Egham Royal Show draws crowds (and jams)

Aug 31 2009 By Suzy Talbot

THERE are very few people who think that traffic jams are a good sign.

But for organisers of the Egham Royal Show, the jams around the town were proof that people still love coming to the event.

There was a 50% increase in the number of animals entered into the competition and by the end of the first day, 25% more people had gone through gates than in 2008.

Chairman Andrew York said: "We have had some great publicity and a lot of effort has gone into posters and leaflets. We have also got the real ale this year and that has brought in people who would not normally have come."

For those that came through the gates at Whitehall Lane, there were a number of stalls selling craft items as well as displays by organisations such as the Surrey Ambulance Retirement Association, the Woodgreen Animal Shelter, Surrey Scouts and Egham Residents' Association.

There were a number of giant marquees housing the increasingly popular horticultural show, the live music, the real ale, the model displays and the petting zoo.

There were displays by father and daughter strong team, a family who plunged from on high while on fire, mountain bike display teams, a tumblers trampoline act and birds of prey.

Despite these activities, the show retained the theme it came up with during its beginnings 151 years ago – agriculture and farming.

The centrepiece of the field was the giant arena where farm animals were displayed and Surrey County Council was on hand to teach children how to milk cows.

For many people, visiting the show was something that has been fixed in the calendar for decades.

William Peveridge, 88, used to flatten the ground before the show started and has been coming to the show for more than 50 years.

He said: "I like the show and I think everything that is here is wonderful. People like this sort of family-based event."

But Karen Sharp, from Addlestone, was at the show for the first time after looking for something to entertain her three and a half year old daughter Zara.

She said: "I was chatting to my aunt who suggested I come down. It has been fantastic, a really good day out especially for the kids as it gets them out of the house."

The highlight of the day for the pair was entering their dog Basil into his first dog show.

The dog show was split into two sections, the competitions and the fun obstacle course. The winner of the Scruffts section of the show will go onto the national finals at Earls Court in November.