Back in business Showtime is virtually here

BR I NG out t he bu nt i ng – Scotland’s summer show season is back in business!

There’s only one place to be on July 3-4, and that’s in the action-packed showground of the online Scottish Agricultural Show.

After months of mourning the lack of social gatherings, fierce competition in the livestock rings, shiny machinery displays and tempting arrays of food and drink, our sister newspapers The Courier and Press & Journal have partnered with the Royal Highland

Show to create a virtual event that will encompass all the essential elements for a great couple of days out.

And unlike normal summer shows you won’t need your wellies

“just in case” as the sun is guaranteed to shine all day!

To bring the showground to life we’re calling on cattle, sheep, horse, goat and poultry producers to video their top stock, which will be judged online by some of the country’s most respected livestock breeders. There will be classes for the main breeds, young handlers will have their own sections, and all the videos will be posted on the show website for everyone to view.

There are full instructions on how to take part at www.scottishagricultural show.co.uk, so get involved, start halter training that heifer or walking your goat – you’ve got until midnight on June 19 to enter and stand a chance of winning 2020’s only show in town.

We’ll have a beer tent where you can meet up with folk, and while you might not be able to touch all the new tractors and combines, the country’s main dealers and businesses will have trade stands to pore over while you wait for the judging to be completed. We’re not forgetting farming heritage either, which will be represented with a class for vintage machinery.

The food and drink tent will act as a shop window for all our top class agricultural produce, and chefs will give cookery demonstrations and offer tips on how to make the most of Scotland’s delicious larder.

And once you’re inspired to start baking you’ll find all the details of how to enter the cake competition on the website . DC Thomson is throwing all its weight behind organising Scotland’s first virtual agricultural show, a move which the company’s Head of Newspapers, Richard Neville, said was in response to a desire from readers and advertisers for a way of maintaining some sort of show presence this summer.

“We hope that all exhibitors and entrants enjoy the experience, and hopefully it will show that there can be a digital alternative to even the oldest and most traditional events in our packed agri-business calendar,” he said.

Getting the mighty Royal Highland Show’s unqualified support has been a huge boost, and one of the show directors, farmer Kay Adam, from Angus, gave the online event her enthusiastic backing.

“Excellent judges have been lined up to take part and I hope many of the breeders who had hoped to parade in the shows this summer will feature on the small screen in this show,” she said. Our main sponsor is EQ Accountants, one of the leading providers of accountancy, tax and business advice to Scotland’s agricultural industry. Also on board so far are Rural Scotland (champion of champions), ANM Group (beef cattle), Samaritans (sheep), Netherton Tractors (trade stands), Angus Timber Cabins (dogs), Mackays Dundee (baking), Red Poppy (food tent), Bon Accord Soft Drinks (drinks tent), Balgownie (vintage tractors), Stewart’s Resort (leisure tent), Gin Bothy (horses) and 71 Brewing (beer tent).

EQ partner Graeme Davidson emphasised how much the agricultural community would miss the traditional show season this summer. He said: “We enjoy welcoming clients and friends to our stands at the Fife, Angus and Turriff shows. We’ll miss that this year, but hope the virtual show provides a way of supporting those communities.”