Pdfthe Journal 2018
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2018/2019 www.bathandwest.com We have made great strides in driving the organisation onward and upward” Welcome RUPERT COX CHIEF EXECUTIVE Contents Welcome 2 President 4 FRONT COVER: Chairman’s Review 5 Sheep Shearing ©Andrew Gorman Chief Executive’s Report 8 Oxford Sandy & Black Pig ©Andrew Gorman RASC Conference 2018 11 Otter Hounds ©Shannon D’Arcy Field to Food 12 Show Jumping in Ring 2 As Brexit continues to dominate the headlines but fails to ©Andrew Gorman Grassland UK 14 deliver clarity it has been a confusing year for farmers all HON. EDITOR: round the country. We have also had our first Agriculture Bill The man who changed Rupert Uloth since 1947, where food production remains fundamental but Somerset forever 16 MANAGING EDITOR: environmental protection is increasingly relevant – weather Change at the Society Library 18 Paul Hooper OBE is undeniably following more extreme patterns. In this latest The Royal Bath & West Show 20 CO-ORDINATING EDITORS: Journal you will read how the Society is implementing Zoë Purcell & Rachel Freestone exciting changes and improvements to adapt to this new The Man with the Mike 23 world and how our history will be a guide to innovation. DESIGNED BY: Champions 2018 24 Caroline Curran Design We are a Society founded on the principles of improving www.carolinecurran.co.uk agriculture, manufacturing, commerce and the arts and Stewards Q&A 28 PRINTED BY: showcasing these to as wide an audience as How a great breed was born 30 Zenith Media possible remains our core purpose. The Dairy Show 32 RUPERT ULOTH HON. EDITOR Dairy Industry Vet of the Future 34 Rural Enterprise Centre 36 Restaurant Development 38 Insects could be a food of the future 39 Charity Number: 1039397 Bath & West Enterprises 40 Company Number: 02931640 WPD-sponsored competition is a resounding success 42 The Bath & West Showground Shepton Mallet Society Trustees 43 Somerset BA4 6QN Phone: 01749 822200 Stewards & Officials 44 Email: [email protected] Sponsors 51 www.bathandwest.com Interhunt Relay Competitor 2 JOURNAL 2018/2019 www.bathandwest.com www.bathandwest.com JOURNAL 2018/2019 3 ROBERT DREWETT DL CHAIRMAN Mary has achieved so much in her year and we are grateful This was a year of highs and lows but with increasing involvement from to her and the Directors for their guidance and support.” younger members and a full programme of projects and activities ahead, THE EARL AND COUNTESS BATHURST JOINT PRESIDENTS prospects look look positive explains Society Chairman, Robert Drewett DL The Royal Bath & West of England Society Presidents for 2018/2019: Chairman’s Review The Earl and Countess Bathurst aking up the baton from outgoing he highs included completion of president, Mrs Mary Prior CVO I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE the Rural Enterprise Centre, a visit MBE, The Earl and Countess were from our Vice Patron, a successful sworn in at a meeting of the Society ROYAL BATH & WEST SOCIETY Grassland UK and Dairy Show, a CouncilT at the Bath & West Showground on WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE Tvery well-presented Main Show and the Thursday, 26 July 2018. OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP, exciting decision to refurbish and expand The Bathursts’ estate at Cirencester Park the current restaurant on site. is approximately 15,000 acres and has HELP AND GUIDANCE WHICH Against this was a disappointing been in the family since 1695. Activities on WILL BE OF ENORMOUS VALUE. attendance at the Main Show and the the estate include the historic Cirencester decision of New Wine, after more than Park Polo Club, Tennis Club, Cricket Club, MRS MARY PRIOR CVO MBE 20 years with us, to move elsewhere in Caravan Club, deer stalking, dog agility 2019 for their annual gathering. Both of competitions and the Cotswold Show. these factors present challenges on the Lord Bathurst farms in house more than finance front, but we are confident that 5,000 acres, as well as a 900 Holstein Lord Bathurst is President of the these issues are short term in nature and Friesian dairy herd at the neighbouring Gloucestershire Farming and Wildlife that the outlook remains positive. Kemble Farms. There are numerous Advisory Group, Cirencester Male Voice The completion of the Rural Enterprise residential and commercial properties on Choir, Cirencester Hospital League of now sits as a Vice President of the same Centre was a significant step forward in the Estate and Lady Bathurst personally Friends and The Gloucestershire Wooden institution. He is particularly fond of his the Society’s ambition to ensure it fulfils runs the successful Bathurst Estate Holiday Spoon Society, amongst many other herd of Gloucester cattle and takes pride in its charitable