BORDER UNION LIMITED

What BORDER UNION LIMITED does

Border Union Limited, operating as Border Union Agricultural Society, is a Scottish registered charity (Charity No. SC016869) founded in 1813 under the chairmanship of the 5th Duke of Roxburghe. The society organises four flagship annual events from its owned 46-acre Springwood Park showground in Kelso, Scottish Borders: the Border Union Show (a two-day agricultural exhibition in late July with 500+ open competitions and 200+ trade stands, drawing 12,000+ visitors), the Kelso Ram Sales (a multi-breed sheep sale on the second Friday in September handling nearly 4,000 animals across 15 rings and 20+ breed sections), the Border Union Championship Dog Show (held under Kennel Club guidelines in June, welcoming around 6,000 dogs across 116 breeds), and the Schools Countryside Education Day (a free, curriculum-aligned event for all Primary 5 pupils in Scottish Borders, supported by 300+ volunteers and part-funded by the Fallago Environment Fund). Springwood Hall, built on the estate in 2003, extends utilisation into venue hire for events such as the Borders Art Fair, fundraising balls, and machinery demonstrations.

The society's business model is a hybrid of event admissions, annual membership subscriptions (free event entry, members' marquee access, reserved parking, voting rights at general meetings), trade stand rentals (Gold and Silver prime-site tiers at the Show), competition entry fees for livestock, equine, industrial arts, and dogs, branded merchandise (books, fleeces, beanies, ties) sold via an online shop, corporate sponsorship (Elanco, Norvite, and Norbrook for Ram Sales), and limited grant income for charitable programmes including the Bicentenary Bursary Fund, which has grown to over £160,000 and supports careers in agriculture, forestry, horticulture, country sports, food, conservation, and the wider rural economy across the Scottish Borders and North Northumberland. It serves five distinct customer segments — sheep farmers and breeders, families and the general public, dog breeders and exhibitors, Scottish Borders primary schools, and trade exhibitors — through an event-driven and community-led go-to-market motion, with outreach via its own website (borderunion.co.uk), Facebook, Instagram, and email, plus third-party ticketing (Eventbrite) and competition entries (ShowingScene, Fosse Data).

Governance is via a trustee-led board chaired by Tommy Clark, with Dan Withall serving as Executive Director and a canine-section committee handling the Dog Show; headcount is 1–10 employees. The operating footprint is regional, anchored on the Scottish Borders and North Northumberland, with limited global reach beyond buyers and exhibitors travelling to Ram Sales and the Dog Show from across the UK and Europe. The society has no technology platform product; operational technology is limited to third-party event and ticketing SaaS.

Name

BORDER UNION LIMITED

Legal name

Border Union Agricultural Society

Website

https://borderunion.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1813

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Border Union Agricultural Society is a Scottish-registered charity founded in 1813 that organises four annual events — an agricultural show, Kelso Ram Sales, a championship dog show, and a schools countryside education day — from its owned 46-acre Springwood Park showground in Kelso, serving sheep farmers, families, dog exhibitors, schoolchildren, and trade exhibitors across the Scottish Borders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Shows and Rural Events

NAICS

Support Activities for Animal Production (1152)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture, Farming & AgriTech Shows Organizers (THAHABAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Livestock Showing, Training & Performance Support Services (Non-veterinary) (AFAEALAM)

Keywords

• Agricultural shows
• Livestock auctions
• Championship dog shows
• Rural education programs
• Agricultural society

Headquarters

HQ city

Scottish Borders

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Event Admissions: Revenue generated from ticket sales for the Border Union Show, Championship Dog Show, and general attendance at events. Adult Friday tickets £15, Adult Saturday tickets £20, with Under 16s admitted free.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership providing benefits including free admission to Border Union Show and Championship Dog Show, reduced rates for exhibiting livestock, free parking, and access to the Members' Marquee.
3. Trade Stand Rentals: Revenue from trade stand applications at events, with prime site locations available (Gold and Silver tiers) at the Border Union Show which hosts over 200 trade stands.
4. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including the society book, fleeces, beanies, and membership ties through the online shop.
5. Competition Entry Fees: Revenue from competitors entering the 500+ open competitions for horses, livestock, and industrial arts at the Border Union Show, as well as dog show entries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Border Union Agricultural Society is a registered Scottish charity that hosts four core annual events from its 46-acre Springwood Park showground in Kelso: the Border Union Show (a two-day agricultural exhibition with 500+ competitions and 200+ trade stands), the Kelso Ram Sales (a multi-breed sheep auction of nearly 4,000 animals), the Border Union Championship Dog Show (a two-day Kennel Club-affiliated event with around 6,000 dogs), and the Schools Countryside Day (an educational event for Scottish Borders Primary 5 pupils). It also runs an annual membership programme and a Bicentenary Bursary Fund supporting rural-economy careers.

