East Kilbride Cattle Show cancelled

Jul 18 2012 by Lynda Nicol, East Kilbride News

THIS summer’s almost constant rain has washed away any chances of staging the annual East Kilbride Cattle Show and Gymkhana.

After visiting the Showpark off Maxwell Drive last Wednesday and finding large tracts of it more than a foot under water, the committee reluctantly took the decision to cancel this year’s show which was due to be held on Saturday, July 28.

Cattle Show secretary Amy Roxburgh told the News it had been agreed the waterlogged field would be too muddy and dangerous for both people and animals.

She added: “Our committee visited the Showpark on Wednesday of last week and found areas of it severely flooded. Some parts were under more than a foot of water and, because of the sodden state of the ground, the water is just lying there.

“There was no point in putting off the decision. Cancelling now will save some of the cost of staging the show.

“Leaving the decision any later would have meant we would have had bigger bills.

“And, even if we had wall-to-wall sunshine between now and then it wouldn’t dry out in time for the show. And that doesn’t look very likely.

“Indeed, the current forecast is for more rain.”

Amy continued: “Because of the wet and slippery state of the ground, it was felt that, on health and safety grounds, for both people and animals, there was no alternative but to cancel the show.

“The ponies and their riders, in particular, would have been put in danger.

“We certainly were unable to drive vehicles on to the park.”

Amy added that over the length and breadth of the country cattle shows and other events were being cancelled because of the weather, including the Heavy Horse Show which was due to take place at the National Museum for Rural Life at Kittochside on Sunday.

However, she promised that next year the show, which has been held in the town for more than 230 years, will be back with an even bigger and better programme of events.