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The Northern Country Sports Show: Carrying On a Proud Northern Tradition

For years, the Northern Shooting Show stood proudly as one of Yorkshire’s biggest celebrations of shooting, field sports, and countryside life.

Held at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate, it became far more than just an exhibition. It was a yearly gathering for sportsmen and women, countryside businesses, families, and enthusiasts from across the North and beyond.

Now, with the original show rebranded and relocated further south as the National Shooting Show, a new chapter begins with the launch of the Northern Country Sports Show in 2026.

And for many across Yorkshire and the wider North, that matters a great deal.

What Is the Northern Country Sports Show?

The Northern Country Sports Show is a brand-new event for 2026, created to continue the proud tradition of a major country sports gathering in the North of England.

Taking place at the Great Yorkshire Showground (the original home of the Northern Shooting Show), this new event aims to preserve the region’s long-standing connection to shooting, countryside pursuits, and rural heritage.

While the National Shooting Show moves to a more central UK location, the Northern Country Sports Show ensures northern communities still have their own dedicated platform right here on home soil.

It’s expected to celebrate the following:

In short, it keeps northern country sports where many believe they belong… in Yorkshire.

The History of the Northern Shooting Show (2016–2025)

When the Northern Shooting Show first launched in 2016, it was created with a clear purpose: to provide a dedicated shooting and country sports event specifically for the North of England.

At the time, Yorkshire already had one of the country’s strongest shooting communities, with significant numbers of shotgun and firearms certificate holders.

The show immediately struck a chord.

Its first event welcomed more than 15,000 visitors and around 200 exhibitors, offering everything from the following:

  • Shotguns
  • Airguns
  • Rifles
  • Gundog demonstrations
  • Game cooking
  • Country clothing
  • Conservation organisations

It quickly became known for its hands-on approach, famously embracing the idea that visitors should be able to properly experience shooting sports rather than simply browse stands.

Over the years, it grew into one of the UK’s most respected events of its kind, attracting:

  • Major brands
  • National organisations like BASC
  • Firearms licensing teams
  • Specialist retailers
  • International exhibitors

Following its acquisition by Stable Events in 2022, the show expanded even further, drawing record attendance and evolving into a larger national event.

By 2025, plans were announced to rebrand it as the National Shooting Show and relocate it to Warwickshire from 2026 onwards.

Why the Move Matters to the Northern Community

For many in Yorkshire and the North, the relocation marked more than a venue change.

It represented the loss of a truly northern institution.

The original show wasn’t simply popular because of its size. It mattered because it was accessible, regional, and rooted in northern countryside culture.

For local communities, businesses, and enthusiasts, Harrogate offered:

  • Easier access
  • Lower travel costs
  • Stronger regional representation
  • Local economic benefit
  • A celebration of northern field sports identity

Without a replacement, there was a genuine risk that the North’s dedicated country sports showcase could disappear altogether.

That’s why the arrival of the Northern Country Sports Show is so important.

Why Yorkshire Remains the Perfect Home for Country Sports

Yorkshire has long been one of Britain’s great countryside counties.

From driven shoots and gamekeeping to farming, conservation, and rural trade, the region has deep ties to country sports and outdoor traditions.

The Great Yorkshire Showground itself is one of the country’s most iconic agricultural and rural venues, making it a natural home for an event of this kind.

Keeping a major country sports event in Yorkshire helps:

  • Protect regional heritage
  • Support northern businesses
  • Encourage community participation
  • Maintain accessibility for local visitors
  • Strengthen rural traditions for future generations

Put simply, Yorkshire isn’t just a location. It’s part of the identity.

Looking Ahead: A New Chapter for Northern Field Sports

The Northern Country Sports Show represents more than a replacement.

It’s a continuation.

By building on the legacy of the original Northern Shooting Show while retaining its regional roots, it offers northern audiences a chance to maintain their own dedicated celebration of country life.

For exhibitors, visitors, and the wider field sports community, this new event could become an essential fixture in the calendar once again.

And for Yorkshire folk, it means something just as valuable:

Keeping tradition alive.

Final Thoughts

The Northern Shooting Show may have evolved into a national event, but Yorkshire’s role in country sports is far from over.

With the launch of the Northern Country Sports Show, the North retains its place at the heart of the shooting and countryside community.

For many, that’s exactly how it should be.

After all, when it comes to heritage, pride, and doing things properly, Yorkshire rarely misses the mark.