About Us
Who are we?
Since 1871 The West Grinstead & District Ploughing and Agricultural Society, AKA West Grinstead ploughing match and Agricultural Show has been promoting best practice in the local agricultural community through its prizes and awards. Today that also includes a bursary programme which provides financial support to enable and encourage young people to take up careers in the agricultural industry, as well as an agricultural show day promoting the very best of British agriculture and the rural Sussex countryside.
Our landscape is one of the most important building blocks of our nation’s heritage, identity, food and energy production and it is wholly dependent on the life given to it by our farmers, rural skills workers and rural communities.
Re-connecting
The societies strong committee and wider supporters are very proud of our ‘not for profit’ society and work hard achieving its objectives as it seeks to re-connect town and country and strive to educate the public in both traditional skills and modern farming techniques.
Our aim is to provide an enjoyable and affordable show day of entertainment with the ploughing competition at the heart of the event, cattle and sheep shows, licenced bar, tractor and trailer rides, fun fair, trade stands and local produce, terrier racing, open clay shooting competitions, tug-of-war, gun dog scurry, tractor and threshing machinery and even a ferret race, there is so much to enjoy. Simply said "its a great family day out"
Supporting others
The show has carved itself a vital place in the community and regularly supports local and national charities as well as helping college students on different initiatives. Recent donations have helped The Butterfly Project in Horsham, Sussex Air Ambulance, the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI), dementia support charities and charities helping farmers in Ukraine rebuild their lives and rural communities.
The society also runs a bursary scheme which has supported a range of mainly younger people looking to develop careers in agriculture. Successful applicants have been helped with college courses, studying dairy farm management aboard, forestry skills and management academy training.
The awards are made at the discretion of the society, but we very much welcome applicants for consideration. If this is of interest please make contact with us.
Mission Statement
The society has evolved through the years to convey to the public the importance of agriculture both to food production and the enhancement of the environment, whilst also showcasing the skills of those involved in every aspect of the farming world. The society encourages the coming together of the rural community and the sharing of knowledge to improve standards through participation in competition throughout the year both on farm and at the annual show. A bursary is also available to help support (young people) candidates in any aspect of their education in agriculture, the environment & associated industries.