THE ROYAL Smithfield Club plans to support several countrywide events following its decision to stop its 'live' show in Peterborough.

The club, which used to organise the London-based Royal Smithfield Show, in Earls Court, has strong ties to the meat trade and as well as supporting some of the live championships, it will sponsor shows of beef ribs and saddles of lamb at forthcoming events. It is also holding a separate class for Wagyu beef ribs.

First, it will support the Countryside Live event at the Great Yorkshire showground, in Harrogate. Some of its famous silverware will be up for grabs for the beef and sheep champions, beef ribs and saddle of lamb contests and as well as the new Wagyu class.

The club also plans with the show organisers, to have a blind tasting of Wagyu against traditional beef in the cookery theatre.

Also this year, on November 8, it will support the live championships and the ribs and rack of lamb classes at Agrifest South-west, at the Devon County showground, in Exeter, where again some of its famous silverware will be up for grabs.

For 2018, the club is in discussion to expand this to include similar competitions at the LiveScot event, in Lanark, and the Welsh Winter Fair, in Built Wells.

The Royal Smithfield Club was founded in 1798, achieving Royal status in 1960. Geoff Burgess is its long-serving secretary and the current president is Dumfries-shire's Neil Gourlay, with William Bedell as chairman.