‘Something for everyone’ promised at Keighley Show: your guide to this year's event

A huge range of attractions is lined-up for the annual extravaganza, which takes place at Marley playing fields on Saturday, September 7.

There will be all the traditional agricultural-show classes, including cattle, sheep, pygmy goats and horses, plus showjumping.

A large poultry, bantam, waterfowl and eggs section will feature, as well as horticulture, handicrafts, arts and crafts, and produce.

A small-animal section will include rabbits, guinea pigs and ferrets, plus there’s a fun dog show.

Entries for the dog show are taken between 10am and 10.45am on the day, and for the ferrets up to 10.30am.

Also on the showground will be children’s amusements, pony rides and an array of trade stands, both outdoors and under cover in the craft and local food marquee – together with a licensed bar and catering stands.

A packed programme of entertainment will include Tom Longton and his working sheepdogs.

Lancashire-based Tom trains and works dogs on his farm and is an acclaimed teacher in border collie skills.

He and his dogs have won the prestigious English National Brace title and they compete in annual international team trials.

“At the show Tom will work the animals around an obstacle course and finally into the pen,” said a spokesman.

“The special bond between man and his dog – and their teamwork – is a joy to watch.

“The displays are educational and there are ducks too, which are fun to see!”

There will be ferret and terrier racing.

The City of Bradford Pipe Band will perform, and there will be demonstrations from Yorkshire stonemasons Swales in the Dales – who will display their unique stone-carving techniques using traditional tools – and West Riding Wood Turners.

Fans of vintage vehicles will be catered for with a show of cars courtesy of the Craven Old Wheels Society, and tractors.

Approximate times for attractions in the main ring include 2pm and 3pm, Tom Longton and his sheepdogs; 2.30pm, vintage tractor parade; 3pm, grand raffle draw; 3.30pm, grand parade and trophy presentation, and 4pm, terrier racing.

This year’s show president is Mike Cunningham, who has been the horticulture section secretary for the past 15 years.

He said: “I have been dabbling with dahlias for 25 years, winning my first major award with a single vase of gladiolus in the novice section at Keighley Show in 1995 – aged 51. The judge commented that it was nice to see some young blood!”

Mr Cunningham is also an active committee member of the National Dahlia Society, and secretary of its northern committee. And he is treasurer/secretary of the North of England Dahlia Association.

He hopes the public will turn out in numbers to support this year’s show.

“A huge amount of time and effort goes into organising the event and I’m looking forward to seeing as many visitors as possible to enjoy this great annual family day out,” he added.

The show will also feature the ‘grand raffle’, with tickets on sale all day – for £1 – from a stand adjacent to the public bar.

And auctions will take place towards the end of the afternoon – exhibits in the horticulture section will be sold off at about 4pm, and flower arrangements in the handicraft marquee at around 4.30pm.

Free parking will be available at the playing fields, or visitors can make use of a free vintage bus service – provided by Keighley Bus Museum Trust – which will operate between Hanover Street and the showground, via the railway station.

The first bus will leave Dalton Lane, outside the college, at 10.05am. They will then run regularly throughout the day, until 5.05pm.

The first return bus will depart from the showground at 10.30am, and the last at 5.30pm.

Admission to the show on the day costs £10 for adults, £6 for those aged 60 and over, and £5 for five-to-15-year-olds. Under-fives are admitted free.

But cut-price tickets are available, until September 4, from several outlets across the Keighley area.

People can save £2 on adult tickets and £1 on concessions.

Outlets selling tickets are The Flower Shop, in Bow Street, Keighley; the town’s Morrisons supermarket, in Worth Way, and Sainsbury’s, in Cavendish Street; J Lund Butchers, in Oakworth Road, Keighley; Oakworth Road Post Office; C&L Herd Butchers, in Queens Road, Ingrow; Spar, in Station Road, Haworth, and Twiggs Newsagents & Post Office, at Kirkgate, Silsden. They are also available from the Co-op food stores in Greenside Lane, Cullingworth; School Street, Denholme, and Station Road, Oakworth, and will be obtainable from the Bradford Road, Riddlesden, outlet.

The main show sponsor is Keighley Town Council, but a number of companies are also providing sponsorship.

“We are very grateful for the contributions made by all our sponsors – both large and small,” said the spokesman.

The show society says everything possible is done to ensure the Marley site is fully accessible to visitors with disabilities.

To access the upper level of the showground, disabled drivers will need to display their parking badge to stewards. They will then be directed to a designated parking area, subject to availability.

Wheelchair-accessible toilets will be provided alongside the main toilet block.

The spokesman added: “Whilst the society endeavours to ensure that the whole of the showground is accessible to those with mobility difficulties, or those using wheelchairs or mobility scooters, we cannot guarantee the condition of the field – the natural state of the surface varies from area to area and the field condition can also be affected by adverse weather conditions before or during the show.”

Last year’s show was a record breaker, with an unprecedented £15,500 taken at the gate.

At the Keighley & District Agricultural Show Society annual general meeting earlier this year, chairman William Mitchell thanked everyone for their “continued hard work” in making the show a success.

The roots of the event date back 62 years.

The inaugural Keighley & District Agricultural Show Society event was held in the town’s Victoria Park.

There were 300 classes, with £900 awarded in prize money.

Tickets were 2s if bought in advance, or 2s 6d on the day.

During the week leading up to the event, two show rings and 28 marquees were erected – covering 30,000sqft of the park.

For further information about this year’s event, visit keighleyshow.co.uk.

Alternatively, e-mail secretary@keighleyshow.co.uk or call 07704 766010.