Royal Highland Show set for bumper bicentenary celebrations

Organisers of the Royal Highland Show (RHS) are looking forward to the return of a bumper, full-blown event later this month after two long years without a full show due to Covid-19.

The bicentenary celebrations will be run this year over four days at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh, on 23-26 June – the first time the event will go ahead in full since 2019.

Farmers, crofters and land managers are being encouraged to take the opportunity to re-engage with friends and acquaintances and to attend the event, which this year celebrates 200 years since the first “Highland” show in 1822.

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“We’re back and we are hugely excited about the opportunity to get the show back on the road,” said Bill Gray, chairman of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS), organiser of the RHS.

“We’re planning a barnstormer of a show. We’ve got a lot of stuff that’s new and that people will remember as there’s a core to the show that’s the same.

“Agricultural shows have such a vital role to play in rural communities. We have talked an awful lot about the mental health effect and isolation of the past two years.

Meet fellow farmers

“Above all, come to meet your fellow farmers and start to re-engage with everybody and enjoy the social element just as much as the business or the competitive element.”

More than 4,800 livestock and equestrian entries have been confirmed for this year’s show. RHASS said it had received 4,866 entries for cattle, sheep, goats and horses.

Almost 1,000 beef and dairy cattle have been entered, including a strong showing from native breeds, including the largest class, Beef Shorthorns, with 101 entries, Highlands with 80 and Aberdeen Angus with 77.

Meanwhile, entries for Limousins have increased to 92 this year from 85 in 2019.

Dairy entries have increased to 121 – up from 114 in 2019 – and sheep entries sit at just under 2,000 this year.

“We are really encouraged by the number of livestock entries, especially given we’re coming out of two years where people haven’t had the opportunity to show,” said Mr Gray.

“Entries for livestock and equine competitions closed a while ago. I expect these will be as hotly contested as ever.”

Livestreaming is back

Last year saw footage of livestock classes livestreamed to 97 countries around the world. The free-to-view RHS TV will stream both live classes and pre-recorded content again this year, and there will also be giant screens showing the action at the showground.

Mr Gray said the opportunity for farmers to re-engage with agri-trade exhibitors face to face will be very important.

“We are pretty much booked up and have got a full complement of exhibitors, including 650 outdoor trade stands, which we’re absolutely ecstatic about,” he added.

The food hall – now called Scotland’s Larder – has been revamped to offer more space and a better visitor experience.

There is also a new children’s area for families and a big wheel in the south-west corner of the showground.

New for this year, a free RHS app is being launched to make visiting the show a more enjoyable and interactive experience.

It can be downloaded on both iPhone and Android devices from the App Store and Google Play. 

Tickets must be purchased in advance. For further information, visit the Royal Highland Show website.