The Aberdeen Clydesdale Horse Show

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Duthie Park
Polmuir Road
Aberdeen
AB11 7TH

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A free show celebrating these equine gentle giants. At 4pm is the Grand Parade when all the horses are rounded up in the ring.

Show celebrating Scotland's equine Giants.

The Aberdeen Clydesdale Horse Show was founded by Aberdeen City Council in 1982 and ran for 37 years under it's original name, The City of Aberdeen Clydesdale Horse Show. It was held in the beautiful surroundings of the Duthie Park and was funded by the City Council.

Aberdeen has previously boasted entry numbers in Scotland second only to The Royal Highland Show, and is considered the largest gathering of heavy horses in the North East. In more recent years the popularity of the Clydesdale as a ridden horse across all equine disciplines such as dressage, show jumping, side saddle and cross country has increased. The numbers of these big horses now competing and qualifying for major events, such as Blair Horse Trials and Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) has rocketed, and shows us just how versatile a breed it is. Traditional heavy horse shows were then modernised in line with this popularity as a riding horse, and a class for ridden Clydesdales was added to the schedule. 2022 also saw the introduction of a Single Cart Class to the Aberdeen Show which has also been introduced to HOYS from 2023.

Within the last decade or so, the ownership of the show transferred to a group of local Clydesdale enthusiasts when the City Council decided to step down from organising the event. A committee was formed and the organising and running of the annual event became their responsibility. For several years thereafter the City Council actively sponsored a proportion of the running costs, leaving the Committee to make up the shortfall through sponsorship and donations. The City Council no longer donate any money towards the show and following the cancellation of the shows in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID pandemic the decision was taken to move from the Duthie Park. The Show's main sponsor Malcolm Allan House Builder, generously donated the use of some land at Uppermill Farm, Kintore. In line with the location move the decision was made to change the name to The Aberdeen Clydesdale Horse Show.

The Show is very grateful to all those who volunteer to serve on the Committee, all those who sponsor it and all those who come along on the day as exhibitors, spectators and breed enthusiasts.

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