Moving with the times

THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY (RAS) in Pietermaritzburg hosts South Africa's oldest agricultural show, the Royal Agricultural Show. The first show, named "The Pietermaritzburg Fair", was held in 1851 in a temporary space behind where the City Hall stands today. 

The Society and the Show have a rich history, having undergone a number of significant changes over the years as the organisation and the Show have grown and changed. 

There have been three relocations over the RAS’s history: the first was to a yard south of the city in 1889 which it soon outgrew, prompting another move in 1902 to premises north of the city. It was after this move that the Society received its "Royal" title from King Edward VII in 1904, acknowledging its significance as Natal's premier agricultural and commercial exposition. 

The now-Royal Agricultural Society remained at the Royal Showgrounds in Pietermaritzburg until 2024, where over the intervening 122 years it became well known to generations of visitors, exhibitors, competitors and entertainers.

In 2024, however,  it was decided that a move was again necessary, along with a change of the Royal Show format to one that again focused purely on the agricultural aspects of the 173-year-old Show. That year, the Society held its last show at the Royal Showgrounds in Pietermaritzburg, concentrating exclusively on livestock competitions and agrarian-related exhibits. This show, which was temporarily named the “Royal Agricultural Exhibition” to avoid confusion amongst the general public, was a successful test of the concept of an exclusively agricultural show, and was well accepted by the agricultural community.

As the RAS finalises its move and its plans for future shows, it plans to consult widely with the agricultural community throughout 2025. A new Royal Agricultural Show in a format that best suits breeders, exhibitors, competitors, and the agricultural community, will be unveiled ahead of the RAS’s 175th anniversary in 2026.