Ground sodden from several days of heavy rain, with more forecast, has forced the postponement of this year’s Liskeard & District Show just a week before the event.
At a meeting on the showground between stewards, judges and other officials it was unanimously agreed that due to the weather conditions – and the impending threat of more heavy rain – the ground simply could not take the vehicles or livestock movement and the show, scheduled for July 14, would be postponed until September 8.
Heavy rain is forecast for today, and though it is easing tomorrow, the regional forecast for next week is not encouraging. Met Office forecasts for every day through to Thursday evening are for very unsettled weather in the South West, with some outbreaks of heavy rain.
Liskeard Show, the traditional and popular start of the one-day local showing season in Cornwall, with most fixtures scheduled for July, is held on farmland at Merrymeet, and organisers are always aware the showground has to be returned to agricultural use for the rest of the year.
In 109 years the show has only been cancelled once, and that was due to the foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2001.
Jane Pascoe, one of the show’s secretaries, explained: “The decision to postpone the show was taken following the landowners’ recommendation, and as always we are very appreciative to them for allowing the association to use their land. The committee was more than pleased to oblige and the members fully understood and appreciated the reasons.”
She added: “There have been many changes to the show site and we are looking forward to an exciting event.
There are a record number of cattle, sheep and horse entries this year and the committee is hopeful that the exhibitors, competitors and spectators will support them on the new date.”
Mrs Pascoe said all exhibitors, competitors and trade stands would be offered transfers to the new date, or, if they wished to cancel because of other commitments, they would be given a full refund.
Entries for all the classes at the show will open again and more schedules will be printed and distributed, with a closing date of entry for some time in mid-August.
The Liskeard Show heralds the start of the show season in Cornwall, with the largest at Stithians, one of the largest one-day shows in England, scheduled for July 16, Camborne for July 21, and Launceston for July 26 – and all are still on schedule to take place.
Organisers of the annual Praze Fair Show, at Praze-an-Beeble, near Camborne, also listed for next Saturday, are meeting on Monday night to decide whether to go ahead or cancel the event for this year.
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