Driffield Show returns to one-day event for 2023 after two-day trial

David Tite is the long-time chief executive of Driffield Agricultural Society and tells of how the decision came about to return to its one-day format.

“We listened to the exhibitors and to the public and we’ve gone back to a one-day show. It was a significant debate. Every single year prior to the pandemic, and for many years, I was being asked why Driffield was not a two-day show?

“The thing is you’ll never know until you try things and coming out of the Covid restrictions we went over two days in 2021 mainly because we were limited on the numbers we could accommodate on the showground at that time through restrictions and it suited us to reach the numbers we needed to maintain the show. It was all part of our Covid response.

“After trying the show again over two days last year the decision was made that the show needs to stay as a good, thoroughbred, one-day agricultural show. There were those among the public who liked two days because it was easier to get around the show, but there were others, including the tradestands that enjoyed the hustle and bustle of one full day. We had a very sensible pragmatic conversation at committee level and it was decided it was more important that we maintain the standard of the show as one-day show.

“We like that title of the largest one day show in the UK and that reputation we have always had for putting on a first-class event.

“Driffield Show is also traditionally the day before cereal harvest starts in this area and so all the gleaming, sparkling clean combine harvesters and other fantastic harvesting equipment we have on the show site are all in the fields ready to start work the next morning, rather than being here for two show days.

“As a forward-thinking agricultural society we want to present high quality, high impact events, such as our excellent annual Education Day and our recently launched and destined to be annual Countryside Careers Evening.

Chris Byass farms at Lund, has been involved with the show for around 45 years and is the current deputy president of Driffield Agricultural Society.

“My uncle David Byass used to have a role selling member’s tickets and I took over from him before moving on to being a sheep steward for quite a few years. I’d been a kind of floating steward, doing whatever wanted doing, for some years before taking on the roles of vice chairman and chairman. In more recent times my main job has been stewarding the parking up of livestock handlers’ trailers in an orderly manner. I’m usually finished with that by 9 o’clock in the morning.

“Coming out of the pandemic we held the show over two days and it worked really well. We decided to hold it over two days again last year, but after much consideration with everyone we’ve gone back to one day this year and we are all very much looking forward to it once again.

Driffield Show looks almost certain to regain its title as the UK’s largest one day agricultural show if its entries and attractions are anything to go by.

“Our sheep entries are already at an all-time high of over 600,” says David. “Our cattle numbers look likely to surpass where we were at pre-Covid and our pig entries are looking very strong.

“We are delighted to welcome back both the farrier competition and the UK Fencing Competition for the first time since the pandemic. Ben Walton of the Fencing News magazine has been a long-standing supporter of Driffield Show and this will be the 11th year of the national competition that sees entries from as far as Devon and Scotland.

“While our Grand Parade is a highlight for everyone, particularly the agricultural community, we will also have the return of the Dancing Diggers in the main ring twice during the day. They came to us last in 2009 and it has taken us this long to be able to get them back. The main ring will also see our showjumping, horse and pony classes and of course those gentle giants the heavy horses.

Driffield Agricultural Society made a major investment in its facilities with the Rix Pavilion that hosts many events during the year and David says that it will be back hosting one of the major events at the showground on show day.

“Our Food Theatre is back in the Rix Pavilion; our Food Zone has nearly 50 stalls and has a festival-like feel with the Excelsior Band from Bridlington playing on the bandstand; our Horticulture & Handicraft classes are back in large open space marquees; our countryside arena with gundogs and sheepdogs; wildlife area including demonstrations around the pond and our agricultural machinery demonstration ring where 11 pieces of kit will be in action during the morning and a further 11 in the afternoon.

“We introduced this last year and it is all down to local suppliers running the farm machinery with panels open. Most of the time people can only see what goes on in a field from say 200 metres away. With this demonstration we are bring education to those who come to the show and there is time to ask what each machine does and what it is used for.

“This kind of thing, plus our Countryside Careers Evening last year are very important to us at Driffield Agricultural Society.

“All of the businesses that took part in that event had connections with either agriculture, farming and food and that is another example of us putting on events that relate to this area. We had anticipated it would be about helping young people make careers choices, but it went much further. One father who came decided he would change his career while attending.

Driffield Show is back! And it’s returning with royal backing as HRH Duchess of Edinburgh has taken on the role of show president and will be in attendance.

“We are honoured to have the Duchess with us,” says David. “It is an acknowledgement of what we did during Covid, giving the site over to Covid testing and food banks and working with council. Now. Let’s get this title back!