Agricultural show ‘safe’ despite losses

ORGANISERS of the Henley Show says it is safe despite making a loss on their events for a third year running.

They also revealed that their annual Henley ploughing match is to be relocated for the first time in more than 30 years in a bid to attract more visitors.

The 127th show, which is organised by the Henley & District Agricultural Association, took place at the Henley Showground in Hambleden in September.

The association’s annual meeting, held at Hambleden village hall on Monday, heard that it recorded a deficit of £2,730 with its events last year.

This compared with a deficit of £258 in 2017 and 2016’s record deficit of £9,510 due to poor weather and fewer visitors to the show.

Association treasurer Paul Fairweather said the pedestrian gate on show day last year was about £5,000 down on budget.

He said the association still had about £90,000 in reserves and cash of more than £105,000, so it was “well insulated” against adverse conditions.

Mr Fairweather said: “I think we can feel a lot safer than some of the other shows around the country that are really struggling with their finances.

“We have trimmed our cloth a little bit in the 2019 budget primarily to reduce our expectations on the gate at the show by £5,000.”

Association chairman Andrew Ingram said the show was still a success.

“I think it was a very good show; some people said it was almost the best show they could remember,” he said.

“It’s a great pleasure to go round and see all the committee members in their various marquees and tents doing what they do.”

He singled out the jousting by the Knights of Middle England and the Galapagos tortoises as the highlights.

The meeting heard that the ploughing match will move this year having been held at Bishopsland Farm in Dunsden, which is owned by the Phillimore family, every October except one year when it was held at Shiplake Farm.

It will take place on land next to Ipsden church, which is owned by Vaughan Williams, a former president of the association, on Sunday, October 6.

In 2020 it will be held at Philip Chamberlain’s Crowmarsh Battle Farms.

The association has also scrapped the heavy horse village that is usually held at the event.

Mr Ingram said he hoped that by stageing the match nearer Wallingford it would attract a new audience. He also paid tribute to the association’s outgoing president Simon Stracey, who runs White Pond Farm in Stonor, as well as the volunteers, committee members and sponsors, saying they made the events possible.

Mr Ingram said: “I’ve never had a more proactive and energetic president. It has been an absolute pleasure working with him.”

Mr Stracey has been succeeded by Geoffrey Copas, who manages the Copas Farms Estate based at Hedsor Park Farm at Hedsor in Buckinghamshire.

He said: “I feel very honoured to be asked to be your president.

“The success of the association is down to everyone who gives time, money, services and facilities free of charge. If it wasn’t for you then the association would not survive.

“The most important challenge to our local community is to retain agriculture as the main use of the green belt and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty countryside.” He said farm diversification plans needed to be supported, adding: “Mothballing the countryside is not a way forward.”

His family roots are based in Cookham and his grandchildren are the 10th generation since Richard Copus in the mid-1600s.

The spelling of the family‘s surname changed around 1850.

His grandfather started farming, buying his first 11 acres of land in 1901, and the first land purchased outside Cookham was at Hedsor in 1967.

In the Eighties the family bought Westfield Farm in Medmenham from the McAlpine family.

The business is now run by his two sons, James and Richard, and includes arable farming, two pick-your-own sites and major diversification in the alternative use of farm buildings near to and between the M4 and M40.

This year’s sheepdog trial will take place on Sunday, July 21 and the show on Saturday, September 14, both at the showground in Hambleden.