Product overview

Border Union Agricultural Society operates as a charitable organization running four core annual events: the Border Union Show (agricultural exhibition with competitions and trade stands), Kelso Ram Sales (multi-breed sheep sales), the Championship Dog Show (canine exhibition), and the Schools Countryside Day (educational program). The society also offers membership benefits, administers bursary funding for rural career development, and sells branded merchandise through its online shop. The portfolio consists primarily of event-based offerings rather than a unified software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Border Union Show Annual two-day agricultural show held on the last Friday and Saturday of July at Springwood Park, Kelso, featuring 500+ open competitions for horses, livestock and industrial arts, 200+ trade stands, a food fair, craft and gift marquee, cookery demonstrations, and family attractions including a funfair. Adult tickets £15 (Friday) / £20 (Saturday), under-16s free.
• Kelso Ram Sales (Border Union Ram Sales) Annual multi-breed sheep auction held on the second Friday of September at Springwood Park, welcoming nearly 4,000 rams across 15 covered sale rings and more than 20 breed sections (Bluefaced Leicester, Suffolk, Texel, etc.). One of the most respected multi-breed ram sales in the UK, drawing buyers from across the UK and Europe. Core sponsors include Elanco Animal Health, Norvite and Norbrook. The 2025 sale offered 3,925 rams.
• Border Union Championship Dog Show Prestigious two-day Championship Dog Show held in June under Kennel Club recognition, welcoming 5,000–6,000 dogs with classes for 116 breeds across working, pastoral, utility, toy, gundog, hound and terrier groups, plus Best in Show competitions. Entries and live results are processed through the Fosse Data platform. The 2026 edition is scheduled for 13th–14th June.
• Schools Countryside Day Annual private educational event in May offered to every Primary 5 pupil in the Scottish Borders, delivering interactive out-of-classroom learning about food, farming, and rural life. Reaches 1,200+ children annually, involves 300+ volunteers, and is partly funded by the Fallago Environment Fund with Scottish Borders Council supporting logistics and bus transport. The 2026 edition is scheduled for 19th May.
• Border Union Membership Annual membership subscription granting free admission to the Border Union Show and Championship Dog Show, reduced livestock exhibiting rates, free parking, Members' Marquee access, voting rights at General Meetings, and partner benefits (e.g. exclusive discounts with Bisley at Braidwood shooting ground: 38p per clay instead of 44p and 15% off lessons).
• Border Union Bicentenary Bursary Fund Financial support programme established at the society's 2013 Bicentenary to fund people advancing careers in agriculture, forestry, horticulture, country sports, food, conservation and the wider rural economy of the Scottish Borders and North Northumberland. Expected to disburse over £160,000.
• Border Union Merchandise (Online Shop) E-commerce storefront at borderunion.co.uk/shop/ selling society-branded merchandise including clothing (e.g. Border Union 1/4 Zip Fleece £34.95, Beanie £9.95, Membership Tie £10.00), accessories, and the historical BUAS book.
• Book: 'At a Meeting Held at Kelso' — A Bicentenary History 1813–2013 Historical book documenting the first 200 years of the Border Union Agricultural Society, the Border Union Show and Kelso Ram Sales, written by Brian Wain and Charlie Robertson; sold for £10.00 via the society's online shop.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,200+ children educated annually about food, farming, and countryside through Schools Countryside Day
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Developing the Young Workforce (DYW)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership for careers events at Border Union Show, promoting wide range of careers in the rural sector throughout Scottish Borders and North Northumberland.
• Bisley at BraidwoodminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership offering BUAS members exclusive discounts: 38p per clay instead of 44p for shooting, and 15% off all lessons. Members encouraged to take up this discount benefit.
• Elanco Animal HealthcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMain sponsor of Kelso Ram Sales. Elanco Animal Health provides sponsorship supporting the operation of the annual ram sale event at Springwood Park.
• NorvitecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecialist feed company sponsoring Kelso Ram Sales as part of their agricultural marketing activities.
• NorbrookcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnimal health company sponsoring Kelso Ram Sales as a key agricultural sector partner.
• Scottish Borders CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssists with delivery of information to each school and provides bus transport for pupils attending Schools Countryside Day.
• The Kennel ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK's leading canine organization, with Border Union Championship Dog Show operating under Kennel Club guidelines and recognition.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Sheep Association: Runs NSA Sheep Events (South, West, North, Northern Ireland), the most direct competitor to Kelso Ram Sales on the multi-breed sheep sale and exhibition axis. Comparable mission-driven body supporting the UK sheep sector.
• Devon County Agricultural Association: Runs the Devon County Show, a regional charitable agricultural show with livestock, equine, food, and trade-stand components. Closely aligned with Border Union's event model and membership society structure.
• Yorkshire Agricultural Society: Organizes the Great Yorkshire Show, a flagship UK agricultural show with livestock classes, trade stands, and education programs. Closely comparable to Border Union in mission, charity structure, and event format.
• The Kennel Club: Runs Crufts and sanctions championship dog shows in the UK. Directly comparable on the canine-event axis — Border Union Championship Dog Show operates under The Kennel Club's guidelines and recognition.
• Royal Ulster Agricultural Society: Operates the Balmoral Show in Northern Ireland, one of the largest UK agricultural shows. Directly comparable as a charity-run multi-event society with livestock competitions and trade exhibitions.
• Three Counties Agricultural Society: Operates the Three Counties Show (Malvern) including livestock, equine, and food events. Comparable charitable agricultural society running a multi-vertical annual show with similar education and trade-stand monetization.
• Royal Bath and West of England Society: Charitable society running the Royal Bath & West Show plus year-round events at the Bath & West Showground. Comparable venue-owner agricultural society with education and rural-economy objectives.
• Royal Welsh Agricultural Society: Runs the Royal Welsh Show and smaller winter fair, mirroring Border Union's structure as a charitable agricultural society hosting livestock, equine, and trade events with a strong educational remit.
• Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS): Runs the Royal Highland Show, the largest agricultural show in Scotland and the most direct competitor to the Border Union Show in the Scottish market. Both are charitable agricultural societies hosting livestock competitions, trade stands, and rural education programming.

Regional players

• Staffordshire County Agricultural Society: Operates the Staffordshire County Show and the Staffordshire County Showground, a comparable regional charitable agricultural society hosting livestock, equine, and trade events. Operates in a different geography (West Midlands) but on a structurally similar model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BorderUnion
• Instagraminstragram.com/borderunionkelso
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/border-union-agricultural-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BORDER UNION LIMITED