South of England Show 2008

GLORIOUS sunshine and high attendance figures marked the highly successful three-day South of England Show at Ardingly last week, when the overall theme was a celebration of Food and Farming.

Attendance figures for the three days from Thursday to Saturday were 81,111, several hundred up on last year.

The spotlight was firmly on the best in British agriculture, equestrianism, horticulture, food and drink, country crafts, sports and entertainment, with a strong focus on British food.

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The show was officially opened by its president, the Duke of Norfolk, who told crowds that farming was the backbone of England. He added that food production and sustainability were becoming growing issues.

"It is going to become a global problem," he warned.

He said he was delighted to be president of the show, and to be able to take along two of his own Gloucester Old Spotted pigs to the show's celebration of the South of England Agricultural Society's Year of the Pig.

For three pages of reports and pictures see West Sussex Gazette June 11