HAGUE, Trelawny – The 51st renewal of the Hague Agricultural Show, hosted by the Trelawny Association of Branch Societies and the Jamaica Agricultural Society, will be staged at the Hague Show Grounds, Trelawny over two days – Tuesday, February 28 and Wednesday, March 1.

The theme for this year’s show, budgeted to cost $3 million, will be ‘Hague Show 2006: Promoting Local Production for Healthy/Wealthy Lifestyle’.

Despite the numerous setbacks suffered by farmers in the parish as a result of severe drought and devastating floods from hurricanes last year, this year’s show is expected to see an increase in agricultural products such as yam, vegetables and their byproducts.

Approximately eight small farmers and one large farm will participate in a cattle exhibition.

Show organisers also say they expect an increase in this year’s goat exhibition.

At the same time, a number of farmers will be vying for the champion farmer trophy, while seven contestants will vie for the Miss Trelawny Farm Queen crown.

Other popular attractions at the show will be the K9 competition, horse jumping, coconut husking, livestock judging and presentation, branch competitions and judging of agriculture exhibits.

The Ash Wednesday show will climax with a musical concert, featuring top local acts Captain Barkey and Wickerman, Apache and Sammy Question, Voice Mail, 2005 Rising Star winner Christopher Martin and upcoming recording artiste Gyptian. Backing band will be Fab 5 and disco music will be provided by Scorpion Disco.

According to Delroy Anderson, the organising committee chairman, this year they plan to tackle the sticky security problem that has dogged the event over the years.

“Security will be beefed up significantly this year because, as you know, they take the fence to make gate,” Anderson said of unruly persons who try to enter the show without paying each year.