The Eskdale and Liddesdale Agricultural Society usually organised a large annual event including various competitions, but this was cancelled during the war.

The president was the Duke of Buccleuch and the secretary was Alex Thomson.

Its main activity in 1915 was by the Clydesdale Horse Section, which arranged for visits of the prizewinning three-year old colt Bonnie Kelso for breeding. Bonnie Kelso undertook a weekly trip from a farm near the Scotland-England border and did a two-day tour of the area, staying in Langholm for the night.

In normal years, judges from around the country were appointed for various categories, such as:

• Sheep: Cheviot, Border Leicester, Blackfaced, half-bred.
• Cattle: shorthorn, Galloway, Ayrshire, cross-bred, grazing.
• Horses: draught, saddle, hunters; horse shoeing; driving competition.
• Dogs: rough collies, smooth collies, foxhounds, fox terriers, Border terriers, Dandie Dinmont terriers, and variety (e.g. pomeranians).
• Poultry: this was sometimes part of the Langholm Horticultural Society’s annual flower show.
• Other classes: for example, field turnips, vegetables, butter and eggs, honey, home baking, knitting, walking sticks.

The last annual show before the war was the 80th, in 1913, on Milntown, the rugby club ground, where a new stand and pavilion were soon going to be constructed at the joint cost of the Agricultural Society and Rugby Club.

There were 770 entries, with J J Paterson of Terrona and William Scott-Elliot (1849-1919) of Arkleton doing well with prizes for sheep and cattle. J J Paterson’s aunt Agnes Smith, also of Terrona, won first prize for saddle or harness horse.