Bishop Wilton Show celebrates 125th year with new 'Beast' trail run event

“It’s a heavy-duty race,” says local man Ed Hutchinson who has been involved with the show man and boy and was born in the village.

“There’s nothing like it in East Yorkshire. It is being organised by Stuart Smith who lives in the village. I see it is being billed on a runners’ site as lovely descents and steep climbs. I certainly won’t be giving it a go.

Rufus Pilgrim took over as show secretary five years ago and tells of how this year’s show aims to be a celebration of village life.

“We want this year’s show to be even more special. We’re very conscious of the long heritage and we’re also aiming to making this year’s stand out. The big thing we want to emphasise is community, locality and to showcase local people and local artisans.

“We’ve had a national company doing our bars, but this year one of our local pubs, The Gait at Millington, has taken that on. They will be showcasing local beers and spirits. But we also have local food and drink companies, local garden centres and those who sell such as garden furniture.

“Bishop Wilton Show has always been about bringing everyone together from the villages around here as well as Pocklington and Stamford Bridge that are only about four miles away.

While Bishop Wilton’s village location is one of those that visitors always become entranced with, through its village green and the beck, Ed points to the show having always been a focal point wherever it has been held.

“The show is one of a number of things that keep the village community strong and we often find that for people who lived here and have moved away it is time for a homecoming to see old friends.

“I work in agriculture, for farm machinery manufacturers Vaderstad. I’m a show committee member now and have been for a number of years.

“I remember Fishers, who had their agricultural machinery premises here. They played quite a large role in the show many years ago. I went to the show as a little boy and back then it seemed ever so big and I remember getting lost. That was one of my earliest memories. I remember it as a big local event with tractors, stationary engines and show jumping.

“The show has moved around the village quite a lot. For many years it was held in the central field in the middle of village that the council owned, but at just two acres it was then too small a site for what was a big local event at the time.

“In latter years it has been held to the south and east and west of the village, but what it has always retained is that it is a very personal show. The number of people working in agriculture may have changed, but its geography hasn’t and the passion for the show is still there.

Ed says it is all about keeping the show personal and relevant. He’s also the man on the microphone.

“They are its strengths. I interview and talk to people that come and get their stories. It’s all up close and personal. That’s what I think marks us out from the other 50 or so shows in Yorkshire.

“Our constitution states that we be an agricultural educator and even though we have less farmers we are still in an agricultural area. We aim to keep the show relevant to everyone and with an agricultural theme but with other things too, that reflect today.

Rufus is delighted with the way this year’s 125th celebrations are coming along.

“A big thing for us is family and children. We have Rachel Searstone of Pocklington coming with her mobile farm called Purple Pig Company; we have sheep classes that a lot of locals get involved with and young handlers competitions.

“Henry Rowntree, Mick Walker and Bernie Wainwright run the sheep section which does really well considering we’re on the day after the Great Yorkshire has just finished.

“This year we have the return of show jumping in our equine events thanks to Jane Mortimer, Liz Crosby and Kate Betteridge, plus we have heavy horses too.

“We’ve a really great committee at the moment which is nearly 25-strong. I think we’re punching above our weight there.

“Our Show President is Lord Halifax and he is passionate about the show, always extremely supportive. Rob Willoughby has been our chair for the past 10 years and is a force to be reckoned with.

“We also have a real first for us, an aerobatic display team that is all set to appear in the sky for 20 minutes at 3pm.

With free entry for anyone turning up in a classic car or vintage tractor, plenty of involvement for those with dogs and over 300 classes to enter Bishop Wilton Show is looking forward to an entertaining – if not gruelling, if you’re running the Bishop Wilton Beast – 125th anniversary.

“We haven’t forgotten our roots either,” says Ed. “We still have flowers and vegetables classes. They’re still at our core, and even a small garden growing something is a type of farming in its way.