Lots of animals join us for CountryTastic each year, take a look at who joined us in 2023 below:

Farmyard Animals

Children can get up close to farmyard friends including sheep, goats, pigs and cattle and have the opportunity to have their questions answered and discover all about their care. It is a fantastic opportunity for them to learn all about where their food comes from and a great chance to open minds to a future career in farming or animal care.

Pets 

There are many familiar pets such as rabbits and dogs waiting to be stroked. Children can also learn how to care for them and how to handle them correctly. They can also learn more about pets that have jobs!

Exotic Animals

A variety of exotic animals are brought to the show each year for children to learn about and handle.

Dinosaurs

Children are taken back to when dinosaurs roamed the earth (literally!) with the chance to get up close to an amazing life-size  animatronic dinosaur.

Knowledgeable experts from the award-winning Dinosaur, Wildlife & Education Centre, were on hand to answer questions  about the habits and diets of these fascinating beasts in 2023.

The Herefordshire & Worcestershire Earth Heritage brought their new Trust fossil box for children to get a further glimpse of curious creatures from the past. Children could also bring their own fossil along to have it identified.

Demonstration Rings

There are not one, but THREE demonstration rings with jam-packed timetables of fun, interactive displays to keep the whole family entertained!

Ring 1 – Paw Parade

A dedicated dog demonstration ring hosted dog agility in 2023, where breeds of all shapes and sizes took on a course of jumps, tunnels and bending poles at speed, and ‘have a go’ dog agility sessions where youngsters from the audience can get involved.

There were also canine dressage demonstrations showcasing impressive canine obedience and gundog displays.

Ring 2 – Animal Antics

There were a number of demonstrations involving creatures of all shapes and size held throughout the day.

Malvern Pony Club hosted talks for the pony mad or those just wanting to know more about this fantastic organisation and the Wye Valley Retrievers showed off the skills or their beautiful gundogs.

Children could race ferrets through tunnels and learn more about these fun little creatures as part of the Ferret Roadshow, plus Wye Valley Falconry put on fascinating flying demonstrations with their birds of prey.

Ring 3 – Livestock Ring

The parade of livestock is a highlight for many each year. It provides children with the chance to see all creatures great and small and is a fantastic opportunity for them to learn all about the different breeds.

Children also can watch and take part in an exhilarating mock livestock auction takes place and see how much the animals sell for! Last year a sheep sold for £250,000!

Pampered Ponies and Donkeys 

Over in the stable yard, children can meet friendly ponies and donkeys.

There were two impressive Suffolk Punches for visitors to meet and greet, complete with traditional cart and plough harnesses,  plus a farm wagon and fertilizer spinner or a plough so children can see the difference between the tractor equipment and the old horse drawn implements.

The Suffolk Punch owners hosted talks throughout the day to inform visitors about the breed and history of the horses, and their fundamental role of bringing the harvest in in years gone by, as well as the equipment on show.

Unicorn Rides

Children were able to take a ride on their very own magical “unicorn”! (£6 surcharge for pony rides).

Horse & Cart Rides

Meet the gentle giants pulling carts for visitors around the showground.

Worcestershire Beekeepers

The Worcestershire Beekeepers bring live honeybees in observation hives so children can hunt for the queen bee. There will also be candle rolling where the children can take away a beeswax candle.