Royal Agricultural Society
WORDS BY Barry du Plessis
PHOTOS SUPPLIED
Virtually as old as the city itself , the Royal Agricultural Society of Natal ’ s ( RAS ) Royal Show has become synonymous with Pietermaritzburg . To imagine the city without the Royal Show would be like imagining Rio without Carnival or New Orleans without Mardi Gras . In 2017 , the Show and the Society celebrate their 167th anniversary .
Few events in KwaZulu-Natal ’ s capital bring in such numbers of people from so many far-flung locales , as does the Royal Show . Each year it combines an unlikely mix of agricultural , industrial , commercial , governmental , craft and home industry exhibitions with a slew of entertainment for diverse cultural groups . It has brought leading musical acts to perform in the city , with some of the Royal Show ’ s music concerts among the biggest in the country . Other events have included the worldfamous Lipizzaners horse display ( with which the Royal shares a historic link ), prestigious show-jumping competitions , parachute and airplane displays , acrobats and monster trucks , military tattoos , a fairground attraction and much more . At the same time , the Royal Show is a significant showcase for many blue-chip companies , especially in its heavy equipment section , where many top brands exhibit a wide range of construction and agricultural equipment . Aside from the important role it has played in the agricultural sector over the years “ by way of affording growers and breeders a platform to showcase excellence , and through peer appraisal determining the best of the best on the day ”, says RAS CEO Terry Strachan , the Society and the Royal Show have also helped create experiences and happy memories for generations
46 | Issue 2 | Capital