Main Arena Events
2026 Main Arena Timetable will be published in the official Show Programme available to purchase at the show from one of the programme stands. Timetable of events will also be posted and available to view at each arena. Line-up for all displays will be the same Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th April 2026. Programme subject to change.
The JCB Dancing Diggers
Headlining the Main Arena this year are The JCB Dancing Diggers. They will be performing twice per day on both Sat 25th & Sun 26th!
The JCB Dancing Diggers are an iconic live performance team, often described as a down to earth version of the Red Arrows. They have curtsied for royalty; pirouetted for TV and thrilled thousands all over the world.
Showcasing power, precision and performance, the JCB Dancing Diggers execute a variety of choregraphed moves set to music. The performance combines the engineering excellence of JCB machinery with entertainment, making it a crowd favourite at public events worldwide.
Don’t miss this spectacular show in the Main Arena!
Horseboarding UK Championships
Horseboarding UK will be visiting the East Anglia Game Fair for the 14th time in 16 years. This staple of the show never fails to impress as teams from across the country take on the unique challenges of the Euston Arena and fight for one of the oldest cups in the championship.
The East Anglia Cup was first founded in 2011 back when the show used to take place at the Royal Norfolk Show Ground and Horseboarding UK was little more than a twinkle in the eye of history. In a time before anyone could have imagined the journey it would take them, The East Anglian Game & Country Fair shared the vision and gave support to this new idea.
Over the last 16 years Horseboarding UK has gone from strength to strength over many a hard earned mile around the country, Europe and now the world performing at some of the biggest equestrian events in the world resulting in more and more groups approach the UK for advice on how to set up and run their own competitions.
From Australia to America people have tried to emulate something that started right here in the UK with one of its very first performances at the East Anglian Game Fair where today you can see the undisputed best teams in the world. Teams who have perfected the art of racing against the clock in three attempts to get the fastest time possible all under the watchful eye of the most experienced horseboarding production team in the world.
A main arena display not to be missed!
Hywel Morgan
World and European Casting Champion, Hywel Morgan will be entertaining crowds with a Fly Fishing demo in the Main Arena. Hywel first stepped onto a casting platform at just 4 years old. Since the age of 14 he has regularly given demos at shows all over the UK. He is the only World Fly Casting Champion who demonstrates and has developed a wonderfully relaxed and humorous way of informing and educating the audience about the fascinating world of Fly Fishing. Hywel will also offer ‘have a go’ fly tying and casting tuition and demos on the Black Bourne River.
Fens Falconry
Fens Falconry is a private bird of prey centre located in Wisbech, Cambs. They provide hands on experience days, flying demonstrations and educational visits for schools, community groups and clubs.
They have attended the East Anglian Game & Country Fair many times and is a team favourite. The amazing location and atmosphere lends itself perfectly to the beauty and skills of the Fens Falconry team of birds flying in the main arena. The aim is to amaze and entertain with birds diving, hovering, soaring and gliding with an entertaining commentary!
Mid Norfolk Gun Dogs
The Mid Norfolk Gundog Club was formed over 25 years ago by a group of friends determined to improve the training, husbandry and breeding of working gundogs as well as the expertise of handlers.
Don’t miss their demo in the Main Arena – A taste of shoot day, demonstrating the different roles of a gundog, from flushing birds, sitting on a peg with a gun, to picking up at the end, with a unique opportunity to photo all the dogs sat up in a line without leads or handlers at the end of the demonstration.
Visitors are also welcome to talk to the Club Members at their stand on 2nd Ave South opposite the Gun Dog Scurry Arena.
White Woofers Hound Parade
A newly established and family-friendly trail hunt. The Waveney & Norfolk Harriers comprises the ‘White Woofers” who trail across North Norfolk and a Stud Book Harrier pack of hounds who Trail across South Norfolk and Suffolk. They lay trails using a stinky sock, the hounds find and run after it, and the riders follow the hounds!
Watch the spectacle in the main arena over the show weekend.