objective of supporting Cottages. Future plans also include the charities and projects. He is a past governor finding the time every day to check on and rural enterprise. The old offices have sensitive development of 2,350 houses. of the Royal Agricultural University and feed them, he says it gives him the chance been transformed into a modern working to get out and see the Estate rather than environment with a range of spaces remaining permanently tied to his desk. available for use. These are complemented Lady Bathurst served as High Sheriff by the test kitchen that we have installed Main Lawn Entertainment of Gloucestershire in 2016/2017 and is and which we hope will allow small local patron or president of numerous local food producers to be able to develop their charities across the County, including products without the need to invest in condition for the day, but all came together Lilian Faithfull Homes, Salter’s Hill, Great expensive equipment themselves. THE COMPLETION OF THE well and the feedback from those that Western Air Ambulance Charity and SARA The Centre was officially opened by our RURAL ENTERPRISE CENTRE attended was very positive. Rescue (Severn Area Rescue Association). President, Mary Prior, in January and we WAS A SIGNIFICANT STEP Grassland UK was the start of the first She still remains closely involved with were fortunate to be able to welcome our period of sustained warm weather of the Gloucestershire Constabulary and supports Vice Patron to the building in March. Her FORWARD IN THE SOCIETY’S year, which lasted through the remainder them in as many ways as possible. As well initial reaction, on entering the building AMBITION TO ENSURE IT of May. Unhelpfully this came to an end as supporting her husband in maintaining from its new entrance, of “Wow!” was FULFILS ITS CHARITABLE just before the start of the Main Show the Estate for future generations, her other testament to the vision of the design and the and undoubtedly the rather negative passions include her little horse box coffee quality of the fit out that has been achieved. OBJECTIVE OF SUPPORTING forecasts, after a period of fine weather, shop ‘Beano in the Park’, her dogs and the Emma Corr, our newly appointed RURAL ENTERPRISE. put some people off attending. This was countryside. manager of the building, is working hard a shame as the Show itself was one of Looking forward to their year in office, with our Chief Executive to ensure that we the best presented for many years, and the Earl and Countess said: ‘We feel hugely make full use of the building and ensure those who did attend were very positive privileged to be serving as joint presidents strong occupancy rates and to date the by all the main manufacturers and a good in their feedback. The fall in numbers has of the Royal Bath & West Show. Remaining take up has been very encouraging. crowd, but with contractors keen to get made us look hard at the way in which we old friends of the Society, we have great It was our turn this year to host Grassland going on the silage, after some wet weather, market the Show and in 2019 a different, admiration for everything they have UK and David Sedgman and his team laid some of these were absent. There had been more targeted, approach will be adopted. Countess Bathurst, Mary Prior CVO MBE and Earl Bathurst achieved.’ on a first-rate show. This was well attended some issues in getting the grass in optimum We also recognise that, faced with a 4 JOURNAL 2018/2019 www.bathandwest.com www.bathandwest.com JOURNAL 2018/2019 5 500 SEATS NEXT GENERATION The decision has been made to convert the existing cheese I have asked Will Hyde to form and chair a Next Generation hall on the ground floor into a new 500 seat restaurant. Committee to help the Board identify and react to the challenges that lie ahead. prepared to self-fund their attendance at with her husband John, took a very keen the Conference. This year Will Hyde was interest in all that the Society did during acting as one of the two Next Generation her year in office, and was a regular visitor conveners, and by all accounts did a to the Showground. She was without fail fantastic job. He was ably supported by always enormously enthusiastic about all BMX stunts in the Sports Area Emily Craven and Will Streatfeild, returning aspects of our operations and no one who delegates, and by our two scholars, Sam met her could have failed to be charmed by memorial service at the end of August Tincknell and Victoria Look. her. She and John were tireless during the was held at Ottery St Mary in the church The conference itself was focussed on four days of the Show and attended endless where he and Carey married, and the Farriers working in unison Connecting the World through Food, and functions and meals without any complaint.