Bumper crowds expected as Royal County of Berkshire Show returns

New chief executive says daring motorcycle stunts and a Shetland pony grand national will be just some of the entertainment on offer this year

DARING motorcycle stunts, a Shetland pony grand national, a parade of 2,000 livestock and the Rugby World Cup will be just some of the entertainment on offer at this year’s Royal County of Berkshire Show.

Crowds in excess of 65,000 are once again expected to descend on the Newbury Showground as the popular event returns on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20.

This year, world-famous quad bike stuntman the (Matt Coulter) will thrill the crowds by performing daring wheelies, rolls and jumps in the main arena.

Elsewhere in the 150-acre showground, visitors will find a strong local flavour with the ‘Best of Berkshire’ as this year’s major theme for livestock, food, vintage machinery, countryside sports and crafts.

This year’s show will also build on the successful ‘have a go’ theme, launched last year, which offers the public taster sessions in everything from skateboarding, cookery and negotiating an inflatable army assault course.

To mark the launch of the 2015 Berkshire Show, the spoke to Daren Bowyer who, as the new chief executive of the Newbury & District Agricultural Society, is the man in charge of this year’s event.

“It is an exciting new challenge for me with a lot of overlap from my previous roles,” said Mr Bowyer, who has strong team- leading experience over a 26-year military career which included active service in the Gulf War, the Balkans and Afghanistan.

He added: “The show is undoubtedly one of the best in Britain and manages to maintain its agricultural traditions while also offering a superb mix of trade stands and activities for people of all ages.

“However there is much more that we can do to take the work of the society to a wider audience. I think we can look back with pride and look forward with confidence.”

Looking ahead to this year's show, Mr Bowyer added: “I’m really looking forward to it. I came as a visitor last year and thought it was brilliant. We are expecting 65,000 plus again this year.

“As a former soldier, I’m looking forward to the inflatable assault course, although I’m not sure how I’ll fare.

“This year’s event coincides with the Rugby World Cup, but we are going to have the rugby playing on big screens, so there is no excuse for anyone not to come along.”

Mr Bowyer’s most recent role was as director of the Sandhurst Trust, the Royal Military Academy’s own charity, which promotes leadership.

During his army career, Mr Bowyer completed masters’ degrees in defence technology and management at Cranfield, and in international relations at Cambridge, plus a PhD.

He is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and has held staff appointments at the Ministry of Defence, the British Embassy in Washington and the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.