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Atkinson Action Horses are coming to Dorset for the first ever time! Performing twice daily, Ben Atkinson promises to thrill, excite and astonish with his high energy, breath-taking, death defying stun Show!
Power and grace in the dance of dressage and the explosive airs above the ground made famous by the Spanish Riding School of Vienna.
New to the Hill Top Zone – Fun Dog Show! Starting from 11am daily, enter your four legged friend into the Show. Classes include cutest pup, loveliest lady, waggiest tail, best rescue and more!
Watch Beef and Dairy Cattle being judged in the morning, and see the champions parade in the Main Ring. You can walk the Cattle Lines when Judging is not taking place to take a look at these magnificent creatures.
Judging takes place on both days and includes Traditional and Modern Breeds along with a Championship. The Champion Pig of Dorset County Show will take part in the Grand Parade on the Sunday.
Visitors are welcomed into the Pig Marquee after Judging has finished in the Pigs Rings.
From the traditional Dorset Breeds to Rare and Minority Breeds. Judging takes place on both mornings of the Show, and when not in the rings, visitors can walk the Sheep Marquees and meet our woolly friends.
The winning Sheep parade on both days of the Show in the Main Rings Grand Parade.
The Goat Marquee will house over 80 dairy entries annually at the County Show and 2023 will be no exception with more Judging than in previous years!Meet these friendly farm animals in the Goat Marquee, watch them being judged and the winners parade in the Main Ring!
Meet over 50 alpacas! The Halter Show includes judging in both types of Alpacas – the Huacaya and the Suri. There will also be demonstrations and activities across the Show weekend within the Alpaca Section.
Taking place in the new Woodland Area, the Dorset Axemen will be demonstrating the skills of the forester, woodman, timber cutter, before modern-day machinery.
Their display contains all aspects of speed and accuracy chopping and crosscut sawing with razor sharp axes & saws.
Timetable of displays coming soon.
The County Show is all about showing Dorset and the talents within – from the Jurassic Coast to Hardy’s Blackmore Vale.
The new Crafter’s Avenue is set to enthral with by-gone skills as Dorset’s rural history is brought to life by some of the county’s finest crafts people. Enjoy craft demonstrations including basket weaving!
New to the Woodland Area – Have a go at Tomahawk Throwing with Rockley Buddens Activity Centre. This activity is totally free of charge!
In association with the Blacksmiths Guild, visit the Forge to watch blacksmithing demonstrations and even have a go!
The County Show hosts the final of The National Blacksmith Competitions – view the creations and the winners!
These magnificent animals built British Agriculture.
The Heavy Horse sowed the crops in the fields long before the modern farm machinery that surrounds the Main Ring appeared. These stunning horses were bred for the purpose of pulling heavy machinery, working in haulage, forestry and agriculture.
Watch demonstrations on the Saturday and competitions on the Sunday – the Heavy Horses will take part in the Grand Parade of Livestock in the Main Ring on the Sunday afternoon.
Sponsored by:
The speed of the Double Harness Scurry returns to the County Show!
The fast-paced equestrian sport will see a pair of ponies pull a carriage around a course of cones. The cones are topped with a ball, for every ball that is knocked off, a time penalty is incurred. The winner is the one to get around the course in the fastest time with the least penalties. It is thrilling to watch!
Enjoy a Showcase through the ages as the colourful Vintage Tractors of all shapes and sizes take to the Main Ring on both days of the County Show. Always a firm favourite!
The elegant Carriages take to the Main Ring on both days of the County Show. These stunning carriages and their elegant passengers parade as well as being Judged.
The thrilling showjumping encompasses speed and skill.
Don’t miss the Six Bar sponsored by C G Fry & Son Ltd on Saturday and the Accumulator sponsored by Battens Charitable Trust on the Sunday!
Meet the Hounds, Ridden Hunters and more!
Prepare for edu-tainment at its best!
The New Zealand style team of presenters will educate and entertain you on everything Sheep. The superb Show will not only see Sheep dance, yes dance! But will teach you about sheep breeds and their wool.
This live stage Show takes place three times a day over Show weekend – check back or the times.
Usually refereed to by their more common name ‘guinea pig’, the cavy Marquee will host competitions in all breeds of cavy.
Visit the cavies over the Dorset County Show weekend to see them being judged, and the champions named – it may just be the cutest marquee onsite.
