Launceston Show Team
Welcoming our new President - Mr Martin Stanbury takes over.
At our Annual General Meeting in October, the Presidency of the Show was handed over to Mr Martin Stanbury.
'As President of the 135th Launceston Show, I would like to extend an extremely warm welcome to everyone - Exhibitors, Competitors, Judges, Sponsors, Helpers, Volunteers and our visitors. You all have an important part to play in the success and staging of the Show.
It was an immense honor to be elected President of the Association for 2026, an important part of our local area's heritage and tradition, My family has a long standing involvement with the Show, with my Father, Grandfather and Uncles all having the honor of being Show Presidents. I've been on the Committee for many years with some great people. Thanks to you all past and present, without you the Show doesn't happen,
I have farmed at Bennacott since returning from Seale Hayne College in 1977 and now farm in partnership with my wife Vanessa and son Richard, principally beef and arable enterprises. My involvement with the Show started soon after my return, firstly with the YFC, and I believe I've been a Gate Steward since 1981!
Flipping through the catalogue it shows activities from Country Pursuits to commercial Trade Stands. Traditional horse, cattle and sheep classes, along with entertainment, handicrafts and a fun dog show, to name a few with the aim of entertaining visitors of all ages and interests.
Our Show promotes our local food and drink producers and informs us how our staple foods are produced and marketed. It showcases the importance of a thriving local farming economy to many other local businesses.
After greeting you for many years on the gate, we look forward to seeing many of you around the showground.
On behalf of Vanessa and myself, we look forward to seeing you on 30th July.
Martin Stanbury, Show President 2026
Pictured Martin Stanbury and outgoing First acting Lady President Mrs Barbara Sleep.
A message from the Secretary ~ Sharon
We welcome you again to the largest event in Launceston.
On 30th July, our Showfield at Kennards House will be buzzing with activity, flags, colour and bunting, there will be buttonholes and bowler hats, carrying on the tradition of our 135years.
The livestock will be arriving early with prize winning cattle and sheep, not forgetting the prestigious horse section, all of them prepared and manicured hoping to take a trophy home. Always a sight I love personally, seeing the trophies gleaming on the table then handed over to the smiles of the well deserved winners.
Each year we strive to put on the BEST day out for our visitors. Always the last Thursday in July, this year it falls in the first full week of the School summer holidays we are so excited to get our younger visitors involved. With competitions, free entertainment, free bird box trail, main ring events - there is so much to get involved in, you just have to join in. That includes the big Mum and Dad kids too!
We can't wait to see you all, the Showfield will be packed with food and farming, tractors and trade. It's a great reminder how lucky we are to have such amazing local produce and appreciate where our food actually comes from.
Something for everyone..... we hope the sun will come too.
It takes us all year to prepare for the Show, I thank everyone for their help, my amazing Committee, the Sponsors, the Volunteers, the Stewards, so many people who give up their time for the love of the Show. I hope you will come and join us.
Thank you ~ Sharon Horsington, Show Secretary
What do we have?
We open our gates at 8.30 am and close them at 6pm, see what we have on offer:
Trade stands offering a wide range of goodies - crafts lovingly made - food.... 'oh how we all love the food tent.'
The Young Farmers are a group of young people who know how to have fun - pop along and spend time with them – 'If only we were all young enough to join.'
A flower tent that smells delightful, popular poultry, the WI have been making cakes and our amazingly popular Creative Community Tent that is always bustling with colour and loveliness.
Do come along.....we are looking forward to seeing you.
2026 First Chairlady
Mrs Fiona Berry
2026 Brings another first!
Launceston Show now has it's first Chairlady.
Fiona Berry will be well known to many. A local lady, business owner and comes from a local farming family. Fiona has been coming to the Show all her life. Married to Andy with two children, Fiona brings a wealth of knowledge and will be a real asset to the Show.
We wish Fiona well and look forward to working with her.
From our previous Chairman: The show continues to attract 200 trade stands, many returning year after year. Caterers offer tasty foods. The big machinery, the chainsaw carving, floral displays, children's entertainers, music and dance on the main stage - is all there for us all to enjoy. We are grateful to the Young Farmers who are always relied on to be having fun, I was a Young Farmer and enjoyed enormously the fun and friends it offered me.
I have been fortunate over my term to view all the Showfield whilst escorting the President. I have worn wellies and I've caught the sun. There have been some memorable times, pulling out vehicles in the mud, the difficult years of foot and mouth and covid. The amazing years with fabulous weather and record breaking visitor numbers spilling out of the car parks.
None of this could I have done without Hilary, my wife, by my side. Once one year is over, preparations start for the next year. Changes will continue to be made to ensure the Show progresses, we will both still be involved, sitting in a different chair, in the Committee rather than leading it.
So as the Show approaches, we look forward to all it offers and welcome you to join us for the best day out for all the family.
Our History
- Hold a Horse Show for the district and that a Public Meeting should be held in the Guildhall, Launceston on Saturday 26th February 1887 to elect a committee and make all necessary arrangements.
- Following this second meeting it was agreed to make the sum of £130 available for prize money and that Thursday 21st August 1887 be fixed as the date of the first Launceston Show.
Upon reading through the minute books many of the same local families are still connected with the Show today which can only prove the popularity and longevity of the event.
In the early years, the Show was held within the town boundary of Launceston at both Windmill and Hurdon, until moving to the current site at Kennards House in the mid 1950’s.
Launceston Horse Show as it was known in the early days was highly respected as an equestrian event, and before the popularity of the motor car large crowds gathered each year with the railways running special “Show Trains” from places such as Plymouth to the event.
