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CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF THE APF

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INTRODUCTION

“The APF has grown from its humble beginnings to be a huge international event.”

s we celebrate our 50th birthday, the APF Demo Committee would like to thank all our exhibitors, sponsors and visitors over the years for making the show what it is today. I am very proud to have been part of putting the show together for over 40 years. Though I can’t claim to have been there from the very beginning, I attended my first APF Demo in 1980 and have only seen it go from strength to strength since then. It is something that still excites me! The resilience of the show is in that it has stayed very close to what it was set up for. When it was founded in 1976, it was set up to provide a trade show for the Association of Professional Foresters. We have stayed close to that goal. This is still, at its core, a trade show by foresters for foresters. A lot of other shows have come and gone because they have maybe drifted from their original purpose or tried too hard to get the general public in. There are very good reasons that the same exhibitors, visitors and staff return to this show again and again. The atmosphere, opportunities and value are unlike anywhere else. I am delighted that so many familiar and new faces will be there for our Golden Anniversary. This is a special moment in APF history and one that will hopefully be looked back on fondly in another 50 years’ time! Special thanks for the success of the show must go to those people who have worked at the APF Demo over the years. Your skills, dedication and knowledge of the industry have made it possible to keep the wheels turning. Ian Millward, Exhibition Secretary

50 years of the APF 3

WHAT IS THE APF?

What is the

APF?

4 50 years of the APF

What does ‘APF’ stand for?

The Association of Professional Foresters (APF) started life in 1960 as an alternative to the Institute of Foresters, with the intention of providing more representation for the private sector. It was initially made up of management companies such as Tilhill, Oakover and Fountain Forestry, and of individual members who were working foresters. In the 1970s, after heated debate, another tier of membership for trade companies was created to represent the suppliers of goods and equipment to the industry. The following year, after an APF Council meeting in London, APF Secretary Tony Phillips and individual council member John McHardy, Head Forester at Longleat, travelled home together by train and discussed the idea of staging an event where the new Trade Members could show off their wares and services. And so, the National Forest Machinery Demonstration came to be. With the blessing of Lord Bath, the first event took place on the Longleat Estate in September 1976. Since then, it has been held (almost) every two years at various sites around the country. In 1992, the event was rebranded as the APF European Forest Machinery Demonstration, and in 1996, the name was updated again to the APF International Forest Machinery Demonstration. APF eventually merged with the Timber Growers Organisation in 2000 to form the Forestry & Timber Association, which subsequently became the Confederation of Forest Industries UK (Confor). The full name of the Association officially disappeared but most people in the industry still referred to the Exhibition as the ‘APF Demo’. Hence, the initials became the trading name and formed a separate limited company: The APF International Forest Machinery Exhibition Ltd. This was to distinguish the trading nature of the exhibition >> 50 years of the APF 5

WHAT IS THE APF?

from the representative role of Confor. Today, the APF Exhibition is the UK’s largest forestry, woodland, arboriculture, firewood. fencing, trees and timber trade show.

Who runs the APF?

The show has always been run by a Demo Committee, a loose collection of individuals who work within the industry and come together to organise the event every two years. The APF has always prided itself on working with minimum overheads. There are no fancy offices and there have never been any full-time employees of the company. That continues to this day, a fact that many other exhibitions find hard to believe, given the size and scale of the show. For those first shows, the Team would come together on site on the Saturday before the event, run the event the following week and all go home the following Sunday. Those days are long gone, and the show takes around three weeks to build and another week to take down. In the early days, the Committee consisted of an Exhibition Director, Exhibition Secretary, 6 50 years of the APF

Treasurer, Chief Coordinator and Safety Officer. The roles of Treasurer and Exhibition Secretary were merged in 2002, and other roles were added as needed as the years went on. The Demo Committee are assisted during each show by a team of coordinators and other helpers, who initially all worked as volunteers. Later the size of the show and the demands on the time of the Committee and coordinators required a pay structure to recompense staff. The Committee has never had a formal recruitment policy; it has always been done by recommendation. Generally, someone will start doing something like on-site traffic management or showing exhibitors to their stands. Over time, those who have proven themselves able to cope with the stresses

