The nationwide heat wave relented on Saturday, 15 August, for Show Day in Rosedale which enjoyed a warm, dry day for the large crowds who turned up for a record breaking entry programme of agricultural, horticultural and industrial exhibits and arena events, along with a wide variety of trade stands, bands and food outlets. A few initial shots from a highly successful Show Day:

One of the riding classes being judged in the main arena

Mothers and babies in the very popular Baby Show!

Sean Doughty up on his Excelsior.

As ever, many thanks to Sam Dring and her organising committee and the many volunteers who turned out to help set up the Show site, ran the programme of events to time and safely, and whose vital contribution made Rosedale Show 2026 one of the best in its 155 year long history – and the ‘best show in the county’ according to many visitor comments on social media!

The next quarterly meeting of the Rosedale History Archive will take place in the Updale Reading Room/Village Hall on Sunday 7 June from 2.00 to 4.00pm. Entry is free but donations to maintain the work of the Archive would be welcomed.

An interesting new addition has been made to the collection of Rosedale historical artifacts on display in St Mary and St Lawrence Church, Rosedale Abbey, in the form of a diorama of an ironstone miner with a tub load of ironstone coming out of a mine entrance:

The lovely diorama was skillfully made by Mark and Muriel Scaife, residents of Hill Cottages, Rosedale East, and donated to the Rosedale History Archive in May 2026. More detail can be read in the notice above the model.

The calculators have been hard at work and the results for the fundraising effort are now in – over £2,100 was raised for the church appeal and over 500 visitors were recorded for the three days of the even – an outstanding result and a tribute to the hard work of Sam’s team of volunteers and the generosity of donors and visitors alike.

The same again for 2026?

Around fifty members of the Rosedale Show Committee, their families and friends and Show staff attended the annual Show Supper held in the Coach House inn on Friday 14 November.

Sam Dring, the Chair of the organising Committee, said that the 2025 had been very successful, with many favourable comments having been received from those attending the Show. Entries for most classes had been the highest or near highest on record, all due to the hard work of the Committee over the preceding year and to the many volunteers helping out on the day. Work had already stated for the 2026 Show and she asked if anyone should want to volunteer to join the Committee as there was one vacancy or help out again on the day, to contact any member of the Committee.

The Chair also thanked Dave Oakey and his team at the Coach House for their hard work in setting and running the supper.

Just a reminder that the Coffee Morning in the Coach House Inn in aid of the Reading Room/Village Hall is on Saturday 1 June from 10 to 12am with the usual cake sales and raffle and that the Rosedale History Archive quarterly Tea and Chat Meeting will be in the Village Hall in Updale from 2 to 4pm on Sunday 2 June where a host of historical archive material; will be available to peruse and also some excellent tea and cakes will be available! Both events are free to enter but donations would be appreciated to help the annual running costs of both organisations.

The quarterly Tea and Chat of the Rosedale History Archive will be on Sunday 3 March from 2.00 to 4.00pm in the Updale Reading Room/Village Hall. The extensive historical archive will be accessible and also the usual excellent tea and cakes. Admission is free but a donations to the Archive would be welcomed.

At last, Rosedale has its show back after a gap of three years. A huge amount of work has gone into the planning and set-up of the show by Sam Dring and the Show Committee with, it has to be admitted, some scratching of the collective head to remember how it was done before!

Setting up the rings and erecting the tentage started on Tuesday 15 August and preparations were almost fully complete by noon on Friday 18 August thanks to the stirling efforts of a small team of hard working volunteers:

After a very damp night, Saturday 19 August turned out to be a warm, semi-sunny day which brought out the crowds in their many thousands (final figures to be confirmed) for the show. The ground however was still very soft, but thanks to the tireless work on local farmers the horseboxes and larger vehicles were successfully delivered and towed back out at the end of the day. Here are some snap shots to remind us all of an excellent day all round:

As in previous years, the revived Show was put on only through the hard work of the Show Committee members and the team of volunteers who gathered to set up the show area, who ran the entry gates , shepherded the traffic, crunched all the entry tickets, cleaned the trophies and assisted the stewards and judges and , of course, Adam Collier for his wonderful commentary on the day’s proceedings – our heartfelt thanks to all who contributed and we look forward to seeing you again next year on the Show Field on Saturday 17 August.

On Saturday 3 June the Coach House Inn will be hosting a coffee morning with raffle from 10.00 to 12.00am in aid of the Village Hall/Reading Room.

Then, on Sunday 4 June, the Rosedale History Society will hold its quarterly Tea and Chat in the Updale Reading Room from 2.00 to 4.00pm, when its extensive social and industrial heritage archive will be available to view. Entry is free but donations are welcome.

The Stall on The Green event held recently raised £260.20 for the church Appeal Fund – well done all.

AND PLEASE REMEMBER THIS WILL BE THE LAST OPPORTUNITY TO BUY THE GREAT ROSEDALE 2023 CALENDAR AT £10 A COPY IN AID OF THE SAVE ROSEDLE CHURCH APPEAL!