Simon Whitehead – Pakefield Ferrets
Simon Whitehead is a unique character amongst modern day Britain, if not the world. He is one of a small band of people that make their entire living from rabbits. He is a traditional warrener and author of many books which include the acclaimed ‘Ahead of the Game’. This is a book that delves into the history, harvest, preparation and cooking of wild rabbit. This forms the provenance of his demonstrations which are both educational and amusing!
In-between demonstrations Simon, his ferrets and dogs are on hand for interaction with the public and the static display is always a hive of activity as they are many questions to be answered, ferrets to be held and stories to be told. As ferreting is normally carried out in unsociable surroundings and often in solitude, Simon uses the arena demonstrations and static display to explain and illustrate why ferreting in the true sense of the word with ferreter, their ferret’s, dog and nets are fast becoming a more sought-after figure in the countryside and towns of the UK. The ferreter is the epitome of the organic and environmentally friendly hunter/gatherer and as such a supplier of first class organic, free range meat for the table. The world is moving on, technology is changing our society, but it is refreshing to find Simon trying to not only make people realise and understand why we ferret but more importantly, get newcomers into the countryside to continue such a fine tradition.
A raconteur of some repute, Simon can display, demonstrate and educate this traditional craft that has survived the growth in technology, showing why the Pakefield Ferrets motto of “ensuring the tradition of ferreting IS continued for further generations” is long remembered after the show has closed.
Hamilton Bloodhounds
The Hamilton Bloodhounds is based in Easton, nr Woodbridge, Suffolk. (There has been a pack here for 150 years)
Previously Easton Harriers, hence the green coat, we converted to the Bloodhounds in 2019.
Today we have 9 1/2 couple of our bloodhounds. James Chadwick (master huntsman) on Sam and Sam Merchant on Monet.
The name ‘Hamilton’ comes from the previous Duke of Hamilton, who lived behind the ‘crinkly, crankly’ wall in Easton. He formed the Hamilton Harriers before it was called the Easton Harriers – so we have gone back to our original name.
We have meets in South Norfolk, Suffolk and North Essex.
We meet twice a week, Wednesday and Sunday from early September right the way through to the end of March.
This year we have done 57 meets
Committee run hunt.
Masters; James Chadwick (Master and Huntsman), Natalie Smith, Penny Watts, Lydia Freeman.
We have 45 riding and 34 non riding members to date.
Bloodhounds are more of a tracking hound than a hunting hound.
Their big ears help direct the scent into their noses.
Bloodhounds are said to have up to 3x better noses than the average dog, hence their ability to be able to track human scent.
When hounds are following a runner’s scent, they make a baying noise. This is different to ‘trail’ hunting as the runners DO NOT drag anything. Purely from the human scent that the runner or runners give off.
The male hounds are often much louder than the females!
The runners are put into the trailer with the hounds for 10/15 minutes before tracking. This is so the hounds can smell the unique smell of the runners that they are following for the day.
On a usual day out, we will do 3-4 lines of 3-4 miles each, across the beautiful East Anglian countryside, which we are extremely fortunate and grateful to be allowed to cross.
They have been recorded from the 16th century known to have been used to scent humans. Today bloodhounds assist in law-enforcement and search and rescue.
It is believed that William the Conqueror brought several bloodhounds over to England in 1066, allegedly used to track fallen or injured soldiers. In many parts of Europe, they are known as St Hubert hounds due to their origins from St Hubert of Belgium and his monks.
Clean boot hunting has been recorded for more than 150 years as a sport in its own right – which has always been separate to hunting.
We are a member of the Masters of Draghounds and Bloodhounds association which represents all Bloodhound (18 packs) and Draghounds (6 packs) and is and always has been separate to the British Hound Sports Association (BHSA).
Hounds are counted in couples. 1 couple= 2 hounds. We have 19 couple of hounds in kennels, which is 38 hounds.
The hounds are all on fed Kibble (dog biscuit) Dr Johns, they eat 1 tonne a month, which is the equivalent of 12 tonnes a year!!
Please visit our website, Facebook page or Instagram Page for more information.