APF 2026 will have the following: u 2 1/2 miles temporary roadway u 1 3/4 miles Heras fencing u 1 1/4 miles crowd barrier u 4 miles rope & cones to designate conservation strips u 2 1/2 miles demonstration frontage u £90 million working machinery u 1,500 lorry movements bringing equipment on site and strains of working on a busy show site may be inducted into more senior roles. Succession and the resilience of the Committee is very important and planned well in advance. All members of the Committee have an Assistant counterpart learning the ropes who will be able to step up when the time comes. Some members of the current Committee are even the offspring of previous members, and there will be a third generation joining to help out at APF 2026. This huge reservoir of experience is crucial to the smooth running of the event. All members of the Committee work or have worked in the forestry or arboricultural industries, meaning they understand the needs of exhibitors and visitors. See p28 for a list of APF Team members over the years.

Where does the money go?

The APF is a not-for-profit organisation. Any surplus is either kept in a reserve fund, in case of disastrous weather or a sudden cancellation, or will be distributed back into the industry to fund specific projects. The reserve fund was invaluable during the Covid-19 pandemic as not many businesses could have survived effectively not trading for four years. APF stayed afloat after cancelling the show in 2020 to bounce back in 2022. It is an interesting fact that the profit margin today is about the same as it was 30 years ago! This is due to the increase in costs required for setting up a show of this size. Temporary trackway, insurance, machinery, staff costs, venue hire and more are large and unfortunately necessary overheads. 50 years of the APF 7

APF TIMELINE

1970s

Longleat Estate 1976

The first ever show saw 79 exhibitors and an unknown number of visitors turn up (we didn’t count in those days!). Highlights were timber extraction demonstrations by an elephant called Womba and a display of aerial firefighting – which quickly went awry when the pilot mistakenly dropped his load of water on the car park and visitors! The event was organised and managed by staff from the Longleat Estate, the Forestry Companies and volunteers from the individual membership. Radio communications were provided by members of the Army’s local Junior Leaders Regiment, which entailed some

Longleat organisers and the ﬁrst APF catalogue cover (right) 1976.

8 50 years of the APF

poor teenager carrying a 56lb radio backpack (complete with an 8ft aerial) trying to keep up with an athletic forester as he dashed about the woods.

Photo: David Wiltshire.

The National Westminster Bank brought their mobile unit to the site to provide moneyhandling facilities. (They also provided some very good gin and tonics!) Unfortunately, due to some heavy rain on the last day, when the bank unit was towed off site it left two deep grooves across the lawn. We were never asked back!

Forest of Dean 1980 Womba the elephant c.1978.

Lowther Estate 1978

1980s

Following the success of the first event, The Earl of Lonsdale, APF President at the time, offered his Lowther Estate near Penrith as a venue. The site was divided in two by the River Lowther, with woodland to the north for the working exhibits, and a rather pleasant lawn on the southern side for the static site. The northern area also boasted a large concrete pad, used as a tank park during the war, so ideal for mobile saw benches and the like. The only problem was that the bridge connecting the two sites had a weight limit of about five tonnes. However, with the Demo Team’s developing skill of overcoming all difficulties, everything was in place by the time of the opening. The team lived in caravans on the estate during the show. The Junior Leaders again provided the radio link, and a suitable hostelry was found in Penrith to feed the team.

Exhibitors after APF 1978 confirmed they thought the event was worth attending, and that every two years was their preferred frequency. And so, our enduring schedule was established. The Forestry Commission (FC) felt that they ought to be part of the act and offered their Christchurch campsite in the Forest of Dean as the next venue. This meant the Demo Team had the novelty of hot showers at their disposal… happily, it was also the first time we had ladies join the team. In a great show of enthusiasm, FC ordered a huge marquee that far exceeded their allocated space, covering both the adjoining sites and most of the walkway in front of it. With some hasty redrawing of the site layout, we managed to fit everyone in fairly close to the position they had booked. FC also offered us the use of their radio network and set up a booster station so that the whole of the site was covered. Unfortunately, just as everything started to arrive, the radio >> 50 years of the APF 9

1980s

APF TIMELINE required to check the roads were clear was somewhere in the middle of the Forest, in the Land Rover of a member of FC staff. He had left it switched to transmit so everyone could hear him whistling and chopping logs while no-one else could use the system. To add even further to the chaos, after the event was opened by the Duke of Gloucester, an official lunch for him and various other local dignitaries was invaded by thousands of freshly hatched tiny spiders, descending onto the food (and heads) below. Needless to say, the tent they were in was enjoying its first outing after being in storage for several months.

