ArenA Acts
We've got some awesome arena acts coming to The South Downs Show for 2025! After listening to feedback from everyone in 2024, we will be bringing back the Epic Jousting Tournament, Little Nippers' Terriers, Ridgeside Falconry and Gun Dog displays.
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In 2025 we will be having a second smaller arena at the show to bring you even more fun to come and enjoy!
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Each act will be there for both days of the event, so don't worry about missing out!
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Times may vary due to reasons out of our control.
WHAT'S ON
EPIC JOUSTING TOURNAMENT
Knights of Nottingham
Welcome to the Knights of Nottingham who have been entertaining crowds since 1970 and are twice World Champions and the original British Medieval Jousting Display team.
Knights and Horses combine for hard hitting Medieval Jousting displays and tournaments and the jousting shows will be filled with sword swinging and gut punching thrills. Anything can happen and often does with fantastic audience participation for all ages and comedy included!
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JOSEPH'S AMAZING RACING PIGS
Five rare breed pigs, ranging from Tamworths to Gloucester Old Spots to Saddlebacks to Berkshires to Oxford sandy and blacks, will fill the arena with their amusing antics.
The handlers in country style outfits encourage them down the track and the pigs hurl themselves over the hurdles in their rush to be the first to the bucket of food!
This is arena entertainment at its best and we are so excited to bring it to the show for 2025.
FALCONRY BY RIDGESIDE
The Birds of Prey Demonstrations consist of a static display of approximately 15 Birds of Prey from around the world, including owls, falcons, hawks, eagles and vultures, plus spectacular free flying displays lasting between 20-30 minutes each.
Involves lots of audience participation.
LITTLE NIPPERS
This awesome arena act allows spectators to see Ridgeside group’s fantastic dogs do what comes naturally to them! In the arena they will race both over obstacles and at full speed chasing the electric lure. They offer a fast, action-packed demonstration with an informative and humorous commentary by Phill.
The public will have the chance to “have a go” with their own dogs – whatever their breed!
GUN DOG DisPLAY
Organised by Hamble and Hound Gundog Club.
The Hamble and Hound Gundog Club was formed in 2015 as a loose group of friends with gundog breeds.
All dogs are welcome in the Gundog Scurries we have found over the years that dogs who are given a try surprise their owners and actually win prizes.
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We will have a gun dog display at the top and tail of each day.
BEST IN SHOW DOG CONTEST
All winners from the Dog Zone Dog Show Categories throughout each day have their chance to shine and enter the main arena to walk around with their owners and dazzle the crowds with a chance to win the Best In Show contest.
SAXON REENACTMENT BATTLE
Have you ever wondered how it would feel to come face to face with a fearsome Saxon war band?
Or thought about standing on the other side, shoulder to shoulder with your companions, ready for war?
Herigeas Hundas have a host of skilled combatants who will demonstrate fighting techniques with a wide variety of weapons, from sword to spear, and show off the strength of a shield wall against enemy archers.
Their band of archers also offer a skilled display of deadly accuracy, with both sharps, and blunts against the shieldwall.
The Dog AND Duck SHOW
Stuart Barnes is the original creator of the highly popular Dog and Duck show that now tours the UK countryside shows in the summer season. (Sheep for the 2024 season). Stuart has travelled to over 100 countries working with wildlife, and his passion for dogs has enabled him to gain an incredible understanding of everything about them and their behaviours.
In the Dog and Duck Show, Stuart and his amazing team use both trained and untrained sheep dogs to herd sheep, amusing and educating the audience about common dog behaviour issues and about how these can be resolved.
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The show demonstrates how untrained and poorly behaved dogs still have a programmed natural instinct, giving the audience a new understanding of the way of the Dog.
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