hot and cold, including breakfast rolls etc. A licenced bar is also open at the appropriate hours offering a range of alcoholic drinks, including beers from the local Otter Brewery. You can also enjoy an ice cream whilst you relax and watch the action.
The majority of motor sport in this country would not exist if it were not for the volunteer force of marshals, and Wiscombe park is no exception. The fact that these individuals are volunteers in no way compromises their skills and expertise, but do not let this wealth of experience deter you if you are a ‘rookie’ marshal or have yet to ‘step forward’. At most events the chief marshal ensures that there is a balance of experience on each post so there is usually a mix of experienced marshals working alongside those who are ‘learning the ropes’.
The floral exhibition takes place Saturday 4th June – Thursday 9th June at 10.00am – 6pm, except Sunday at 11am – 6pm. This is one of the premier events of its type, attracting visitors from all over the South West. View fine floral displays, presented in an entertaining, colourful and creative exhibition, designed with familiar blooms, as well as more exotic species.
The Cuckoo is a dove-sized bird with blue grey upper parts, head and chest and dark barred white under parts. With their sleek body, long tail and pointed wings they are not unlike Kestrels or Sparrowhawks in appearance. However, their behaviour could not be more different. Sexes are similar and the young are brown. They are summer visitors and well-known brood parasites; the females laying their eggs in the nests of other birds, especially Meadow Pipits, Dunnocks and Reed Warblers. Once hatched by their small, adoptive parents the fledgling Cuckoo evicts their hosts’ real offspring from the nest to avoid having to compete for food. Their recent population decline makes this a Red List species and means you are sadly less likely to hear their distinctive call nowadays.