Sunlight breaking through the trees in the New Forest
Sparsholt College is renowned for its beautiful campus and top class facilities, both of which can be explored and enjoyed by all at the College’s showcase event, Countryside Day. From 9.30am until 5.00pm on Saturday 18 May 2013, the entire College will be open with a wealth of activities, displays and entertainment for the entire family to enjoy.
One very happy customer, Richard Butterworth, who attended the event last year said: “I just had to write and tell you how much we enjoyed Countryside Day. The scale of the event and the quality of the whole thing was just fantastic and we will definitely be coming again. To be honest, I enjoyed it a lot more than other country shows I’ve been to and felt really engaged with the activities and the work that the students do on a daily basis. My family and I were left feeling delighted that our son attends Sparsholt and that he gets a fantastic education there in an environment, which is clearly world class!”
Whilst practicing your casting on the College lake, trying your hand at archery, clay and air rifle shooting or being hoisted up a tree by arboriculture students, visitors will get a taste of what makes Sparsholt one of the country’s leading colleges for the land and environment.. The Equine Centre will be running horse riding and jumping displays throughout the day and the renowned Horticulture Department will have plant sales, a ‘build-a-garden’ competition and the famous BBC Radio 4 Gardener’s Question Time garden and potting shed will be open. You can even meet Nirvana, the bamboo shark made famous on Channel 4’s Easter Egg Live programmes.
Naturally as a working farm there will be milking displays, sheep shearing displays, ploughing demonstrations and the pig unit will be open. The ever popular Sport Department climbing wall will be available to scale and the Engineering Department is set to send happy customers off with bespoke metalwork. Machine enthusiasts will enjoy the large displays of new and antique agricultural and forestry machinery. The Game and Wildlife unit has many game, conservation and wildlife activities and the Animal Management Centre, with its collection of 600+ animals from over 100 species, is holding animal encounters, keeper talks, dog grooming and animal training demonstrations.
Falconry displays, sheep dog racing, gun dogs are always huge crowd pleasers and the tractor and trailer rides, smiley train and antique buses will transport guests around the campus. The Military Wives Choir and Ocean Brass Band will provide the musical backdrop.
A wide variety of refreshments will be available to purchase across the campus and free parking is provided on site. Assistance dogs only: Dogs (even on leads) and other
animals frequently do not mix well. Stress to our animals can be experienced and for this reason, we ask that no dogs are brought onto the site, nor should dogs be left in cars in the car park.
Tickets will be available on the gate and prices are: Family tickets (two adults and two school age children) £28.00; Adults – £10.00 per person; Senior Citizens – £9.00 per person; School age children (age 5-16) – £8.00 per person
For further information please go to www.sparsholt.ac.uk or telephone 01962 776441