Demo Committee 1982.

10 50 years of the APF

Beecraigs Country Park 1982 For the first time, the show moved north of the border, where we were told all the ‘proper’ forestry took place. Scotland may be the home of British forestry, but we recorded the lowest attendance figures ever! Our resources also were stretched quite thin by hosting a European Union of Foresters Congress in neighbouring Edinburgh at the same time. The site in Beecraigs Country Park was owned by West Lothian District Council, who were very cooperative and even built a magnificent stone off-loading ramp for us. Unfortunately, the approach was uphill, therefore

requiring an element of speed to reach it, and the end result of the first lorry that backed up to it causing a large crack to appear across its face. They were not amused! All the site visits before the event gave the impression that it was dry and on solid rock. The rain that fell in the weeks leading up to the event proved this to be wrong. During the show, we even had a small stream running through the centre of the refreshment tent - not the sort of running water we really wanted. We had sensibly taped off a particularly muddy part of the car park, though this didn’t stop a high-ranking officer of the Health and Safety Executive driving his car through the red and white barrier, and straight into what had become a bog. You can imagine our reactions! Apparently, the food fed to the team at this show was so awful that one of the coordinators stated he was never coming back unless his wife came along to do the catering. This started a tradition of having our own inhouse catering team, which has continued for 36 years with no complaints!

Windsor (Crown Estate) 1984 The next show saw us back down south, at the Crown Estate at Windsor, and brought the extension of an extra day. A three-day event, we hoped, would increase visitor numbers. We also hoped that being

Windsor 1994.

“

We hired our own radio system for the first time, which worked well apart from sharing a wavelength with the foreman on a nearby building site.”

close to London, where some of the big forestry investment companies had their offices, would encourage attendance. Unfortunately, several of the northern based equipment companies decided we had gone too far south and didn’t attend. Those that did reported that they had done a lot of business, despite disappointing foot traffic. We hired our own radio system for the first time, which worked well apart from sharing a wavelength with the foreman on a nearby building site. The overheard arguments with the operator of a tower >> 50 years of the APF 11

APF TIMELINE at the entrance lodges, the same method they used for visitors to the Main House. However, the rate of arrival of visitors to the show was much faster than they were used to and they soon had traffic queuing back to the A1 a mile and a half away. To appease the local police, the APF Team took over and quickly solved the problem. The security firm hired to patrol the site at night proved to be frightened of the dark and unlit woodlands. On the first night, the Demo Team returned from our evening meal to find the entire security team fast asleep in our cabins! Funnily enough, they were sacked on the spot. To top it all, one of our car parking volunteers (who shall remain nameless), somehow parked a visitor’s car in such a position that we had to cut a tree down to get it out.

1980s

crane resulted in the team member in our exhibition office finally growing tired of the language being used and deciding that she really didn’t need a radio anyway. The site entrance for all the equipment was off the dual carriageway of the A322, which during the morning rush hour resembled a racetrack. No matter how many warning signs, flashing lights and waving arms we used, a fair number of the local commuters incorrectly thought they could get by the larger lorries that needed to swing onto the outside lane to manage the sharp turn. This was Mike Box’s baptism of fire as a co-ordinator, but as he eventually rose to the heady position of Exhibition Director, it can’t have been as bad as he tried to make out.

Clumber Park 1986

It was decided, in an effort to please both exhibitors and attendees, to move to the Midlands. We found a suitable site at Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire, using adjoining land owned by the National Trust and the Forestry Commission. Water for the catering tent and our own use had to be collected from a tap in the courtyard of the House. Unfortunately, particularly as it was hot and sunny for the whole event, the water pressure was such that it took about an hour to fill a 200-gallon bowser. It had been arranged that visitor’s entrance fees would be collected by National Trust staff 12 50 years of the APF

“

The security firm hired to patrol the site at night proved to be frightened of the dark and unlit woodlands. On the first night, the Demo Team returned from our evening meal to find the entire security team fast asleep in our cabins!”

