The Romsey Show 2026: a look back at the day

The Romsey Show has come and gone for this year, so if you were planning to head over, it's worth knowing what you missed. The 2026 edition took place on Saturday 12 September at Broadlands Estate, running from 8:00 am to 5:30 pm, and it's the kind of day that really sums up the Hampshire countryside.

The livestock is the heart of it. There were classes for cows, sheep, horses, heavy horses and donkeys, plus equine activities, driving classes and a marathon. Beyond the competition, the animal exhibits kept things lively: The Sheep Show, falconry, ferrets, reptiles, gundogs, dog agility and flyball. Over in the main ring, there were exhibitions, live music and a circus acrobatics zone, while the Countryside Area lined up vintage and modern agricultural machinery, steam engines, BMX and classic car exhibits, honey, floral art and plant displays. Families had an interactive zone, a funfair and practical field workshops, and the Food Zone turned out fish and chips, nachos, Thai street food, wood-fired pizza, artisan pasta and ice cream, with licensed bars, coffee stalls and local cider and beer vendors alongside. Picnics were welcome, too.

A few moments stood out as the ones everyone talks about afterwards: the Grand Parade of livestock, the Romsey Old Cadets, the heavy horse parade, the equestrian classes and the Family Dog Show. It's a big draw, pulling in somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors each year, and it's run by The Romsey Agricultural & Horse Show Society Ltd, a registered charity.

The setting does a lot of the work. Broadlands Estate is a Grade II listed Palladian mansion on the edge of Romsey, and its history is about as deep as it gets. The land was owned by Romsey Abbey from the 11th century, sold in 1547, and later bought by Henry Temple, 1st Viscount Palmerston, in 1736, before Lancelot 'Capability' Brown and Henry Holland gave it a major architectural makeover in 1767. It was the country estate of the 19th-century Prime Minister Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, and later home to the 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma. It's also the place where Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip spent the first three days of their honeymoon in 1947, and where the Prince and Princess of Wales stayed in 1981.

On the practical side, children under 12 got in free with an adult, and standard car parking came with general admission. Well-behaved dogs on short leads were welcome across the main grounds, except for the livestock areas. Tickets were tiered by when you bought them: adults 17 and over paid £20 super early, £23 early and £25 on the day; children 12 to 16 were £14, £17 and £19 respectively; and a family ticket for two adults and two children sat at £49 super early and early, rising to £59 on the day. Essential companions and carers were £5 across the board with proof, and group discounts kicked in at 20 or more tickets. A Member ticket added the Members Enclosure, forward parking, VIP toilets, covered seating, the Members cafe and bar, and front-row seats in the President's Ring. If you missed it this time, it's one to keep on the radar for next year.