A Shire horse will be visiting Newark Farmers Market on Saturday 5^th March as part of the promotion of the world’s largest gathering of Shire horses which is taking place at Newark Showground the following weekend.

Shire horse Brigadier and horseman Nicholas Carter from Hook Norton Brewery in Oxfordshire will be welcomed to the town by Newark Mayor Councillor Lisa Geary.

The visit has been organised ahead of the Shire Horse National Show, which is being held at Newark Showground 12^th and 13^th March.

The two-day event is being staged for the first time in Nottinghamshire and is the perfect place to see the gentle giants of the horse world in all their finery.

Open to spectators as well as competitors, it’s the opportunity to watch stunning Shire horses being put through their paces in the ring - in hand, in harness and ridden.

Secretary of the Shire Horse Society and Show Director Victoria Clayton said: “After not being able to hold our show in 2020 and 2021, we are so looking forward to once again running our flagship event, which attracts horses from across the UK. The Shire Horse Show is believed to be one of the oldest, almost continuous horse shows in the world, having been held for the first time at the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington, London, in 1878, when the charity was named the English Cart Horse Society. More than 140 years later, we’re excited to be heading to Nottinghamshire for the first time for our 2022 show.”

Three-year-old Brigadier will be competing for the first time at the National Shire Horse Show in the new-comers class and the three-year-old gelding class.

He will be at Newark Farmers Market in Newark Market Place 11am to 1.30pm, meeting the Newark Mayor Councillor Lisa Geary at 12.30pm.

Victoria Clayton added: “We are delighted that the Mayor of Newark Councillor Lisa Geary is going to welcome the Shire Horse Society and its members to the town, and we look forward to seeing local people at our event at Newark Showground on 12^th and 13^th March.

“The Shire horse has a very important place in the history of Great Britain, yet only a few decades ago the breed was in danger of dying out. Thankfully it has experienced a resurgence in recent years, but it is still on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust’s endangered breed list, with fewer than 300 pedigree Shire horse foals born in the UK every year. As the only charity dedicated to the protection, promotion and improvement of the Shire horse, The Shire Horse Society relies on public support for our funding. Our National Show is our flagship event, and we hope that spectators will support us by buying tickets to join us.”

The show also features trade stands, stalls and entertainment, including a vintage tractor display by members of the Nottinghamshire branch of the National Vintage Tractor and Engine Club. It opens at 9am on Saturday 12^th March and Sunday 13^th March.

Tickets are discounted in advance, with children gaining free admission on Sunday 13^th March when accompanied by a paying adult. Adult tickets are £10 in advance, £12 on the gate. Children’s tickets (aged 5-13) are £8 in advance, £10 on the gate. A family ticket (two adults and two children) is £32 in advance and £40 on the gate. Children under five are free. Car parking is £2 per car, payable on the day only.

For more information about the Shire Horse Society and the show, visit www.shire-horse.org.uk

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