Showground starts to take shape
It all starts with a 100m tape, paper plan, old roadside boards cut up into 8” squares, bags of 6” nails, a hammer, marker pen, two energetic men and the passion and determination of the many volunteers who are involved with putting on the Devon County Show.
Show Secretary Ollie Allen has begun to oversee the marking out the site for the Devon County Show, held on May 22-24, at the Westpoint showground near Exeter.
From humble beginnings, a tented town ready to accommodate more than 30,000 exhibitors and visitors every day will rise up from the grass into a traditional vista of billowing canvas. Ollie Allen said the early days of the build were a testing times: “In marquee-building terms, it’s equivalent to scaling Mount Everest!
“Marquee contractors Danco have to contend with changeable weather and train some new recruits to the Show circuit. Devon is the training ground for the rest of the season and will certainly sort the men from the boys!”
It takes the building team three weeks to erect the marquees, banner rails, flagpoles, wooden floors and carpets which cover an area about the size of four football pitches. The tentage will house more than 1,400 sheep, 300 alpacas, numerous angora and dairy goats and tens of thousands of numerous bees, pigeons, poultry, rabbits, guinea pigs and dogs.
The marquees and pavilions will be home to hundreds of trade stands ranging from artisan food and drink producers to flowers and crafts people. In about two weeks’ time, artic loads of grandstand seating and stabling will arrive to add to the tented town, ready to house hundreds out of the 1,300 plus horses that will be competing over the three days of the Show.
Ollie added: “We plan surprises and delights at every turn around the showground. Whether that’s in the West Country Crafts and Love Local Pavilion, or stepping into the canvas covering of the fur and feather feature and spotting some fantastically decorative hens, rabbits, pigeons and guinea pigs.” The 119th Show is celebrating 25 years since the Association took ownership of the Westpoint showground, which is home to the County Show and its wholly owned subsidiary company - Westpoint Centre (Devon).
The Show provides a lavish spread of entertainment together with all the countryside elements which make this such a successful event. Where else would visitors be able to see the very best examples of livestock, beautiful, elegant horses, the latest in agricultural machinery and technology, traditional crafts such as shoeing and metalwork and wonderful displays of flower arrangements, all in one place.
Family favourites the quad bike stunt men the Kangaroo Kids are headlining the bill in the Mole Valley Farmers Main Arena while alongside the Woodland feature, ‘Savage Skills’ the champion team of BMX riders will perform various stunts and offer coaching between performances.
Advance tickets offering savings are on sale on line, or at tourist information centres or they can be ordered via the Show Office on 01392 353702.
Online savings are available until midnight on Sunday, May 18. Once again up to three children (aged 5 to 15) get free admission on Saturday when accompanied by a paying adult and a £25 over 60s’ ticket admits two on Thursday or Friday when purchased in advance.