Cannock Chase 1988

An APF member worked for Staffordshire County Council and offered us the old RAF Hednesford site on Cannock Chase for 1988’s show. The site was well-served with existing tarmac roads, once tramped by square-bashing national servicemen and regular recruits. Exhibition Director Roger Fitter was delighted to find that old Nissen huts (prefabricated cylindrical barracks) were still in evidence as it was where he had completed his National Service. The airfield adjoined an area of Forestry Commission

woodland, which was readily offered as their contribution to the show. Though welcome, the forest road system on the working exhibit site turned out to be flanked on each side by ditches – some exhibitors had extreme difficulty getting on to their chosen sites.

Swynnerton Forest 1990

There was a moment of panic when we arrived to start the set-up. Although we had our own in-house electrician, no one had thought to order any generators.”

Dalby Forest 1992

It was decided to go north again, and a number of possible sites in the Forestry Commission’s Dalby Forest were considered. The one chosen incorporated a large flat field, which the FC’s farm tenant assured us was the driest area of the farm and would be ideal for car parking and our static site. This was probably true, but we soon realised the term ‘driest’ should have been judged in relative terms to the rest of the land! To make the site fees more affordable for smaller exhibitors in the static area, we provided a length of covered shedding >>

1990s

Exhibitor questionnaires and visitor numbers continued to show that the Midlands were a good choice for the show. As such, the next event was held at the Forestry Commission’s Swynnerton Forest, with some of the adjoining fields belonging to Lord Stafford’s Old Park Estate. We were somewhat concerned to learn that the area of woodland intended to be the working area for harvesters and the like had been sold in a recent timber auction. After some negotiation, we were able to purchase the contract from the local contractor with the winning bid and even thinned the remainder of the area at a profit after the show. There was a moment of panic when we arrived to start the set-up. Although we had our own in-house electrician, no one had thought to order any generators. The first evening saw a small party of volunteers constructing a loading ramp by torchlight and the following morning digging ditches to clear the floods caused by overnight rain. Despite having complained

“

that many of the past sites had been too flat, it was interesting to see how many of the exhibitors declined to book or use the valley’s sloping sides. We soon learned that it is impossible to please all exhibitors. One difficulty with the site was the fact that the Forestry Commission road used as part of the demonstration circuit ended in a dead end with a turning circle. Due to the camber, it was almost impossible to have two vehicles passing each other. This meant that a strict but very slow contraflow system had to be put in place. It might seem obvious today that this was entirely predictable – and it was – but the show was getting bigger each time, with more lorry movements, and details like this that hadn’t been a problem before. Every APF brings its own steep learning curve.

50 years of the APF 13

1990s

APF TIMELINE to alleviate the need for each exhibitor to hire their own tent. During set-up it started raining and blowing a gale. Half the shedding blew down, the awning over the entrance to the APF tent filled with water and threatened to tear in half, and small lakes appeared within the static and car park areas. Digging drainage holes revealed about twelve inches of topsoil over solid rock. It continued raining on the opening day and the only people that were really happy were the exhibitors who had wellington boots for sale. They were all sold out within the first hour. A large part of the nearby quarry became flooded, marooning one exhibitor on an island and the liquid mud flowed like lava down the track into the forest. The local stake depot provided trailer loads of peelings which were spread down the

14 50 years of the APF

Peter Harland, Ian Millward and Alan Cobb at Thoresby Estate 1994.

main walkways to try and absorb some moisture. Fortunately, we had been offered the use of a Supacat (an eight-wheeled off-road, go anywhere military vehicle) for our use. It proved invaluable for getting around site and towing stuck vehicles. Mike Box commanded it with Martin Webb riding shotgun, and they quickly acquired the radio call signs of Diesel 1 and Diesel 2 while delivering fuel to stands. The Team were quartered in caravans on site, and you can imagine the state of them after a week in the quagmire. We expected a huge valeting fee after the event but none arrived, and the same company were happy to hire us the caravans again two years later.

