ONE OF Hampshire's biggest summer shows returns today after two years of Covid cancellations.
At least 90,000 spectators are expected to attend the three-day New Forest and Hampshire County Show, which is taking place at New Park, Brockenhurst.
This year's president is the Duchess of Cornwall, but show bosses have confirmed that she will not be attending the event.
Denis Dooley, chief executive of the New Forest Agricultural Show Society (NFASS), said: "We are hopeful she will be able to visit New Park later in the year to see our new education and community projects.
"These are held throughout the year and connect visitors with nature whilst teaching them on the importance of respecting the local habitats. Examples include our Little New Park Ranger Courses that are held for families.
"Throughout the pandemic, the Society became much more educational and now holds events alongside the show."
No reason has been given for the Duchess's decision not to attend the show - the first to be held since 2019.
Previous presidents include the Duchess of Wessex, who held the office in 2016 and visited the first two days of the event.
This year's main attraction will be the equine stars of TV shows such Poldark, Victoria, and Peaky Blinders.
The animals are trained by Atkinson Action Horses, which wowed spectators at the 2018 show with riders performing a raft of gravity-defying stunts.
Other attractions include the Pony Club Mounted Games, the Heavy Horse Musical Drive and the Grand Parade of Livestock.
New for 2022 is the NFU Mutual Farming Experience Zone, which aims to teach visitors about farming with the help of interactive activities and expert talks on farm diversification.
This year's poultry show has been cancelled following the outbreak of bird flu.
The show was due to celebrate its centenary in 2020 but the Covid crisis forced organisers to pull the plug.
Last year's event was also scrapped following a review of the pandemic and the government's "roadmap" out of lockdown.
In a statement issued at the time the NFASS said: "We are very disappointed but will be back with a vengeance in 2022."
A message from the Editor
Thank you for reading this article - we appreciate your support in reading the Daily Echo.
Subscribing to the Echo means you have unrestricted access to the latest news, features and Saints coverage - all with an advertising-light website.
You will also have full access to Saintsplus, your new home for Southampton FC tactical analysis, features and much, much more.
Don't take my word for it - subscribe here to see for yourself.
Follow the latest breaking news in the Southampton area by joining our Facebook group - Southampton News - Breaking News and Incidents
Follow the latest court and crime news on our dedicated Facebook group - Hampshire Court and Crime News
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel