Terrier and lurchers added to Autumn Show attractions at South of England Showground

The Ardingly Showground will ripen with the colours of the season at the annual Autumn Show & Game Fair on 6 and 7 October.

The weekend event, staged by the South of England Agricultural Society, offers a celebration of the golden harvest and exhilarating country sports to visitors of all ages.

Show-goers are invited to reap the benefits of rural life with a vast array of activities including classic country sports such as hunting, shooting and fishing.

There will also be crowd-pleasing displays of birds of prey, terrier racing and fur and feather exhibits as well as an opportunity to appreciate the countryside. With more than 15,000 visitors annually, the Show is fast becoming one of the most popular countryside events staged in the region.

New for 2012, the Show features a Terrier and Lurcher show, while the Flying Foxes will perform a daring display of riding side saddle –showcasing tricks that have earned them national acclaim.

Jim Rutherford, Chairman of the Autumn Show & Game Fair Committee, said: “The Show is quite inspirational to people in the countryside and it’s proven to be a great family day out. It’s a much more intimate event than anything else we do, and offers a real taste of rural Sussex with plenty of local produce and activities for people of all ages.”

Exclusive to the Game Fair is a clay pigeon shoot, hosted only once a year at Ardingly by Dan Kerwood and his daughter, Charlotte- a two-time Commonwealth Games ladies gun champion.

The seeds of education are also sown at this autumnal event thanks to the inclusion of farm animals. Children can win prizes for visiting all areas of the showground in the Pumpkin Trail and attractions include fairground rides, Punch and Judy, balloon modelling and magic to name but a few.

For adults, the Show includes arena displays, the WI’s ‘Flavour of Autumn’ exhibition, floral, plant and vegetable displays, as well as a wide range of shopping opportunities for everyone.

The 2012 Autumn Show & Game Fair will take place on 6 and 7 October between 9am and 5pm; tickets for adults are £9 and £5 for children. For more information and discounted advance tickets,visitwww.autumnshow.org.uk or call 01444 892700.