Thoresby Estate 1994

In hope of finding somewhere drier and remembering the success of Clumber Park, we obtained permission from the Pierrepoint Settlement to use an area of the Thoresby Estate in Nottinghamshire. This was Ian Millward first outing as Exhibition Secretary, after taking over from Tony Phillips OBE. The site was approached by a long estate road, which gave us the chance of getting traffic well off the public roads before stopping visitors for their entrance fees. This led on to a long field that was ideal for car parking and was next to the static area. The demonstration circuit

Demo Committee 1996. was on hard(ish) rides through the woodland, which allowed us to use a one-way system. We were given permission to use an alternative exit route, as long as we didn’t disturb the pheasants! As far as can be recalled, 1994 was a relatively calm APF, with nothing untoward and the sun shining most of the time.

Weston Park 1996

As the event continued to grow in size and popularity, suitable sites were becoming more and more difficult to find. We were therefore delighted when we were offered the use of an area in Weston Park, Staffordshire. They were well used to staging big events, many of which were far larger than ours. There was plenty of open space in the parkland for parking and the static area, though the presence of a number of large trees in the latter made designing its layout quite a challenge. A disused quarry on the edge of the static area gave an ideal site

“

At the end of our stay, we were complemented by the Park Events Manager, who said we were one of the most professional and organised teams he had dealt with, leaving him with virtually nothing to do.”

for a four-wheel drive test track, which was well used by some of the exhibitors. The area of woodland was rather limited and again pheasants came into the equation, However, those who needed a wooded site were accommodated. At the end of our stay, we were complemented by the Park Events Manager, who said we were one of the most professional and organised teams he had dealt with, leaving him with virtually nothing to do.

Zetland Estate 1998

When Lord Zetland offered a site on his estate in North Yorkshire, we thought it to be a good idea to move the APF further north again after a number of years in the Midlands. While discussing the matter in the estate office, another block of woodland with adjoining fields was spotted on the map. Inspection showed it to be far better suited to our needs, and >> 50 years of the APF 15

APF TIMELINE

Weston Park 2000

The start of the new century saw a return to Weston Park. This was the first occasion that we had used a site for the second 16 50 years of the APF

Catalogue cover 1998.

time. Although the static and car park areas remained the same, the demonstration circuit was extended to include a new area of woodland and the need for more road making. While on our first visit we had needed to water the roads to keep the dust down, this event proved to be a wet one. By the time we cleared the site, it looked as if we had held a ploughing match rather than a forest machinery exhibition. The Estate were not very happy and insisted on re-seeding much of the area, despite our assurances a good harrowing followed by a heavy roller would put it right in a week or two. One moment of excitement was the landing of the air ambulance to take one of the caterer’s staff to hospital after she

2000s

Zetland Estate were happy for us to use it, realising that the proximity of their sawmill could be an added attraction. However, the presence of a high voltage power line crossing the static area was an annoyance, particularly when we realised the size of the safety zone required beneath it. This was the first site where we had to undertake any major road building, as we had to metal a considerable length of farm track to gain access to the car park area. The main route to the site was via the A6108 from Scotch Comer to Richmond, with a righthand turn at a set of traffic lights. This, we foresaw, was a possible problem and suggested to the local police force that the lights might need re-phasing. This, they assured us, would not be a problem. Unfortunately, all the wellmeaning promises meant nothing in the end. The lights were not altered, no police arrived and staff at the entrance gate heard endless tales of delays. This flagged up for the first time that the continuing success of the event needed better traffic management. The Director General of the Forestry Commission David Bills opened the event and planted a commemorative tree.

Demo Committee 2000

scalded her arm. Luckily, she was not seriously hurt and was back at work the following day. In those early shows we used to levy a £75 clean site deposit on all exhibitors. This would be returned to them after the show if they had left their stands clean and tidy, which practically every exhibitor did. The system was probably more trouble than it was worth as the Treasurer had to write out around 150 cheques at the end of each event. The Demo Committee were very touched when after the 2000 show, many of the exhibitors donated their clean site deposits back to the Committee as thanks for all their hard work. A very enjoyable time was subsequently had in Dublin shortly after.

