Grassland a Success

Glorious sunshine ensured this year’s Grassland UK show was a record-breaking success.

A grand total of 6476 people poured into the show held on farmland next to the Bath & West Showground, at Shepton Mallet, Somerset, on Wednesday (May 10th) for what was heralded to be the best show ever on what proved to be the hottest day of the year so far.

The gate figures were over 1,500 up on the previous event held three years ago in 2003. From the time the gates opened,  visitors – some from as far away as Scotland, Ireland and Wales – streamed steadily into the show to enjoy the wide range of quality trade stands and the spectacular display of machinery demonstrations.

Large crowds packed out the clamp loading demonstrations which ran non-stop throughout the day due to high demand. Visitors also flocked to see the tyre baling demonstration by Thomas and Fontaine and the Ag Bag demonstrated by Kelvin Cave. The seminars organised by the British Grassland Society were packed out with interested visitors and proved to be a very successful addition to the show.

The show site stretched over a vast 100 acres with every activity surrounded by a keenly interested and spectacle-hungry crowd.

This popular triennial show, which was first held in 1985, was organised  by the Royal Bath & West of England Society and sponsored by NatWest, Terra, Masstock and Farmers Weekly.

Said a delighted show organiser Rachael Hann: “I am extremely grateful to the trade stand holders and machinery exhibitors who have worked hard to contribute to the stunning visual impact and varied content of the Show.

“We are indebted to our main sponsors, Masstock, Natwest and Terra Nitrogen (UK) and our media partner Farmers Weekly who have all significantly contributed to the success of Grassland UK.

“The Show relies upon the support of all its sponsors to make the event happen and is also grateful to Wiltshire College Lackham, BPI Agri, Ecosyl, Secure Covers, Silostop and Trident.”

Major national and international companies were represented at the event – many of them taking the opportunity to showcase new products. But amid the mighty machines and state-of-the-art technology also grabbing the headlines was a tiny white flower.

The prestigious NIAB Variety Cup was awarded  to seed breeders Barenbrug UK and AgResearch in New Zealand for developing a highly-acclaimed new variety of clover – Crusader.

In eight years of trials Crusader has proved outstanding in testing systems and on farms over other varieties to improve animal performance and profitability for farmers.

NIAB (the National Institute of Agricultural Botany) only makes the coveted annual award for outstanding achievement in producing new high quality crop varieties that are head and shoulders above the rest.

Said a delighted Paul Johnson, Barenbrug UK managing director: “We joined forces with AgResearch in New Zealand to meet the demand for new and hardier varieties of clover and Crusader is a fine example of this work.  The significant role that white clovers can play in helping UK livestock farmers produce high quality home-grown forage is increasingly being recognised and Crusader will certainly help them achieve their goal.”