Look back at event which celebrates best of rural life
Saturday this week would have seen the 2020 Alyth and District Agricultural Show take place in Bogle’s Field on the outskirts of Blairgowrie.
The popular annual event is the pinnacle of the east Perthshire agricultural show calendar and has been attended by thousands of farmers and local residents over the decades, who enjoy the chance to get together, showcase their livestock and traditional skills and catch up with old friends.
Every year, organisers of the show put together an impressive programme of events, with something for everyone.
As well as the agricultural show itself, there is the craft and industrial tent, a vintage tractor show and parade, a wide variety of trade stands, farrier demonstrations and Highland dancing.
Recent years have seen the addition of a dog show which is always popular with animal lovers of all ages.
James Fleming, of Aberbothrie Farms, is president of Alyth Show.
He said: “It really is a fun familyfriendly day out that gives the farming community a wonderful opportunity to showcase everything that they have achieved in the past 12 months.
“It’s a real celebration of the best of farming, food, traditional skills and rural life here in east Perthshire and the committee works really hard every year to put on an event for the whole community.”
He added: “Sadly we had to take the difficult decision to cancel this year’s show due to the current global coronavirus pandemic, which although disappointing was absolutely the right decision to make.
“We look forward to 2021 being business as usual, and being a showfilled season for us all.”
There have been many changes to Alyth and District Agricultural Show over the past 40 years or so.
One of these can be seen during the parade of breed champions, one of the main attractions of every show.
The Aberdeen Angus breed held sway at Alyth shows for many years. They were joined by Herefords to contest the classes along with Beef Shorthorn and cross cattle.
Then in the 1950s the Charolais cattle breed was introduced to the UK to improve beef and dairy herds and, after a slow start, by 1970 Charolais was regarded as the international leading beef sire.
The changes were soon apparent at Alyth.
Last year the Alyth cattle schedule included classes and trophies for Highland, Charolais, Simmental – another continental breed – as well as Beef Shorthorn and cross.
Over the years, health and safety regulations have led to changes in the layout of fields, and, as well as alterations in schedules and judges, there have been significant changes regarding venues and dates.
For as long as anyone could remember the show was held on the first Saturday in July but, in 1985, it was decided to hold the show a week earlier, on June 29.
The main reason was to avoid a clash with the Doune and Dunblane Show and it was intended to be for one year only.
Several years ago there were a couple of date changes which had Alyth following the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston, but it is now back at its best placing, a week before the Highland.
In 1988 the venue was also changed from the Diamond Jubilee Park in Alyth to Rosemont Park in Blairgowrie.
The reasons given for this at the time were that there was not enough space at the park for the increasing number of entries and other attractions, especially trade stands.
Another reason could have been that spectators were able to access the ground without paying by jumping over the walls.
In 1989 the show was held at Bardmony Farm, near Alyth, for the first time and the estimated attendance was put at around 6000.
Since then, unverified attendance estimates vary from 3000 to 5000.
Among the places which have been home to Alyth Show over the years are Hallyburton Estate in Coupar Angus, Blacklaw Farm at Aberbothrie, and South Balloch.
A number of shows also took place at Aberbothrie fields by kind permission of the Fleming family.
Since 2013 the show has been held at Bogle’s Field, and this has proved to be almost ideal with ample space for cattle and sheep classes, car parking, trade stands and athletic events.
Next year’s Alyth and District Agricultural Show is due to take place on Saturday, June 12.
For further information, see the website at www.alythshow.co.uk or follow the show’s Facebook page.