Stunt teams, livestock parade and more - Party time as Minsterley Show celebrates 150 years

Promising a day full of family fun for all, this year’s Minsterley Show also marks the celebrated event’s 150th anniversary.

Taking place on Saturday (August 16), the 2025 show will feature a variety of entertainment. From the Stannage Stunt Team to a grand parade of prize-winning livestock and the show’s annual horse championships, this year’s event guarantees the fun and frolics for which it has been known for a century-and-a-half, and organisers are very excited to celebrate the show’s huge milestone with all in attendance.

“It’s our second year on our new site,” said show society chairman, Tom Sellers. “The first year on the new site was the best show on the books – the best show that we’ve ever had. But we’ve made some changes to hopefully make this year’s show even better. We’ve got about 30 to 40 more trade stands than we did last year, and we’ve tweaked things to make access to the event smoother.

“We’re hoping that it’s going to be a really well-supported show.”

Over 150 years, the Minsterley Show has, of course, fashioned a wonderful history of its own.

In 1875, the people of Minsterley decided to have their own show and so formed the Minsterley & District Horticultural & Athletic Sports Society. The rules of the society state ‘That the object of this society shall be to improve the cultivation, neatness, productiveness, and arrangement of gardens in the neighbourhood, by means of prizes; also to provide a day of amusement for the inhabitants of the district’, and so in those early days the show consisted largely of a horticultural competition in which local gardens were judged. There was also a prize for the best school garden plot. 

“There were many classes for vegetables and also eggs and dressed poultry and for farmers, for mangolds and swedes,” said Tom. “Children’s classes included a collection of wild flowers and the best nightdress made in the school. 

“On show day, one of the greatest attractions was the horse racing and this was well supported by miners from Snailbeach and surrounding areas for whom it was the big event of the year.”

The earliest schedule the committee have is dated 1906, and states that the show’s patron was the Marquis of Bath, its president was W Clive Bridgeman Esq and its chairman was Thomas Hutton Esq, who, amazingly, was chairman of the show for 40 years. 

The show carried on through the First World War and the 1919 show saw a record attendance of 2,383. 

“The horticultural section was staged in the Parish Hall and the fields behind the hall were the showground for cattle, sheep and pigs and the horse racetrack,” Tom added. “The profit on the show was £40 0s 11d. Admission receipts were £91 15s 10d and £28 2s 0d, taken at the dance, but amongst the expenses were luncheons for judges, reporters and helpers, hire of a band and piano, and Inland Revenue stamps. Prize money was £56 2s 6d.”

In 1924, dairy classes were added to the show with the Wathes Minsterley Creamery sponsoring the prize money in the sum of £5 0s 0d. 

In 1927 and 1928, classes for ladies included the best decorated princess petticoat, the best darned stockings, the best overall, the best pinafore and the best knitted baby’s vest. In these two years “the financial results of the show were rather disappointing”, said the spokesperson, with losses of £26 0s 0d and £11 2s 0d respectively. 

Attendances were reported down at both the show and the dance but it is supposed that another reason for the financial shortfall was that the subscription fee to the society which entitled “labouring men (i.e. persons employed in some heavy handicraft, but not master tradesmen) to become members and also compete for prizes” had not changed for 40 years.

In 1929, the second Viscount Bridgeman was elected president, going on to hold the position for 47 years.

However, more change was to come following his appointment. In 1931 the name of the society was changed to ‘Minsterley & District Horticultural, Agricultural & Sports Society’, and in 1933 a boxing tournament was held at the show – though only for one year.

“In 1937, the Show was held for the first time on a Saturday,” Tom added. “Public Liability Assurance went up to £1 after remaining at 10s 0d. since 1925 and dancing was in ‘the spacious Village Hall’ from 8pm-12pm. Admission was 1/6d and attendees were dancing to Hal Jones & His Band from Wellington.”

1939 was the last show until after the war and in 1946 Ernest Croft was elected chairman. The show, once again held on a Thursday, had a ‘star’ attraction for the first recorded time – ‘Simara and Karola (late Government War Dog Trainers) with their Sensational Police Dogs, Stars of Film & Stage’.

In 1947, Young Farmers’ competitions were introduced, as was a clay pigeon shoot.

“Records at this time are few and far between, but in 1954 it is minuted that Mr. T L Williams’ land, on which the livestock section is held, is now registered attested and it was agreed ‘that all dairy cattle entered at the 1954 Show be attested’,” said Tom. “At the 1955 AGM it was agreed ‘that this society shall be called The Minsterley Show Society’.”

In 1965, house building near the Minsterley Parish Hall took most of the show site. As such, the show moved to fields at Plox Green owned by a Mr Potter and was held there for 15 years. 

Centenary Year was 1975 and the main attraction was a pageant to cover the past 100 years. From this time onwards the show grew considerably with many more entries of horse, dairy cattle, fat cattle, sheep and goats and increases to the number of trade stands.

In 1980, Minsterley Show moved to Poulton Farm, on the kind invitation of Mrs Winifred Jones MBE and she served as the society’s president for many years. 

More moves were in store, and from 1990-1992 Richard Dale accommodated the show at Park Farm. In 1994 the society was fortunate to obtain, by permission of the Hamer family, the Lea Cross showground. In 2024, by kind permission of the Vance family, the show moved to Manor Farm, Cruckton (SY5 8PW) and this is where it is situated at present.

Sponsors of this year’s event include Shropshire Farm Vets and Rea Valley Tractors. Complimentary car parking is available onsite. There is also a complimentary ‘circular’ bus service from Minsterley via Pontesbury and from Hanwood (Caradoc) via Hanwood Village.

“To have reached this anniversary is testament to the hard work of the committee over the years,” said Tom. “There are a few on the committee who claim that they can remember the show starting up,” he laughs. “Ultimately our goal is to put on a one-day show that encourages people to engage with the local agricultural community, as well as providing people in our local agriculture industry the chance to get out and socialise. Mental health in agriculture is a big issue, and we like to provide a gem of a show that people in the industry – particularly those who might work on their own or live on their own – can come together at. We strive to deliver an event that can be enjoyed by rural and urban folk alike, with something for everyone. See you on August 16!”

For more information, visit https://minsterleyshow.org.uk/