The wait is finally over. The Royal Agricultural Society of Natal has found a home for its annual Royal Show. A date has been announced for the 2026 Royal Show that will coincide with the society’s 175th anniversary.
By Lloyd Phillips, Senior Journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad
Like on the fashion catwalks of Paris, next year some of South Africa’s best livestock, cropping and equipment purveyors will again be able to strut their stuff at KwaZulu-Natal’s historical and world-renowned Royal Show. This exciting announcement comes in the wake of uncertainty about the show’s future after it and its host, the Royal Agricultural Society of Natal (RAS), had to leave their iconic home of 122 years in the centre of the province’s capital city, Pietermaritzburg.
Due to these circumstances, this year the RAS was unable to host what would have been its 164th Royal Show.
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Wayne Muller, who took over managing the society on 1 July following the retirement of his highly regarded and long-time predecessor, Terry Strachan, says the Royal Show’s new home is to be at the similarly historical 100-hectare Tweedie Hall premises near Howick and Midmar Dam in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
“At the Royal Show’s new home, we will again be able to host and exhibit the best of KwaZulu-Natal’s and South Africa’s agriculture and related commerce and industry.”
Whereas Royal Shows in Pietermaritzburg had approximately 50% agricultural and 50% non-agricultural components, future Royal Shows will be focussed solely on agriculture. The first of these will be held from 29 May to 3 June 2026. This will coincide with the RAS’s remarkable 175th anniversary.
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Angus Williamson is chairperson of the KwaZulu-Natal Red Meat Producers’ Organisation and has also long been in charge of the Royal Show’s livestock section.
“There’s a long heritage of livestock showing at the Royal and we believe this, and other agricultural aspects, must continue. The location at Tweedie Hall is very good and well situated,” says Williamson.
“We’re excited about the change for the Royal Show, as well as the fact that we will start having livestock sales at the Tweedie Hall premises. This has long been a vision of the RAS. It’s a long-term project that is finally coming together, and we look forward to again having a good agricultural show.”
