An agricultural show, county show or farm show is a public event exhibiting the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show (a judged event or display in which breeding stock is exhibited), a trade fair, competitions, and entertainment. The work and practices of farmers, animal fanciers, cowboys, and zoologists may be displayed. The terms agricultural show and livestock show are synonymous with the North American terms county fair and state fair, and the UK county show.
Agricultural shows tend to be important events for sharing different agricultural practices or techniques, learning about new technologies or celebrating achievements by producers through competitions.
History
The first known agricultural show was held by Salford Agricultural Society, Lancashire, in 1768.
Events
Since the 19th century, agricultural shows have provided local people with an opportunity to celebrate achievements and enjoy a break from day-to-day routine. With a combination of serious competition and light entertainment, annual shows acknowledged and rewarded the hard work and skill of primary producers and provided a venue for rural families to socialise. City shows also provide city people with an opportunity to engage directly with rural life and food production.
Agriculture shows are often enlivened with competitive events, including sheaf tossing, show jumping, food competitions, and tent pegging. Demolition derbies and rodeos are popular in the United States and campdrafting and wood chopping are often held in Australia.
Studs are generally available for a fee.
Livestock shows
A livestock show is an event where livestock are exhibited and judged on certain phenotypical breed traits as specified by their respective breed standard. Species of livestock that may be shown include pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, horses, rabbits, llamas, and alpacas. Poultry such as chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, and pigeons are also shown competitively. There are also competitive shows for dogs, sheepdogs, and cats.
Prize-winners at agricultural shows are generally awarded inscribed medals, cups, rosettes or ribbons. The National Museum of Australia has a rare collection of medals documenting the history of agricultural shows and rural industries across Australia. The 111 medals range in date from the mid-19th to the early 20th century and many are associated with significant individuals and organizations.
In the United States, agricultural fairs are a significant exposure source for swine influenza.Bowman, A. S., Walia, R. R., Nolting, J. M., Vincent, A. L., Killian, M., Zentkovich, M....Forshey, T. (2017). Influenza A(H3N2) Virus in Swine at Agricultural Fairs and Transmission to Humans, Michigan and Ohio, USA, 2016. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 23(9),1551–1555. Certain strains of swine influenza can be transmitted from pig to pig, pig to human, and human to human; swine influenza infection does not always show signs of illness.
Field days
Related to a show is the "field day", with elements of a trade show for machinery, equipment and skills required for broadacre farming. Field days typically do not involve livestock, show bags or sideshows, but may include events such as ploughing competitions not usually associated with shows due to the larger space required. In some communities in northern England Field Days (or Club Days) have lost their agricultural character and have become community celebrations.
The events are good sources of agricultural information, as organizers can arrange for guest speakers to talk on a range of topics, such as the talk on the yellow-flowering alfalfa at the South Dakota field day.
A Landcare survey conducted in 1992/93 revealed that field days in Australia have a high value among local farmers. New Zealand's National Agricultural Fieldays is held annually in June at Mystery Creek, near Hamilton, New Zealand, and attracts 1,000 exhibitors and over 115,000 visitors through its gates.Fieldays Retrieved on 29 November 2008 Smaller agricultural shows, held annually in New Zealand's towns and communities, are generally called "agricultural and pastoral shows" ("A&P shows").
List of agricultural shows
Asia
China
China International Agrochemical & Crop Protection Exhibition – Shanghai
India
KISAN Fair – Pune, Maharashtra
Japan
Agri Week Tokyo
Malaysia
Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture & Agro-Tourism Exhibition (MAHA) – Serdang, Selangor
Saudi Arabia Mazayen al-Ibl
Taiwan
Asia Agri-Tech Expo & Forum – Taipei
South America Argentina Expoagro – San Nicolás de los Arroyos La Rural – Buenos Aires
Brazil
Agrishow – Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo AgroBrasília – Brasília Bahia Farm Show – Luís Eduardo Magalhães, Bahia Expodireto Cotrijal – Não-Me-Toque, Rio Grande do Sul Expointer – Esteio, Rio Grande do Sul Expozebu – Uberaba, Minas Gerais Megaleite – Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais Show Rural Coopavel – Cascavel, Paraná Tecnoshow Comigo – Rio Verde, Goiás
Colombia
Agroexpo – Bogotá
Oceania New Zealand
Canterbury A&P Show – Christchurch Fieldays – Hamilton National Agricultural Fieldays Royal New Zealand Show
Australia
Incomplete list of shows in Australia:
North America
Canada
Ayer's Cliff Fair – Ayer's Cliff, Quebec Brome Fair – Brome, Quebec Calgary Stampede – Calgary, Alberta Canadian National Exhibition – Toronto, Ontario Canadian Western Agribition – Regina, Saskatchewan Farm Fair – Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Grande Prairie Stompede – Grande Prairie, Alberta Hants County Exhibition – Windsor, Nova Scotia Pacific National Exhibition – Vancouver, British Columbia Royal Agricultural Winter Fair – Toronto, Ontario Royal Manitoba Winter Fair – Brandon, Manitoba Schomberg Fair – Schomberg, Ontario
Jamaica Denbigh Agricultural Show : The Denbigh Show is the oldest, largest and most dynamic agricultural show in the English-speaking Caribbean, and one of Jamaica's most iconic events, and was held for the first time in 1952. The Denbigh Show has achieved the name for the Caribbean's premier agricultural event, and epitomizes wholesome family entertainment and attracts over 80,000 patrons to the event annually.
Mexico
Expo Agroalimentaria Guanajuato – Irapuato, Guanajuato
United States
Africa South Africa Bathurst Agricultural Show – Bathurst Rand Easter Show – Johannesburg The Royal Agricultural Show www.royalshow.co.za – Pietermaritzburg Nampo – Bothaville
Kenya Nairobi international trade fair – Nairobi
Europe
Belgium Agribex – Brussels Interpom Primeurs – Roeselare
Denmark Roskilde Dyrskue – Roskilde, Denmark
Finland OKRA – Oripää, Finland
France Paris International Agricultural Show – Paris Salon international du machinisme agricole – Paris Salon du fromage et des produits laitiers – Paris
Germany
Agritechnica – Hanover Berlin International Green Week (IGW) – Berlin EuroTier – Hanover
Ireland
National Ploughing Championships – various sites Ballinasloe Horse Fair Banagher Horse Fair Clifden Show Tullamore Show
Italy
EIMA International – Bologna
Netherlands
GreenTech Amsterdam
Norway Dyrskun – Seljord Municipality, Norway
Poland
Agro Show – Poznań
Russia
Agrosalon – Moscow YugAgro – Krasnodar
Spain
Agropec – Gijón F.I.M.A. International Fair of Agricultural Machinery – Zaragoza
Turkey
Agroexpo – Izmir
United Kingdom
See also Agritourism Lakeland Shows State fair Trade fair Horse show Royal Windsor Horse Show
References
External links Guide to UK County Shows & Fairs