The relocation of the Royal Smithfield Club's primestock competitions to Stoneleigh Park has been confirmed with a new event, AgriLIVE Smithfield, launched as a host to them.
The event, co-organised by RASE and the Royal Smithfield Club will, claims a press release from RASE ".....provide a new and exciting platform for the traditional Smithfield primestock classes and will have a very strong technical and commercial focus on husbandry, management and machinery."
With a focus on meeting the needs of the red meat industry, the event is aiming to bring together producers, processors and retailers to better understand the supply chain.
The event will take place on Friday 11 and Saturday 12 December 2009, with provisional dates of 3 and 4 December set for 2010.
As readers will be well aware I've long been a staunch advocate of Smithfield in all its many guises and while the concept of this event is worthwhile, the name is far from catchy!
Admittedly there are issues with using the traditional "Royal Smithfield Show" brand, but I thought the "Royal Smithfield Christmas Fair" name was working well and said it like it was. The new name is a touch too ambigious for me.
But, that aside, here's to the future of the Royal Smithfield Club's competitions in their new home and lets all get behind the event to make it the success it deserves to be.
I agree that the RSCF was good in theory and the club should have tried to stick with that format.
Very interesting choice of cattle judge however...
Which judge are you referring to - last year's - if you are don't even get me started on him!!!!
Think Blue Grey Coos is referring to this year's judge - Neil Caul. He'll judge all the cattle, while Andrew Walton will judge all the sheep. Interesting choices, on both counts.
whats neil caus background ?
Neil's a Charolais breeder from Dundee, can't recall his commercial experience, but no doubt Blue Grey Coos can fill us in more on that detail.
He's also a deadweight buyer for a major wholesaler - so he's got a broad experience and certainly not biased, despite being a Charolais breeder!
However he's judging the commercials at the Royal Highland in June, so it should give us an idea of how things will go come December.
Interesting that they've reverted to one judge - too many changes all at once me thinks....
Thanks Blue Grey, I had a feeling you'd know more than me on that one. Agree it could be too many changes in one go, and it's a lot for one man to judge, suckled calves, all the preliminary steer and heifer classes and then the overall championships too. That said if you've got a beast he takes a shine to early on in the show there's a fair chance of getting a good run to top tickets.
Also a little uncertain of one man judging two high profile shows in the same year. There will be a few, although possibly not too many, cattle he'll see at both events even though they are six months apart.
If smithfield and rase think going to a one judge format is the way forward then they are much mistaken in my opinion. The cattle judge will already have judged the commercial classes in the royal highland show this year,which will be a disadvantage to anybody south of the border.The smithfield show was already struggling as it was without being involved with the RASE i fear the final big nails have been driven into a coffin that shouldnt have been made, vary sad news.