The Farmers Mart Apr-May 2020 - Issue 68 | Page 17

EVENTS 17
• APR/MAY 2020
HEAVY HEARTS BUT THE INEVITABLE
DECISION HAD TO BE MADE
Chris Berry talks with Charles Mills and Nigel Pulling about the cancellation
of this year’s Great Yorkshire Show due to the covonavirus pandemic.
THERE was an air of inevitability as the
county’s centrepiece agricultural show
succumbed to the realism that no this
year’s Great Yorkshire Show had to go.
Show director and farmer himself,
Charles Mills was back on his tractor
when I spoke with him about the
decision.
‘It was with a heavy heart. I am sad for
everyone who looks forward to the show
that celebrates farming and the best of
our wonderful county. The Yorkshire
Agricultural Society and the Great
Yorkshire Show stand for everything that
is good about our part of the world, but
we are talking about people’s lives and it
is vital that we all follow the Government’s
advice and be sensible.’
‘I took the role of show director for
two reasons. Firstly, as my involvement
with the show for nearly 20 years meant
I knew of the dedication from everyone
involved in putting together this fantastic
show. It’s is a tremendous team effort.
Secondly, I saw first hand what it meant
to exhibitors and the team in Harrogate
when the show had to be cancelled due
to torrential rain after the first day in
2012.’
‘Exhibitors and those who helped put
on this marvellous event were in tears, as
I was too. That’s when I recognised how
much the Great Yorkshire Show means
to everyone. I hoped and prayed that
we would never have another occasion
when we would have to call it off, but we
had absolutely no option.’
‘I urge everyone to stay safe during this
time of uncertainty and from my side I
can tell you that when the show is back
Charles Mills, Great
Yorkshire Show Director
we will be doing everything we can to
ensure farming is celebrated even more
than ever before.’
‘The farming community is a vital cog in
the wheel as we all move forward. None
of us know exactly how long it will be
before things can return to normal, but
we know that food will always be needed
and now that the sun is shining we are
back in our fields ensuring that crops will
be harvested in summer.’
And with that, Charles was back under
way in his tractor, near York. Over in
Harrogate, Nigel Pulling, chief executive
of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society was
pragmatic over the decision.
‘With the current coronavirus situation,
it was clearly impossible. We held a
telephone conference call with the seven
trustees, including the chairman Nick
Lane Fox and show director Charles Mills
and there was never any doubt over what
needed to be done.’
‘While ultimately it was an easy deci-
sion to make, we did not take it lightly at
all. Within hours of our meeting the Prime
Minister had officially closed all pubs,
cafés, theatres and entertainment venues
for the foreseeable future and if you can’t
go to the pub then you certainly can’t
host an event that attracts over 130,000
visitors in addition to the exhibitors.’
‘We host many events at the show-
ground and had earlier already had to
call off the Harrogate Flower Show and
cancel many other bookings that were to
take place in the Yorkshire Event Centre
and the Pavilions of Harrogate.’
Nigel, who also presided over two
previous cancellations in 2001, the year
he took up his position; and in the rain
affected show 2012; understands the
challenges that cancellations present
for all agricultural societies and event
organisers, but he is also conscious of the
wider implications for agriculture.
‘The Yorkshire Agricultural Society is
not just about the Great Yorkshire Show.
It is about playing a significant role in the
farming and rural community and we
support in any way we can. Farmers have
had a tough time already this year with
the very wet weather in recent months
ensuring crops that should have been in
the ground were not, and those that were
became ruined, but now the pressure is
on as farmers are expected to produce
food for shop and supermarket shelves.’
‘Fodder, our on-site farm shop, supports
400 local producers and we have intro-
duced a delivery and collection service to
ensure that produce is still available in the
coming weeks during lockdown.’
The Great Yorkshire Show is the figure-
head of the county’s agricultural summer
show season that traditionally begins
with Otley Show in May and ends with
Nidderdale Show in September, taking in
an immense variety of shows in both size
and form from Driffield in the East Riding,
the county’s largest one-day show,
to the likes of the beautiful setting of
Muker Show in Swaledale. The Yorkshire
Agricultural Society helps organise and
run the Yorkshire Federation of Show
Societies.
Nigel Pulling, chief executive of the
Yorkshire Agricultural Society
‘We are very lucky to be in a good
financial position,’ says Nigel. The society
benefitting from a land sale to supermar-
ket company Sainsbury’s some years
ago and from expanding its events base
massively over the past two decades. ‘But
I am concerned for the future of some
of the smaller and medium sized shows
who may face challenging times this year
through any expenses they have already
taken on board and possibly also have no
show. All of the shows play their part in
the huge network of agricultural shows.’
Nigel recalls vividly both of his previous
experiences of the Great Yorkshire Show
being called off.
‘I’d started as chief executive in March
2001, following Robin Keigwin. The
outbreak of Foot & Mouth disease had
just been reported the previous month
and it had come down the valleys and
was close to Harrogate. I recall a feeling
of letting everybody down by having to
cancel the show. Eleven years later the
weather intervened and that was it. This
time it is very different. It is a worldwide
situation and we are mere pawns in
the wider issue. I hope everyone stays
safe and adheres to the Government’s
advice.’
‘We will be back next year – and
hopefully even this year with Countryside
Live in autumn.’