Lockerbie 2002

This event saw us return to Scotland after the only ever formal vote of the Committee. Minds were split between those who wanted to keep the large machinery dealers based in in the north happy, and those who

“

The Demo Committee were very touched when after the 2000 show, many of the exhibitors donated their clean site deposits back to the Committee as thanks for all their hard work. A very enjoyable time was subsequently had in Dublin shortly after.”

worried whether other exhibitors and visitors would travel that far. However, we had been invited to move across the border to coincide with the first ever staging of the World Logging Competition in the UK. The Forestry Contracting Association and Scottish Enterprise were very keen for us to join forces, and they had received substantial EU funding to stage the Competition. The decision to go north again would prove be a turning point for the Demo in many ways. It was the first time we would stage events and competitions during the show; it was the first and only time the show was held over four days; it was the first time the Team stayed in a hotel rather than on site in caravans, which has continued at every show since; and it was the first time we ever hired in temporary roadway. It was also the first and only time we had the honour of the show being formally opened by royalty, in this case the Princess Royal. That was a steep learning curve as royal visits take a lot of planning and involve the >> 50 years of the APF 17

APF TIMELINE resulted in you disappearing up to your knees in mud! Hundreds of metres of temporary trackway had to be brought in to pave the main walkways in the static area. Our budget was well and truly blown. In addition to the arena disciplines of the World Logging Competition, we staged pole climbing for the first time. The problems of getting 100ft Douglas Fir poles to site and then installing them were all new to us. Narrow roads and the state of the field prevented any hope of getting a lorry with the poles close to the arena. Fortunately, the organiser of the pole climbing had a contact with the RAF and managed to persuade them that lifting two five tonne poles, carrying them to site and lowering them into the ground would be a great exercise for their Chinook crews. Amazingly it went without a hitch, but thankfully we have never needed to use helicopters again! On the positive side the arena events proved to be a great success and have remained a feature of the Demo ever since, as have the guided tours for school children that were introduced for the first time. The people of Lockerbie were fantastic, and we were warmly welcomed wherever we went.

2000s

presence of armed police. Our offer of a brand new Toyota Landcruiser to ferry Princess Anne around was politely declined as she would only travel in a British Range Rover which she insisted on driving herself. We chose a site in Birkshaw Forest near Lockerbie. It looked ideal, a large grass field with a gentle valley to accommodate the arenas with tiered viewing for spectators. There was a small damp area at the head of the valley, but the rest of the field was dry. The adjacent forest offered large areas of thinning and clear fell for demonstrations. The planning for this event took place in 2001. Then came the outbreak of foot-and-mouth, and the UK countryside came to a grinding halt with extensive movement and travel restrictions. A large area of the forest adjoining our site was cleared to provide a burial ground for thousands of sheep and cattle. For some time, it looked like we would have to cancel the show. However, restrictions were lifted just in time with a 100m buffer zone in place along part of the circuit. Even though burials of animals were no longer taking place, tankers came in every day to remove ‘liquid’ from the burial pits, and the smell of which is something the Team will never forget! This was followed by the wettest spring and summer on record in the borders. A site visit in early September found that stepping through the gate 18 50 years of the APF

“

We staged pole climbing for the first time. The problems of getting 100ft Douglas Fir poles to site and then installing them were all new to us.”

Ragley Estate 2004

After our sobering (financially) experience in Lockerbie, we decided to return to the Midlands. We were offered several suitable

Carving arena Ragley 2006 sites on Lord Hertford’s Ragley Estate and chose one on the northern edge with excellent access from the public road and plenty of open fields. The adjacent area of woodland provided an ideal setting for the demonstration circuit, although the ground conditions meant we had another major roading exercise on our hands. Even so, one vehicle fell off the side during set-up and blocked the system for some time before it was extracted. APF 2004 saw the first appearance of the European Lumberjack Sports Championships at the show. This did cause a few headaches as the area allocated to them was too sloping for their needs, so we had to hastily level it with a digger and spread wood chips to provide firm footing. APF 2004 also saw the first staging of The UK Forwarder Driving Competition. In association with the

“

In association with the Woodland Trust (in 2004), we actively encouraged more school parties to visit the show.”

