HAMPSHIRE Country Sports Day has a bigger and better events programme than ever, for the annual countryside extravaganza to be held on Sunday September 11 at Tichborne Park near Alresford.

Jonathan Marshall, the horse riding falconer, is back by popular demand and retired racehorse Balthazar King will be parading at the show.

There will also be a range of displays and exhibitions to see, as well as countryside activities to participate in.

The main arena will feature hunter gatherer Chris Green the Cornishman, sharing his knowledge of wildfowl, as well as fishing and gun dog demos.

Regular crowd pleasers include terrier racing and the inter-hunt mounted relay which sees rival hunts racing to erect a hurdle on quad bikes and on foot, which are then jumped by members of the hunt on their horses, before being dismantled by the quad bike teams, racing against the clock.

Visitors will also be able to get involved and try new country pursuits such as clay pigeon shooting and fly fishing.

There will also be a fun dog show, with classes including Dog with the Waggiest tail, Best Puppy and Best Heinz 57. Entries cost just £2 per dog, per class.

Gates open at 9.30am and the main ring events start at 10 am. There will be more than 75 trade stands offering everything from equestrian and countryside clothing, handbags and jewellery, to country paintings and craft gifts, plus hunting, shooting and fishing equipment, and a large range of food and drink vendors, with a Licensed bar.

The Hampshire Country Sports Day is also delighted to welcome the British Hunting Collection to the show, featuring a unique collection of over 300 hunting uniforms, plus hunting records and historic items, dating back as far as the 18th century.

Show admission is £12 for adults and is free for children under 14 and the event will be signposted from Alresford.

For more information, visit www.hampshirecountrysportsday.co.uk. All profits are donated to the Countryside Alliance to help with their campaigning work on behalf of rural communities.

Show Chairman Bill Tyrwhitt-Drake said: "We are delighted that GMK Ltd is sponsoring us again this year, for what promises to be our biggest and best show ever. We look forward to welcoming everyone with an interest in the countryside. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about the various country pursuits available and to have a go at a few. It’s also a great day out for the family."

Spokesperson for GMK Ltd, Karl Waktare said: “GMK/Beretta are delighted to sponsor the Hampshire Country Sports Show for the second year. This year we will be providing a selection of guns for visitors to try including the brand new Beretta 690 grade 1. A beautifully scroll engraved Beretta that is a joy to shoot. We look forward to meeting lots of country sports enthusiast at our stand.”