Royal Three Counties Show - Second Preview

Cattle lineup in the judging ring

Looking back at my first preview – and an introduction no doubt for many readers to the fact that someone called ‘Ann’ was also blogging about the first ever ‘Royal’ at Malvern, as well as young farmer Jack – I did not have space for that much and concentrated on food. Food is essential to us all and a great aspect, but there’s far more to this Show than that. For a start, what a grand day out you can have as a family for very little cost. Come for as little as £8.00 per ticket (based on advanced family ticket price) – tremendous value for families: food, shopping and entertainment – and of course farming. If you haven’t already done so, do purchase tickets now to take advantage of this special offer.

Adam Henson with
a young admirer

Just look at some of what is on happening: Exciting Entertainment, Farming Village, Countryside & Forestry, Horse Village, Discovery Zone, Village Green, Food & Drink, Rural Business and the International Orchid Show. You can even say “hello” to one of the nation’s favourite farmers, rural TV presenter, Adam Henson (Saturday 15th only).

Skill and daring to delight the crowds

I still don’t have space to cover the Show in its entirety but will outline what I can. Take the Main Arena, situated at the heart of the Royal.  It’s a hub of entertainment and action with a jam-packed timetable of displays, competitions and exciting shows. Many of the activities are repeated every day, though not necessarily at the same time, so check your Show Guide on arrival so you don’t miss something you really want to watch. Don't miss the Royal Signals White Helmets motorcycle display team; the Devil's Horseman with an exhilarating Jousting and Cossack show; the Red Devils Parachute Team; the brilliant Paws for Thought Dog Display Team; Horse & Hounds; Show Jumping and Heavy Horses and the prestigious and ever-impressive Grand Livestock Parade! WOW, if you did nothing else, you could be entertained from show opening to closing.

Where else could you get so close to magnificent farm animals?

The Farming Village is perfect for becoming acquainted at close quarters with livestock of all types and breeds. There are livestock competitions each day and you can watch the live judging and competitions as exhibitors show off their fine animals – you will become absorbed in this fascinating experience, and be amazed at the very young age of some of the handlers. Walk the livestock lines and meet your favourite farm creatures from cows and pigs to sheep and goats. Equally entertaining, and equally serious, is the Sheep Shearing: you can watch the amazing talent of shearers from all over the country, and even the world, as they demonstrate with each other in competition their amazing speed and skill. The show counts as a qualifying event for the English team so the pressure will be on!

Showing how it's done in the Blacksmithing & Farriery area

Visitors who would like to learn more about the countryside will be able to enjoy a day equally packed with activity. Just head for the popular Country Pursuits Village for a full timetable of country displays including gundogs, ferrets, threshing, Jive Pony, Doug Joiner Horse Logger, Sheepdog Training and much more. There’s Blacksmithing & Farriery (situated by the Lake) where you can watch skilled craftsman take part in live competitions throughout the day. The Poultry Marquee and Championship Poultry Show is home to an impressive display of a wide range of birds including bantams, large fowl and waterfowl, again at close quarters. And if your children are looking for a pet other than a dog or cat, think Rabbits - Britain’s third most popular choice of pet. The Rabbit Section is the ideal place to talk to the experts about keeping them.

Spinning demo

Forgotten Skills? Discover how to use a pole lathe and have a go at butter-making, candle-making and wool craft. Head for the Forgotten Skills Marquee, with its demonstrations of traditional crafts that were once part of everyday life. All the items on display at the Show are unusual and individual, produced by the craftspeople themselves and rarely found on the average high street – a trip down memory lane, perhaps, or the beginning of a new hobby.

