Considered to be the cornerstone of the Worcestershire rural calendar, and celebrating its 79th annual event, the Hanbury Countryside Show takes place on the first Saturday in July every year at Park Hall Farm. The venue is only a few miles from the picturesque Worcestershire village of Inkberrow, widely considered to be the real-life inspiration for the fictional village of Ambridge in BBC Radio Four’s long-running soap opera The Archers.

The roots of the show actually date back to the Hanbury Horticultural Society in 1902. However, in 1947, a modest horse, horticultural and gymkhana took place, which has evolved into the current impressive event.

This year, the show attracted approximately 14,000 to 15,000 visitors, and drew over 1,500 exhibitors and upwards of 200 trade stands. It really is a celebration of rural life, and offers a fun-filled family - and dog - friendly day out in the beautiful English countryside.

Getting this number of people down a myriad of small roads and country lanes is in itself similar to a military operation! The system worked well, though, with lanes turned into one-way systems for the day, and friendly, helpful stewards ensuring cars were parked efficiently. I was really pleased not to be sat in long queues both arriving at, and leaving, the event!

The Main Arena offered a wide range of entertainment. My friend and I particularly enjoyed watching show-jumping events, falconry and the very exciting AVT stunt show by the Kangaroo Kid (Sam Coulter, supported by his brother, James). Perhaps my favourite of the whole show was the majestic parade of heavy horses, complete with beautiful braiding.

The showground is easy to navigate thanks to signposts and the availability of a map. Although I’m pretty sure we explored every area, we sadly missed the tug-of-war and couldn't find the Fair Organ. Even so, there was plenty else with which to engage, and it simply wasn’t possible to see and do everything.

We stopped off at the bandstand specifically to listen to the Ballard Singers - a ladies choir from Inkberrow, whose delightful harmonies were sometimes drowned out by the noisy tractor-pulling nearby.  The bandstand boasted a great line-up of live music throughout the day, including contributions from Coral Knapp, an acoustic guitarist and singer, who we briefly caught later on.

Grateful for comfortable footwear, we certainly got our steps in, weaving through the many spectators and stopping off to watch the farriery competition and the sheep shearing. The show features a vast variety of farm animals, including alpacas. 

We particularly enjoyed the display of steam traction engines and impressively maintained historical vehicles. There were plenty of interesting craft and retail stalls too, as well as food & drink options to cater for every palate.

Leaving the show, my friend and I agreed that it was a shame, given the amount of effort that goes into organising the event, that it was only on for a single day. Still, one day’s better than no show at all, and it’s definitely an experience worth checking out next year if you haven’t been before. Not only will you get to enjoy a really varied celebration of rural life, you’ll also be supporting Midlands Air Ambulance and the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, the latter of which is a long-established charity dedicated to providing practical, financial and emotional support to the farming community across England and Wales.