With new classes and free entry, the Royal Highland Winter Fair is gearing up to meet the challenges that face the winter show circuit in a positive and pro-active manner.

Given that the Royal Smithfield Club’s AgriLive Show had to be cancelled – though the show classes were subsequently re-scheduled to Peterborough, last week – the Scottish event has been innovative in trying to ensure its continuation. Attracting more sponsors for the event has been a key issue and many new backers have come on board, especially the headline sponsor, Scot Proteins, a company run by well-known stock breeder, Danny Sawrij.

Three years ago, the Scottish National Fat Stock Club joined forces with the Royal Highland Agricultural Society for Scotland to create a stronger, more pro-active organisation to run the Winter Fair. Gavin Scott, president of SNFSC, points out: “The key to surviving in these challenging times is to change and adapt. We feel we have done that and the formula has proved successful, with the show going from strength to strength and the initial aim of offering free entry achieved this year.”

Part of that innovation is down to demand from some of the English exhibitors and a new class for North of England Mules has been introduced, sponsored by the North of England Mule Sheep Association.

There is also now a class for hay, which also been introduced to the produce section, alongside wrapped and pit silage, sponsored by John Watson Seeds.

Also in the produce section, John Galbraith and Son are supporting a Young Farmers’ grain competition. Sandy Galbraith comments: “We want to encourage more young people to get involved with showing grain, so we have introduced four classes with only small samples of 2kg, to get them started.” Entry fees for this section are only £6, with nearly £270 prize money on offer.

The stockjudging competition at this year’s Winter Fair is also being given a much higher profile. Sponsored by Galloway and MacLeod, contestants will judge the cattle and sheep in Ring 2 at 1pm, instead of in their pens. The team and individual competitions are open to Young Farmer members, young auctioneers and also members of any other agricultural club or organisation, such as breed societies.

This year there will also be an open competition and entry only costs £5 on the day and there will be no need to give reasons.

Biggar-based animal feed company, Roadhead Farm Feeds sponsors the supreme cattle championship to the tune of £1000 cash for the winner – who also gets the prestigious King George V Challenge Cup – while the reserve receives a £500 cash prize.

Penrith and District Farmers’ Mart are sponsoring the supreme butchers’ cattle champion, while the sheep championships are sponsored by Blairgowrie-based farm and commercial building specialist company, Algo.

Sheep entries for this year’s Winter Fair are well up on the year at 158 pens, compared to 121 in 2009. This has been helped by the new North of England Mules class, which has attracted 14 pens of lambs, however it is the Swaledale class which has the most entries at 18. Butchers lambs are led by the Beltex classes sponsored by John Scott Meat (Paisley) with 25 in two classes.

Caledonian Marts’ commercial calf classes have attracted 48 entries this year, with calves coming from all over the country. In the open cattle, entries are down by six on the year but the show has attracted a number of new exhibitors from the south and there is a lorry load of show cattle coming from Wales.

There are 123 entries in the open cattle section and Limousin crosses are, as always, the most popular with 35 steers entered and 30 heifers. A show of 60 pairs of butchers cattle are backed by 11 single entries.

Gavin Scott, Gateside, Linlithgow, added: “It is encouraging to see the support the Winter Fair continues to enjoy from both sponsors and exhibitors and we are looking forward to a great show of cattle and sheep, both at Stirling and Edinburgh.”