It seems the latest effort to amalgamate Scotland’s two agricultural winter shows have come to nought.
For years there have been calls for AgriScot and the Scottish National Fatstock Club’s Winter Fair to join together to make one flagship winter event.
The case for amalgamation has seemed obvious with, until this year, both shows being held at the Royal Highland Centre at Ingliston and on successive weeks in November.
There have been efforts to bring the two together from time to time with rumours of a deal circulating in recent weeks but statements released by both bodies on Wednesday have quashed hopes for the meantime.
Following an AgriScot board meeting on Wednesday a statement was released saying: “Over recent weeks, discussions have been ongoing between AgriScot and the Scottish National Fat Stock Club regarding the inclusion of the club’s livestock classes at AgriScot.
“Considerable time has been spent looking at various options and these were discussed in detail at today’s AgriScot board meeting.
“The directors unanimously but reluctantly concluded that lack of space and logistical problems within the facilities meant both events are not able to be accommodated within the same venue.
“Agriscot wishes SNFSC every success for their future operations.”
SNFSC chairman Sandy Galbraith said: “The Scottish National Fat Stock Club would like to thank AgriScot for considering the inclusion of the club’s livestock classes at their event.
“We are disappointed with the conclusion of the AgriScot board meeting.
“We believe that, with more efforts, the amalgamation of both our events was achievable, especially considering the extra space that is now available at AgriScot.
“We will always be here to talk. SNFSC wishes AgriScot all the best in the future.”
Apart from the mutual expressions of goodwill it would appear that no common ground has been found.
It is however fair to say that the problems of amalgamation are not altogether to do with intransigence on either side.
The two events have fundamentally different structures.
AgriScot, a relative newcomer to the scene, is run as a commercial operation by a board of directors.
It has its roots in the DairyScot event and although it still incorporates a successful elite show of around 120 dairy animals it has billed itself lately as a business show.
It has attracted a large number of trade stands and has in recent years filled the Highland Hall at Ingliston as well as the adjacent Central and Lowland Halls.
There has been a waiting list for stand space but that will be alleviated this year with the British Car Auctions building being made available for the event on November 19.
Admission is free but trade stand income is seemingly sufficient to pay a rental for the day believed to be in the region of £20,000.
The SNFSC Winter Fair is a different type of event and is at heart a century-old prestigious prime stock competition open to all club members.
It has dropped its admission charge but has the expense of providing pens for cattle and sheep.
There are far fewer standholders to help offset the expenses.
This has been less of a problem in recent years with the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society partnering the SNFSC in what for three years was known as the Royal Highland Winter Fair.
The 2013 show, the first one after the partnership expired, was known simply as the SNFSC Winter Fair although there was some RHASS “in kind” assistance believed to include reduced site rental and assistance with compiling catalogues.
It was announced in January however that RHASS was to target expenditure in other ways and that there would be no further assistance.
It appears that the 2014 Winter Fair will need to be held elsewhere, possibly in an auction mart but no date or venue has been announced as yet.
Adding to the statement released earlier in the day Agriscot chairman Andrew Moir said: “I am disappointed that we are not able to join up the two events.”