The Royal Agricultural Society of Natal (RAS) has announced detailed plans for the 2026 Royal Show at its new permanent home at Tweedie Hall in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. However, the dark cloud of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) hangs over the show’s cattle and sheep sections.

By Lloyd Phillips, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad

Last Wednesday, the RAS hosted the official opening of its new premises that were acquired in October last year. Many of the society’s leaders, members, benefactors and partners were present to celebrate the occasion.

Wayne Muller, general manager of the RAS, reminded those present that the 164th Royal Show has been scheduled for 29 May to 3 June this year. This new, albeit much smaller version of the annual Royal Shows, held previously in central Pietermaritzburg, will focus solely on agriculture.

An approximately 200m by 400m field will, for this year at least, rely mostly on temporary infrastructure such as marquees, portable ablutions, livestock facilities and facilities brought in by exhibitors.

However, South Africa’s widespread outbreaks of FMD have unfortunately cast uncertainty over the 2026 Royal Show’s sheep and cattle sections.

“We face a challenge in the Midlands at the moment with foot-and-mouth disease. We don’t know where that’s going to go in the next few months, so we are planning ahead as if everything’s normal,” Muller told the RAS’s guests.

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‘The Situation is Very Fluid’

Unlike other agricultural shows in South Africa, the RAS has opted to delay making a final decision on whether to proceed with the Royal Show’s livestock competitions.

The Free State’s Bloem Show scheduled for 23 April to 2 May has already announced its decision to cancel its livestock sections this year.

“The executive and I have decided to maybe delay that decision a little bit further to give ourselves every chance possible to host our livestock sections and all our other agricultural sections this year,” Muller said.

“The situation is very fluid and we ask our partners’ understanding and patience.”

Tim Nixon, president of the RAS, described the move to the 100ha property in Tweedie as historic. He says it is “the fourth home of the society in 175 years”.

The RAS purchased the property after selling its iconic Pietermaritzburg showgrounds in 2024, ending a 122-year association with the city centre location.

“The location of the showgrounds, together with the associated costs and escalating crime, made the continuation at that address unviable,” Nixon explained.

Muller confirmed that draft livestock programmes have been distributed to breed societies, and exhibitor forms have been sent to existing and new exhibitors.

The RAS is planning special 175th-anniversary events from early May in the buildup to the 2026 Royal Show.