The New Forest and Hampshire Count Show, or better known as The New Forest Show, held in the heart of the New Forest, boasts a huge 30 acres of show ground, rated among the top ten agricultural shows in the country, is truly an unforgettable experience and fun for the whole family.
The New Forest Show almost dates back 100 years. The charity who organise the show, The New Forest Agricultural Show Society, came up with the idea back in 1919 and the first ever show began in the summer of 1920. Over time the show has grown in size, popularity and now spans across 3 days and is held annually at the end of July.
If you are an outdoors lover, New Forest enthusiast, animal or plant lover then this is the place for you. It really does have something for everyone including food halls, local produce, cooking demonstrations, live music, competitions, antiques, independent shops, petting zoo, dog training, show jumping and duck racing (yes I really said duck racing, and its as funny as it sounds!). There really is so much going on we couldn’t fit it in all in one day, but here are some of my highlights.
Flowers and Veggies
This year the show is hosting the National Vegetable championships, which is only held in the South of England every 5 years. I walked around the tent in complete shock from the size, uniformity and just beauty of the vegetables!
And I was blown away by the intricacies of the flower arrangements. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the judges comments and shortly after pretending to be a judge myself, like I had any clue what I was talking about.
Show Jumping
The New Forest Show has an incredible equine arena for all thins horsey over the 3 days. The show jumping was probably my highlight from the day, we had an incredible view and it was just a fantastic opportunity to watch this for the first time.
Duck Racing
Another firm highlight and a real laugh for the whole family. You can place your bets and watch the new forest finest ducks race each other to the finish line. I was cracking up the whole time and the ducks were making an awful racket too!
Animals
Obviously its an agricultural show in the new forest, so it goes without saying that there will be animals there.. but I loved having a little nose at the piglets and rabbits. There are sheep, cattle, ferrets, dogs, you name it! There are several different rings/locations to see the animals in action and learn everything you need to know – including the sheep ring, the cattle ring, canine ring, and then smaller areas to go and see the animals if you just want a cute little nosey.
Food
Just like any festival, there is an abundance of choice of food stall vendors as well as trying samples from the food market. Although, if you are planning on eating at the show, be prepared to splash the cash as, to be expected, it is not cheap!
Music
All day long live music, this is what the great British summer is all about eh? I absolutely loved listening to the live music whilst having my lunch. My friends band The Southern Companion are also playing at the show this week which you should not miss!
Shopping
There are tonnes of traders, independent/local businesses showcasing the best of the best. Whether you are after a cosy woolly blanket or a new hot tub for the garden the show has you covered. Dan and I aren’t really in the market for either of those things but thoroughly enjoyed walking around and I had my eye on a few locally made beauty products. We did however come away with some local produce that I just couldn’t resist.
Charities
The New Forest Show is a charity run event and inside there are tonnes of charities and informational businesses that are giving back to the communities. I think the show is such an asset for Hampshire and the local community as it provides an incredible platform for local businesses to trade and showcase what they have, it brings in a lot of business and tourism to the area and there are lots of amazing charities that also get involved.
Tips
- Get the train – saves you on having to drive and park, there is a free shuttle bus from train station
- Bring drinks/food with you to keep costs down
- Check out the maps/buy a programme when you get in to make a plan of action for the day, as it is so large.
You can find out more info and get tickets over on the official New Forest Show website here!
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