A marquee featuring hundreds of green fingered entries. Competitive classes include the tallest sunflower, 6 Hot Chilli Peppers, The Heaviest Pumpkin and so many more!
Want to enter the Horticulture Competitions? Visit the ‘Compete’ Page of the website – entries close on 21 Aug 2023.
Green fingered visitors will be in their element in the Floral Area of the Dorset County Show.
View a colourful sea of flowers and purchase the ones that will suit your garden.
The creative competitions marquee! Featuring classes in Crafts, Cookery, Art, Cake Icing, Decorative Flower Arranging, Handicrafts, Homemade Wines & Cider, Photography and even Scarecows!
With over 10 entries alone in the Victoria Sponge Class, the Homecraft Marquee is filled to the apex with creations!
Get hands on and learn all about where your food comes from. The Fabulous Food & Farming Area offers activities based upon where your food comes from.
You can even have a go on a peddle tractor!
Wool is not only one of the oldest fibres known to mankind, it is also one of the most beneficial.
The Sheep Shearing Area hosts a range of fast paced Shearing competitions. The sheep are shorn by a shearer, for their welfare.
This is a competition not to be missed – it is fast and adrenaline filled!
Watch the farriers forge horseshoes.
The County Show is the end of harvest celebration!
Farmers, join us at the County Show to meet with your Machinery Dealerships, businesses and fellow farmers!
While the Show hosts a range of trade stands and thousands of livestock, there are a number of events taking place for the Agriculture Sector.
Learn all about Bees with hands on demonstrations including candle making and see in the observation hive.
If a Beekeeper you can also enter the competitions.
See the cows being milked at the County Show in the Cattle Area sponsored by HK Law.
How do you get milk for your morning coffee? Watch the morning and afternoon milking for an in-depth demonstration of Dairy Cows being milk – there is even a working sheep dog.
Try and buy delicious treats to enjoy onsite or take home to use in the kitchen. The Food Hall welcomes over 40 Traders including Cheese, Gin, Cider, Fudge, Cakes, Bread, Jam, Scotch Eggs, Gelato, Olives, Wines and so much more!
Celebrating local producers, the Dorset County Show is introducing a new area to the Show to showcase the many Great British treats. The Food & Drink Area gives you the opportunity to purchase delicious foods and drinks to take home to use in the kitchen along with mouth watering foods to eat at the Show. Take in the smells and the atmosphere of this new area by taking a seat under the glorious colourful flags.
Step back in time with the sights and smells of the *NEW* Steam Engine Section of the County Show!
This new stationary steam section features 6 Engines including a working saw bench!
Art unlike any other – watch as a skilled wood carver uses a chainsaw to turn wood into a stunning sculpture across the County Show weekend.
Over £8,000 in prize money!
Jumps from 80cm up to 1.20m open – showjumping takes pure skill and speed to win!
Visit the Showjumping Ring sponsored by Charles Stanley Wealth Managers to watch.
The Rabbits are a part of the Show to not be missed – the marquee is quite the spectacle to see!
Sponsored by:
Head for the hills and enjoy our new Hill Top Area. This features thrillings new attractions – Mounted Pony Club Games and Shetland Pony Racing as well as FunFair. There is also the hilarious Sheep Show!
For the first time at Dorset County Show, visitors will be treated to demonstrations of the ancient art of heavy horse logging. Dorset’s Toby Hoad is one of only 12 heavy horse loggers in the country. See close-up the skill as man and horses work in unison, as they did over 10,000 years ago.
Who will be your rocket pocket pony winner?
Watch Teams of riders with ponies take part in a series of exciting and exhilarating races that involve a mix of turns, handovers, skill, vaulting and galloping against other teams.
The riders require accuracy, agility, concentration , eye coordination, team work and speed!
Sponsored by:
See the falcons fly!
Watch and learn all about the falcons taking to the skies above the Countryside Ring twice on both days of the County Show. These amazing birds of prey are super-speedy flyers who will amaze you with their daring dexterity.
Watch the Gun Dogs in action!
So much more than a game of fetch – watch the skill of a trained gun dog in action as these supremely intelligent animals demonstrate their remarkable retrieval skills.
Who will be the fastest ferret? Watch them race in the Countryside Ring! These speedy little creatures will compete through tunnels and tracks accompanied by hilarious commentary.