A real treat - shopping for hand-spun yarns, clothes and accessories

If this is your first online visit to Ann’s Malvern Jotter, take a look at the previous post to familiarise yourself with what will be happening in the Cookery Theatre, hosted by Katie & Glyn Johnson of Wot's Cooking;  savour in your imagination the numerous food stalls. And if you love shopping, make time to browse for antiques. With an eclectic mix of unique treasures on display, you will surely find a truly special gift or ‘must-have’ piece to add to your collection. The Antiques Fair boasts a variety of antiques and collectibles from around 30 dealers including small furniture, vintage and retro clothing, 19th & 20th century ceramics, jewellery, bronzes, pictures and books.

Food, farming and the countryside - a celebration

A right royal occasion? I know it will be and will be there myself next week on all three days – 14th, 15th and 16th June – blogging live (WiFi permitting). You too can be a part of a great day out in the British countryside, celebrating a truly unique way of life. Enjoy yourself, for apart from the busy, busy Show, there is of course its stunning location. Who could not be captivated by that backdrop of hills?

Royal Three Counties Show - first preview

Previewing the Royal Three Counties Show
(food, farming and countryside)

Welcome back to those of you who have been following my gardening posts, and ‘hello’ to those of you who are joining me for the first time. Ann’s Malvern Jotter (this Blog) now encompasses other activities on the Showground.

Much more to entertain visitors than just food and farming:
The Red Devils in tandem as they descend towards the main arena

I’ve been visiting the June show every year for as long as I have the gardening shows. Of course, it wasn’t the ‘Royal’ then, but plain ‘Three Counties Show’. In its new guise (and since the demise of the royal event at Stoneleigh), the Malvern ‘Royal’ is growing; so much so that it now utilises almost every square metre of the 98-acre showground. Bursting at the seams in fact with a profusion of fantastic activities to inform and entertain you. I will need all three days to see it all!

There will be six food
and cookery demos
every day

Food, Glorious Food: Billed as ‘the best of British food, farming and countryside’, I am concentrating in this preview today on the food aspect. Centrally placed within the Showground is the ‘Regional Food & Drinks Village’ in the Severn Hall. Included in this spacious permanent building, and in no particular order, will be artisan food stalls; the Three Counties cheese competition – open to producers in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire and neighbouring counties.

Feeling hungry? Stalls to buy local produce will tempt you ...

Meat lovers will enjoy the butchery demonstration from EBLEX plus the Three Counties Cider Show together with a People’s Choice competition; local cider makers selling their produce and giving tastings; education on cider and how to make it, plus cider making equipment; a new class for Hotels and Restaurants and a stand featuring the HEFF Diamond Food award winners 2013. Additionally, farmers’ market stalls will lead into Severn Hall from Avenue F to create the Food Market. (For the uninitiated, EBLEX: the organsiation for the beef and lamb industry; HEFF: Heart of England Fine Foods.)

Cookery Theatre hosts
Glyn & Katie Johnson

Returning to the Show will be the immensely popular 'Cookery Theatre' (also within the Severn Hall) featuring local chefs and products in an immensely packed programme of demonstrations. The theatre programme will be hosted by experienced broadcasters, Katie & Glyn Johnson of ‘Wot’s Cooking’.

The 2013 Cookery Theatre in the Severn Hall 
(image copyright Wot's Cooking)

Reading through the advance list of what is on offer in the Cookery Theatre is tantalizing. On Friday 14th: Robert Swift, a 5th generation baker, who has recently opened his own artisan bakery and baking school in Ludlow, producing some of the most delicious and inventive breads imaginable. Vegetarian Cooking ideas will be demonstrated by Lizzy Hughes who runs ‘Our Lizzy’ Cookery School in Malvern Link – discover how to prepare simple, tasty, nutritious food. Daren Bale of The Hop Pole in Bewdley, recently recognised for his commitment to cooking by Worcestershire and Warwickshire Life Magazines, will feature Cooking Local & Seasonal; Rayeesa Asghar Sandys runs Herefordshire’s first and only authentic Indian Cookery School from her home in Mordiford and is a regular at Herefordshire Farmers' Market.

