Beach proves a hit as 139th Lincolnshire Show gets underway

Sixty tonnes of sand was transported from the Lincolnshire coast to the showground for one of its newest attractions – and it quickly got the thumbs-up from families with young children.

Lincolnshire World joined Rosie Crust, head of charities at Lincolnshire Show, at the beach and she explained: “The Lincolnshire Show is about celebrating was is great about our wonderful county and we are so lucky to have the east coast so we wanted to bring the beach here for families to enjoy and build sandcastles.”

She said after the show the sand would be returned to the coast – which we pointed out would probably be a relief to the Environment Agency as they had just invested £7 million on replenishing the beaches as part of the flood defences.

As well as the bringing the beach to the show. Rosie was also in charge of the event’s educational and charities offer. “A lot of people don’t realise that the Lincolnshire Showground is a charity and we aim to promote food, farming and the countryside – so in the schools’ challenge we have 57 schools competing to become schools challenge champions,” she said.

"The schools choose a project – such as food, farming, agriculture, sustainability or community – and have been working on it all year and are presenting to a panel of judges .

"We have livestock tours going around the show. careers training to get secondary schools interested in in the agri food industry, an education marquee providing lots for children to learn about agriculture.”

Also visiting the beach was Coun Colin Davie, Executive Councillor for Economy & Place at Lincolnshire County Council. He welcomed the show’s promotion of the coast, saying the bad weather had resulted in a ‘difficult’ start for businesses.

"We are looking forward to the peak season and August – it’s really important that we get good weather and we have some in the forecast so lets hope that sticks with us until September.

"We need to make sure the message of how great the Lincolnshire Coast is gets out far and wide .

"We need to encourage people – even if it’s just for a day trip or weekend – to visit the coast – the beaches are some of the best in the country and great places to take children.

"Come and enjoy it and spend your money with us.”

Dad Tom Thacker was at the beach with Rupert 3 and Rafferty 2 and commented: “I saw the beach was a new attraction at the show and it’s bigger than I thought. Great quality sand – good for sandcastles and great to keep the kids entertained.”

In the Education Zone, Boston Grammar School was one of many from our area competing in the schools challenge.

Student Damian McNally explained: “We were asked t come up with a project to help stop flooding in farmland so we came up with a design for a flood barriar to help control the flow of water..

"We’ve already had Anglian Water at the school to look at it – it would be great to get them involved.”

Around 60,000 visitors were expected to visit the 270-acre Lincolnshire Showground over the two days.

It featured over 500 exhibitors, with the main focus on agriculture.

Over 2,460 entries compete in its livestock and equine classes. Lincolnshire World caught up with Hayley Williamson from Red House Farm, near Woodhall Spa, who told us she has been preparing her cattle and sheep for the Show since October.

When we met her in the cattle shed she was busy blow drying her exhibits – and keeping her bull from getting a bit too amorous.

Hayley said: “ My cattle have had more baths than I have! This is my third time exhibiting after having visited every year since she was a child.”

2024 has been a landmark year for Cote Hill Cheese near Market Rasen, who are marking 10 years since the company first exhibited at the Lincolnshire Show. The family-run dairy is maturing several cheeses to bring to the Show, including Snowdrop, a small, mould-ripened fresh cheese that was named Supreme Champion at the British Cheese Awards in March.

Co-owner of Cote Hill Cheese, Michael Davenport, said: “We’re making lots of our Cote Hill Blue and Snowdrop cheese especially for the Show and we have others that have been maturing for between three and seven months. We bring plenty of cheese so we never run out during the Show. Financially, it’s very rewarding for us but it’s also about meeting customers and there’s a good social side to it too. Lots of people we meet at the show come to see us another time, so it has a positive impact long after the Show ends each year.”

Also new this year was the Garden Show, where 10 local nurseries displayed most amazing array of colours and creations.

In the floral marquee, Barry Lindley of Sleaford Flower Arrangers was celebrating having been placed fifth with his arrangement featuring British grown flowers and foliage.

"I was here all day before the show doing it. \i’ve been doin the show for many years. I did the big club class three years ago and won first place with it ad we’ve had the most points in the cup.

"Everyone in the club has done really well so we are really pleased.”

In the WI marquee, the Rolling Scones branch from Louth were overall winners with their display.

President Paula Burrett said: "This is a competition that is a combined entry where the WI’s have to present an item of craft, a floral item and an item of cookery – and this year the theme was an Abba Song. We chose Honey Honey, hence the bee theme, and have done this on a living board of turf which can be reused afterwards.

"We’ve won for the past two years so there was also quite a lot of pressure but we are delighted.”

• For more videos from exhibitors in the Lincolnshire World area, visit the Skegness Standard Facebook page/