Society's Challenge Shield to be presented at Spring Show for the first time in over 50 years
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Plans are forging ahead for this year’s Royal Northern Spring Show later this month at Thainstone, with the event set to include the presentation of a trophy for the first time in more than half a century.
The one-day event hosted by the Royal Northern Agricultural Society on Wednesday, February 28 will see the return of a trophy which was last presented when the Spring Show took place at Aberdeen’s King Links in 1970.
Originally presented in the Border Leicester sheep classes, the Royal Northern Agricultural Society Challenge Shield will now be awarded in the any other native breed of sheep section, which includes the breed.
With horse and sheep entries up year on year, and a host of new and returning sponsors the Royal Northern Spring Show will once again mark the beginning of the year’s agricultural events calendar.
It will be held at the Thainstone Centre headquarters of the ANM Group, one of Scotland’s largest and most progressive producer-owned farming, food and finance businesses.
The one-day showcase will feature an array of trade stands plus competitions which attract some of the best livestock from across the country.
These include a show of exhibition cattle supported by new sponsor JDW Agri Ltd and a show and sale of pedigree bulls hosted by Aberdeen & Northern Marts and sponsored by NorthLink Ferries.
Commenting on plans for the 2024 event, RNAS president Alan Cumming said: “We are delighted that this beautiful trophy has been brought out of retirement in time for this year’s show and we look forward to adding it to the array of trophies, cups and shields which are awarded in recognition of our exhibitors’ hard work.
Junior vice president Brian Ross added: “We hope that the return of this shield to the sheep classes will encourage more entries in this important section of the competition moving forward, and we look forward to it bearing the name of a new winner for the first time in many years.”
