Ryedale Show set to return to Duncombe Park in Helmsley, after 60-year absence

The move from Welburn Park comes as changes to the terms of land use, growing safety issues and the primary concern of securing the show’s future, led to a unanimous vote by the Ryedale Agricultural Society board of trustees in favour of relocating.

This decision was supported by the show committee.

It was also agreed that the show should continue to be held on the last Tuesday in July each year.

Keira Sirr-Hovendon, Secretary for Ryedale Show, said: “It’s very sad to leave Welburn Park of course.

"One of our volunteers described it as like moving house – it’s bitter-sweet to leave one much loved home to move to a new house, even though you know it’s a positive move.

"But, very quickly, that new house starts to feel like home.

"We are absolutely certain that the show will maintain its special atmosphere at Duncombe Park, with great advantages for accessibility, public safety and growth of the show.

"It is the vast team of volunteers who make the show what it is and, with their support, we will quickly settle to our new site and deliver a fantastic show!”

Historically, since being founded in 1855, Ryedale Show rotated annually between sites in Pickering, Kirkbymoorside and Helmsley, with Duncombe Park last hosting the show in 1963.

Since then the show has been held at Welburn Park, Kirkbymoorside, known for its natural amphitheatre around the main ring and its sprawling show fields, divided by steep slopes and areas of woodland.

Duncombe Park is expected to provide a very different but equally dramatic setting.

Regarding the relocation, the Trustees said in a statement: “We are so grateful to the Shaw family for hosting the show over the past 60 years and even before then, when the show rotated between locations.

"We feel very fortunate to have had such an amazing location for the Show in the beautiful setting of Welburn Park.

"It is the right time to move on and we are absolutely delighted to have been invited back to the Duncombe Park estate.

“The multi-level quality of the showground at Welburn Park, which made it so unique, also at times made it difficult and dangerous, especially in wet weather.

"We are receiving increasing numbers of complaints each year regarding the steep slopes in the public car park, leading down to the temporary bridge,

being unsafe and unsuitable for pushchairs.

"The trees now have to be cordoned off entirely due to safety concerns.

"The locations of the public car parks mean that people are required to cross roads amidst high levels of show-bound traffic.

"The landowner also introduced new terms on land use this year, which we were unable to meet as a charity organisation, whose aims are to support agriculture and agricultural education.

“Unfortunately after failing to reach an agreement with the landowner, the board of Trustees and wider committee voted that there was no choice but to relocate at this time.

“It’s a fantastic piece of history to return the show to Duncombe Park after 60 years.

"It’s exciting to look ahead to what promises to be an entirely positive move for the Ryedale Show.”