The Royal Norfolk Show opened on Wednesday at the Costessey showground on the outskirts of Norwich as Norfolk sat under an amber extreme heat warning. Organisers moved quickly on water, suncream and animal welfare steps while temperatures in Norwich could reach 32C.
Mark Nicholas, the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association chief executive and Royal Norfolk Show director, said the show had taken measures to protect the safety of visitors and animals. He said, "The vast majority of our exhibitors will still be here, and that is thousands of exhibitors, and we fully understand if there are one or two decisions from exhibitors not to bring their animals."
Costessey showground measures
Visitors could get free drinking water from standpipes and water taps at all toilet blocks. The show, working with Big C, was also providing free suncream at the main gates. Those steps sat alongside the animal-side precautions taken at Costessey on Tuesday, when cows were sprayed down and fans were set up in a cattle shed to keep them cool.
Chris Yeoman, a cattle farmer from East Sussex, arrived earlier with three animals so he could keep them as cool as possible. That kind of timing mattered on a day when the heat was affecting both the people moving through the site and the livestock being shown.
Norfolk Music Hub changes
The weather also changed the event programme. A falconry team said it could no longer attend because of the heat, some riders were not expected to bring their horses, and a performance by children from primary schools staged by the Norfolk Music Hub was cancelled.
Still, Nicholas said the show was going ahead and that only one or two exhibitors were likely to decide against bringing animals. He also said, "We have a no-refund policy for people who have purchased tickets for the show and for whatever reason decide not to come."
The Royal Norfolk Show normally attracts up to 85,000 people over both days, and Nicholas said, "The Royal Norfolk Show is a charitable event and all of the funds raised are reinvested in supporting food, farming and countryside in Norfolk."
For visitors already on site, the practical picture was straightforward: use the water points, use the suncream at the gates, and expect some livestock or performance changes if the heat made them unsafe to stage.
