ANGUS NEISH dared to hope that his fine-looking cattle, bred at Rodmead Farm in Wiltshire, could nab a prize at the Royal Bath and West Show on June 3rd. The annual fair, held near Shepton Mallet, in Somerset, is England’s oldest—and grandest. As well as a fiercely competitive livestock parade, it features Morris dancing, sheep-shearing and a vintage fairground. Its pony-chariot races, meanwhile, are second-to-none. Many contestants on a recent afternoon had first given generous custom at the nearby cider tent. They performed vigorously before a large crowd.

Britons love a fair. Thanks in part to sunny weather, 100,000 turned out for some of the three-day show. No one is sure exactly how many fairs there are, but at least 400 days of such rural events happen annually. A parliamentary briefing last year suggested that roughly one-in-ten Britons attend them each year. It appears their popularity is rising. Events that sell out all their tickets, as happened at the Great Yorkshire Show last year, could become more common.

This weekend it is the turn of the Royal Highland Show, near Edinburgh, where more than 200,000 people—so probably surpassing a record set in 2019—are expected. They have a noticeable local impact, delivering a regular economic lift at the end of June each year. By one estimate the event last year boosted the local economy by almost £40m ($51m).

What is the attraction? Nostalgia is evidently a big draw. At Bath and West, as bunting flapped, the visitors formed orderly queues, bought cream teas and listened to a military band that played wartime hits. But rural shows also have a purpose, even beyond sending visitors into cider or whisky tents. Many fairs were founded in the 18th or 19th century to spread knowledge of new farming technology among rural populations. Some of that mission continues. For the likes of Mr Neish, the 600 trade stalls offered at least as much interest as any Morris dancing.

A secondary goal is to better educate urban visitors, who make up a decent share of those who turn up. Some consumers also come armed with formidable knowledge of food supply chains—as well as sometimes complicated personal preferences for organic, local, animal-friendly, vegan, fair-trade and environmentally sound products. Laura Williams, of the Royal Welsh Show, notes that visitors these days are “much more invested in farming and interested in where their food comes from” than in years gone past.

A last purpose, naturally, is to let farmers excel against their rivals in friendly competition. In this respect Mr Neish enjoyed an udderly successful day. In a first for Bath and West, his cattle scooped all four of the top prizes on offer in their categories. Such victories do not bring immediate, large financial rewards, but could give a big boost to the reputation of his breeding programme. “It’s a great way for me to advertise,” he says, grinning. ■

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