Show History

Usk Show

By the early 1800's or even earlier farmers were forming Societies to promote the science of crop husbandry and animal breeding, and one of these was the Usk Farmers' Club – founded in 1848 by a group of "leading Agriculturalists" as the minute book records.

Its earliest event was a ploughing match. These were popular competitions and social occasions to demonstrate the necessary skills.  In time these were expanded to include classes for the crops so produced, particularly root crops.  A natural progression was to include competitions for farm animals, and before long the ladies of the house thought their domestic skills were worthy of demonstration. Such gatherings became popular social occasions where friends met and even argued over the exhibits and the judges conclusions.
Success bred success and the days entertainment widened out to cover the equine world, which in those early days included horses for heavy and light haulage in town, country and underground in the mines; as well as the hunters and ponies with which we are familiar today.  The skills of their riders as well as their breeders generated fierce competition and entertainment for both competitors and onlookers.

The Show had many ups and downs over the years, some good years and some not so good. There were many venues, but after the Second World War, the annual gathering continued at Llancayo Farm, owned by the Williams family. After many successful Shows, good things come to an end and when Mr Evan Williams retired, the venue moved to Trostrey Court in 1984, which incidentally had been one of the three original sites on the 1850's.  The Show was growing every year, and after five years fortunately for the organisers before they had outstayed their welcome, a replacement was on offer by our Patron, Lord Raglan. The new site at Cefn Tilla had all the virtues of Llancayo  plus even better access, being close to the A449. We have now been at the present site at Gwernesney since 1989 and were able to purchase the land early into the new millennium.

Agricultural Shows are very much at the mercy of the weather and organisers have a budget for the good and bad years.  As they increasingly become entertainment for the town dwellers as well, so programmes have had to be widened to provide the great variety nowadays on offer. So Usk Show now includes arena events, horticulture and homecraft displays, a dog show, demonstrations of rural crafts and vintage machinery, exhibitions of poultry, cage birds and rabbits, and a leading display of steam and other models. There are numerous Trade Stands of all shapes and sizes, displaying Food, Crafts, Agricultural supplies, gifts and clothes - which together make a colourful spectacle in a most attractive easily reached setting. We now have a 125 acre Showground, which the Club became owners of in 2002, thus sealing 160 years of progress.
This variety of entertainment ensured that despite having to cancel its cattle, sheep and goat classes in 2007 because of the Foot and Mouth scare, it remained a great day out and still a profitable one for the organizers, a band of volunteers  without equal.
As many visitors testify, there's no better way of enjoying the second Saturday in September –   come and join us.

Peter Rennie
President
Usk Farmers' Club