THE final countdown is now underway to the 2015 Royal Three Counties Show which opens at the end of this coming week.

The annual three-day spectacular at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern, is the Three Counties Agricultural Society’s signature event and it will once again celebrate the very best of British farming and its rich heritage, alongside artisan food and thrilling family entertainment.

The show opens on Friday (June 12) and runs through to Sunday (June 14) evening and the society’s chief executive, Ken Nottage, said: “This year’s show is set to be bigger and better than ever before. We’ve got some wonderful new additions and also a greatly enhanced livestock area and equestrian ring’.

He added: “The society has worked hard to bring the industry’s finest to the Royal Three Counties Show and we’re hoping for another impressive turn out.”

NEW FOR 2015

• Olympic Gold Medallist Carl Hester MBE will display dressage to music in the Main Arena on Saturday afternoon. 


• A chariot display from top stunt company The Devils Horsemen. Owned and run by the famous Naprous family, The Devils Horsemen have appeared in blockbuster films and famous television roles for many years. Recent examples have included Game of Thrones, Call The Midwife, Downton Abbey, Maleficent, Les Misérables, War Horse and The Kings Speech to name but a few. 


• The Sheep Shearing Test Match, England V Wales. Visitors can see the top English shearers battle it out with pedigree Welsh shearers. World Championship winner and former England captain, Steve Lloyd will Chief Steward the match, bringing to the show his experience from the Golden Shears World Championships. 


• The first ever hound show in the history of the Royal Three Counties Show will take place this year. The Saturday of the show will feature hounds that hunt within the Three Counties of Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, with individual classes for hounds and also beagles. 


• BBC Countryfile star Adam Henson will be appearing on the Friday of the show. Adam will spend part of his time headlining in the new and improved Discovery Zone. Adam will be educating budding farmers on the story of milk and all things dairy at the ‘Discover Dairy’ exhibit. Also in this area will be the famous Sheep Show. A humorous educational live stage show, the Sheep Show features everything anyone ever wanted to know about our woolly friends and we welcome back the incredible dancing sheep! 


• A greatly enhanced livestock area will be presided over by dedicated industry experts: Cattle commentator Clive Davies, Sheep commentator Mark Roberts and Pig commentator Tom Alty. 


• The International Orchid Show will be inviting children and younger visitors to pot their own orchids. In 2014, the International Orchid Show won a Gold Medal at RHS Chelsea Flower Show and will be exhibiting at the Royal Three Counties Show. Together with many international nurseries, The Great British Orchid Society will appear in a 16,000sqft marquee featuring the finest examples in horticulture. 


MAKING A WELCOME RETURN 


• The Main Arena will once again host a Grand Parade of Livestock, thrilling displays from the Parachute Regiment Freefall Team ‘The Red Devils’, agility displays from Paws For Thought, Inter-Hunt relays, showjumping competitions, hot air balloons and much more. 


• The Farming Village will feature extensive national breed shows including traditional and minority categories for cattle, sheep and pigs. The Royal Three Counties Show not only features the largest entry of Beef Cattle, but is also the only show to feature classes for all goats including Boer, Dairy, Angora and Pygmy. Sunday will also see the largest show of National Rare and Minority Breeds supported by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. 


• The British Simmental Cattle Society will hold its national show in the Farming Village. The Royal Three Counties Show is the new home for the society’s National Show for the next three years, along with Murray Grey Cattle Society, Gloucester Cattle Society, British White Cattle Society, British Angora Goat Society, the British Blonde Cattle Society Premier Show and the Beltex English National Show. 


• The Three Counties Food and Drink Pavilion will highlight the finest produce from Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. This will also include a bar selling solely cider, beers, wines and beverages produced within the surrounding counties. The Cookery Theatre featuring local chefs from the surrounding counties, The Royal Three Counties Cheese Show and Cider Show will also take place here. 


• Attracting over 2,800 entries over the three day show, The Equestrian Village will stage many Horse of the Year qualifying rounds. New to this area will be the qualifying for Working Hunter Ponies and the Ridden Part Bred Pony of the Year, alongside a new Classical Ladies Side Saddle Qualifier. 


• The Country Pursuits Village will feature a programme of events including displays of Xtreme Falconry, sheep dogs, Shetland ponies, sovereign quarter horses, greyhounds, lurchers and Cyril the Squirrel Terrier, alongside a vintage tractor parade and ferret racing. Merion Owen and the Quack Pack will bring a lively and interesting duck herding display to the Country Pursuits Village. This area will also be home to ferret welfare, birds of prey, gundogs, air rifle range, owl displays, deer management and much more. 


• Building on the success in 2014, The Sports Village will be a hive of activity. The Young Farmers Tug of War, Action Sports tour, martial arts demonstrations and croquet lessons are just some of the exciting elements to unfold here. England Lacrosse, England Golf, West Bromwich Albion Football and Worcestershire County Cricket clubs will also be in attendance. 


• In The Country Living Village, visitors will enjoy a unique shopping experience featuring an array of items, which are not available on the high street. Boutique homeware items, quirky gifts and unique vintage finds will all be found here. A knitting corner and ‘bitch and stitch’ workshop hosted by Worcestershire Women’s Institute will also be in this area of the show. 


• The Military Village will invite visitors to tackle a 30m climbing wall and also get up close with army tanks and rockets. 


The Royal Three Counties Show will take place from Friday, June 12 until Sunday, June 14 and tickets are now on sale with advanced purchases priced from £16 for Three Counties members, and from £17.50 for non-members.

Family and children's tickets are available and tickets will also be available on the gate. For information on ticket prices and further information on the show, please visit www.threecounties.co.uk/threecounties or call 01684 230128.