MORE FUN, LESS SPEND: TICKET PRICES DROP FOR THE GILLINGHAM & SHAFTESBURY SHOW FOLLOWING VAT CUT ON FAMILY ACTIVITIES

Families heading to this summer’s two day Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show will benefit from reduced ticket prices, thanks to the Government’s new Great British Savings scheme and Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ budget update lowering VAT to 5% on family attractions and activities.

Adult day tickets are now £17 instead of £20 with the discount applicable to advance ticket purchases until 13th August, making one of Dorset’s most loved rural days out even more affordable during the school holidays. Show Organiser Cat Harris said: “We are delighted to be able to offer this reduction this summer.

As one of Dorset’s most loved rural days out, we work hard to keep our entry prices competitive despite rising costs of putting on a show of this scale. Children under 5 go free and we also offer many free activities once people are in the showground, with over 30 fun and free things for families to enjoy. Picnics are welcome too if people want to save on costs of eating out.”

COUNTDOWN TO THE GILLINGHAM AND SHAFTESBURY SHOW AS MOTCOMBE PREPARES FOR RURAL SUMMER SPECTACLE

One of North Dorset’s biggest summer events will return to Turnpike Showground, Motcombe, on Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 August, with a new high-speed attraction taking centre stage. The Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show will once again celebrate farming, food and countryside life across 51 acres, with more than 40 free activities included in the ticket price, over 900 livestock entries, 350-plus trade stands and 23 hours of entertainment over two days at the Turnpike Showground in Motcombe.

New for 2026, horseboarding will make its show debut in the Dorset Life Main Ring. Described as the world’s sixth most extreme adventure sport, it sees a horse, rider and mountainboarder work together at speed to complete an obstacle course. The mountainboarder is attached by a quick-release line and must weave through gates with split-second timing.

Alongside the new main ring attraction, visitors can look forward to the return of several show favourites. Shetland pony racing will bring pace and excitement, while terrier and ferret racing is expected to provide plenty of light-hearted entertainment. The family dog show will give visitors the chance to get involved with their own four-legged companions, and Dorset Polo Club will return with demonstrations including a lively three-a-side chukka. There will also be plenty to keep families entertained throughout the day.

The Sheep Show will mix humour, education and showmanship with a lively look at the intelligence and versatility of sheep, while the Dog & Duck Show will see trained sheepdogs guide ducks through an obstacle course in a display of skill, patience and countryside charm.

Away from the rings, the showground will be packed with traditional countryside attractions.

Visitors can explore the Heavy Horse Village, admire vintage tractors and vehicles and step inside the Horticultural Tent, which will be filled with displays of home-grown fruit, vegetables and flowers.

A celebration of farming remains at the heart of the event, with the Cornish Mutual Livestock Grand Parade showcasing the region’s finest animal breeders and giving young handlers, some as young as five, the chance to take their place in the spotlight.

More than 350 trade stands will offer everything from artisan crafts and local food to rural businesses, charities and agricultural machinery.

Food and drink will be another major draw, with local producers serving up a wide range of flavours and live music adding to the relaxed festival atmosphere. In the Fun, Food and Farming area, children can take part in hands-on activities, from butter making to learning how food reaches their plate. Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show organiser Cat Harris said: “The show is designed to offer good value with family deals, two-day options and free entry for under-fives.” She added: “Plus, there’s over forty free great activities to enjoy once you are there.”



The event remains a fixture of the local calendar, bringing together farmers, producers, families and visitors from across Dorset, Wiltshire and the wider south west for two days of countryside celebration.

The VAT reduction allows the Show to pass savings directly to visitors while continuing to deliver two packed days of livestock competitions, rural crafts, countryside demonstrations, local food and drink and hands on family fun. This year the Show welcomes the high-octane equine sport of horseboarding, where horse, rider and mountainboarder compete in a daredevil slalom course.

Tickets are available now via the official Show website www.gillinghamandshaftesburyshow.co.uk