Woodland Trust, we actively encouraged more school parties to visit the show. The Estate kindly let us plant up about a hectare of field, which the school children enthusiastically took part in, although the rows and spacing did not perhaps invite close scrutiny. The Team were staying in the Arrow Hotel close to the show site. Whether it was due to the stress of the event or other factors, a long-time member of Team came down to breakfast one morning ashen-faced and claimed she had seen the ghost of an old lady sitting on her bed during the night. We never returned to that hotel!

Ragley Estate 2006

Handily utilising the roading we had put in two years previously, the show returned to the Ragley Estate in 2006. There were major changes to the layout, with the old static area becoming the car park and a newly accessible >> 50 years of the APF 19

APF TIMELINE

field allowing for an extended demonstration circuit and new arenas. APF 2006 saw the first appearance of the European Chainsaw Carving Championships. Echo agreed to sponsor the event, and 25 carvers took part, transforming their 2m x 1m logs of Redwood into impressive sculptures. Some of the carvers were very dedicated and wanted to sleep next to their artwork for inspiration. It took some persuasion to get them all over to the designated camp site instead – about 800m away. The first competition was won by Peter Bowsher with a great carving of an old woodsman with an axe. The event was a 20 50 years of the APF

Peter Bowsher (above) winner of the ﬁrst European Chainsaw Carving Championships held at APF in 2006.

huge hit with both competitors and visitors, and has gone from strength to strength since. APF 2006 also saw the one and only staging of the UK Lorry Loading competition. There was a display of ‘extreme’ mountain biking and pole climbing, sponsored by Husqvarna, returned as well. Thanks to our changeable luck with the rain, every available tractor and quad bike had to be called into service on the second day to get cars off the car park. Luckily, on the last day the weather improved.

Cannock Chase 2008 We headed back to Cannock for the first time since 1988. The static and demonstration areas

1976 vs 2026

Public Car Park

APF 1976

u Longleat Estate, Wiltshire u Entry cost £0.50 u 76 exhibitors u No one kept count of visitors!

WHAT A DIFFERENCE 50 YEARS MAKES! APF 2026

u Ragley Estate, Warwickshire u 320+ exhibitors u 23,000 visitors u £90 million worth of machinery on display!

50 years of the APF 21

2010s

APF TIMELINE were the same, but this time the APF Team enjoyed the comfort of a hotel in Stafford at night. The UK Fencing championships, sponsored by McVeigh Parker, were staged for the first time as well as a display of mountain biking on a purposebuilt course. Competitors from six European countries joined us for the European Lumberjack Sports Championships, sponsored by Stihl and UPM Tilhill.

Cannock Chase 2010

Mike Box took over from Gordon Little as Exhibition Director as we returned to Cannock for the third time. The Woodland Craft area had been expanded and now featured a charcoal burning demonstration. Unfortunately, the wind direction was very unfavourable and half the static

Below: Gordon & Jim Paice opening the 2008 show.

area ended up covered in smoke. We never did a live burn on the first day of the show again! The weather also caused the car parking to become what could be described as “difficult”. Stihl Timbersports brought their full Timbersports stage to the show, the first time it had been in the UK, and other exhibitors upped their entertainment game. Logset had some dancers performing and Orange Plant had a body-painted mascot on their stand.

Ragley Estate 2012

The show moved back to Ragley again and, as it would turn out, that’s where it has stayed ever since. This decision was motivated by a brand-new site with a larger parking area, which we 22 50 years of the APF

Marshall Engineering (above) won the Alan Cobb Memorial Trophy at APF 2010 (left). and the UK Loggers held a demonstration of the five disciplines for the World Logging Championships. By this point the show had expanded greatly in size and the APF Team had to expand to manage a much bigger site.

Ragley Estate 2014

filled to capacity. The large flat grass fields proved very popular with exhibitors for setting up and the woodland area offered opportunities for felling demonstrations. In addition to all our other events, we staged the European Horse Logging Championships

Logset brought the glamour to the APF at Cannock Chase in 2010.