Bread - a necessity of life

Saturday 15th: Daniel Jones – All About Chocolate – worked at Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage but his real love is as Master Chocolatier and Owner of 'Daniel Jones - Artisan Chocolatier'. Felice Tocchini – Ready Steady Cook; Felice has appeared on numerous TV programmes including The One Show, Countryfile, and The Gadget show as well as in the media worldwide for his innovative creations. Robert Swift (Artisan Baker) also returns on Saturday.

Cider, fruit juice and
perry all on tap

Sunday 16th: Steve Brown – head tutor of the cookery school at Daylesford Farm; following years of cooking in Michelin-starred kitchens, Steve followed his passion for local, sustainable, organic food, allowing the ingredients to do the talking. Matt Slocombe – It Has To Be Local – serves the very best food and drink that Herefordshire has to offer at the traditional Crown Inn, Woolhope; he is a huge supporter of the region’s produce, especially the cider! Daniel Jones reprises ‘All About Chocolate’.

Starting young - chefs in the making

A Recommendation: With less than three weeks to go until the opening of the Royal Three Counties Show, may I suggest that you purchase tickets now, for advance purchases come for as little as £8.00 per ticket (based on advanced family ticket price) – tremendous value for a grand day out for families: food, shopping and entertainment – and not forgetting the farming side of things.

All the fun of the fair - and Adam Henson (second left -
presenter of BBC Countryfile) will be
at the Show on Saturday 15th June)

And if you love Malvern and their shows as much as I do, it’s worth considering purchasing Showground Membership for yourself or family, or as a gift for friends. For this, you obtain free admission to three Show days in total per year, VIP Parking, Members VIP Areas at the Malvern Spring Gardening Show, Royal Three Counties Show and Malvern Autumn Show. Most importantly save some money!

Up close and personal with the sheep

I’ll be back in two weeks with my second Show preview, and look forward to welcoming you again, Meanwhile, do also follow the posts of sheep-loving young farmer Jack, in Jack’s Blog. And for all aspects of the Show continually updated visit the Royal Three Counties Show website.

In between Shows and an announcement

My tiny hand-made 'Malvern Jotter'

I was back at the Showground yesterday and it hardly seems possible that so short a time ago I was heavily into writing about gardening. All those beautiful gardens are no more, though I spotted the odd olive tree looking somewhat forlorn by the roadside. The positive news is that I will be back very shortly with news of the next major Show at the Three Counties Showground. Meanwhile, you might like this little sketchbook page which I created at the Spring Gardening Show in my tiny hand-made jotter.

watching the bees - and honey for sale

Visitors to the Spring Gardening Shows may not be fully aware of just how exciting is the  June show  (14th-16th) featuring 'food, farming and the countryside' - known previously as the Three Counties Show, but now with a royal seal of approval it has become the 'Royal Three Counties Show', and vastly augmented in its new status.

Delicious organic cheese - time for a tasting

Yesterday, I was asked to preview this Show as well as the gardening shows and whilst I am getting to grips with all the exciting things on offer, here is a tiny taster of what you may expect. There is so much to cover in the short time available - informative and above all full of family fun, and incredibly good value if you purchase family tickets in advance.

Top quality animals can be viewed at close quarters

From fabulously fresh regional food to dancing sheep; grand parade of livestock and lifestyle farming; equestrian events, country pursuits village, discovery zone and rural skills; shopping opportunities galore plus a full programme of entertainment, there is something for everyone, young and old alike.

Images from past June shows, before acquiring 'Royal' status

I'll be posting more news on Friday, once I have assimilated all that is on offer. Apart from my view of things, do read Jack's Blog. Jack is an enthusiastic young farmer who is definitely going places whilst writing regularly about his farming experiences. He owns his very own Suffolk sheep and hopes in the future to expand his flock and produce meat to sell and eat. Don't miss what he has to say. (And do make a diary date with me late Friday for the first proper preview of the 'Royal' - tickets available to visit the show by clicking the ticket on the right.