Husqvarna tested our organisational skills when, at short notice, they said they wanted to stage what we called ‘The Track vs Tree Challenge’. They brought in Olympic sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeety (now better known as Nitro on the BBC’s Gladiators) to compete against World Poleclimbing Champion Grant Gallier. Harry would run 100m on the track and Grant would climb the 100ft pole. The pole bit was easy as they were already there. The 100m track was more of a challenge as an Olympic sprinter with a personal best of 10 seconds does not race on a rough grass exhibition site. A temporary 100m track was sourced and delivered >> 50 years of the APF 23

APF TIMELINE

to site on the Saturday morning. Iwan Thomas, another Olympic athlete, came along to give the commentary and took the opportunity to have a go climbing the 100ft pole himself. His time, although not threatening the world record, was very respectable for a first-time climber. In the main event it was a close-run thing, but Grant won the race with a fantastic 10 second climb. Harry was not far behind and ended up coming to a stop inside the Confor tent as the run out at the end of the track was a bit short! 24 50 years of the APF

Olympic athletes Harry AikinesAryeety (far left) and Iwan Thomas (far right) at the ‘The Track vs Tree Challenge’ at APF 2014.

Ragley Estate 2016

This was our 21st show and we laid on a band and some free drinks for exhibitors on the Friday night to celebrate. The Forst Motorcycle Display Team also came along and performed in one of the arenas. The overall success of the show was overshadowed by a tragic accident during set-up which resulted in the death one of our longest serving staff, Frank Sheridan. Frank and his wife Aileen had been APF helpers since 1982. It hit the Team hard and we seriously considered cancelling

the event, but Aileen insisted the show must go on. A memorial bench on site is now a lasting tribute to Frank.

Ragley Estate 2018

Ragley had very much become our second home by 2018. This made life a little easier for us, especially as our previously upgraded road and work done for the previous shows made it much simpler and quicker to set up. This show saw the first appearance of the Fencing Village. It was designed to add another core market to the show and has grown into a major feature of the event. The Forest Worker Zone, designed to address the needs of the forest worker rather than the forest manager, was also set up for the first time with demonstrations of winching, skyline operations and other workshops. Many visitors may remember APF 2018 for the wrong reasons. The increasing popularity of the event meant more visitors and therefore more cars. We handled traffic management and car parking in-house back then and the numbers who turned up were the last straw for our creaking traffic management plan. Long delays getting both on and off site ensued and our social media and phone lines melted. It taught us a very valuable lesson, and we brought in professional traffic management from then on. >>

Ragley Estate 2020: The show that never was Planning for an APF show starts 20 months before the event and we opened bookings for exhibitors as usual in July 2019. Then, by March 2020, the country was in lockdown due to Covid-19. Conscious that our exhibitors, like us, commit a lot of time and money to planning for the show, we canvassed their opinion as to how to proceed. The overwhelming response was to postpone the event for a year, which we did. However, as we moved into 2021 the uncertainty about Covid remained, lockdowns continued and mass events were still banned. The Government could offer no guidance on when life would get back to normal. By the time restrictions were finally lifted in late July 2021, it would have been a very expensive gamble to proceed without knowing if or when we could stage the event. It was the right decision to cancel. Exhibitors were obviously suffering as it was almost impossible to trade. To help a little, we worked with our media partners Forestry Journal and produced a catalogue for APF 2020 - “The Show That Never Was”. Running a business that, under normal circumstances, only trades for three days every two years is never going to be an ideal business plan. When an unprecedented event like Covid strikes and you cannot trade for four years, most businesses would not survive. It is a credit to The Demo Committee for their management over the years that we had the resources to weather the storm. 50 years of the APF 25

APF TIMELINE

Ragley Estate 2022

After no APF Demo for four years, exhibitors and visitors responded by attending in record numbers when we bounced back in 2022. There were some changes to the Committee. Chris Inglis took over the role of Exhibition Director from Mike Box and Jemma Bargery took over the role of Chief Co-ordinator from Mark Steele. We had learned from the mistakes of our traffic management in 2018 and had a much more sophisticated system in place, with additional car parks and another visitor entrance. The net result meant that visitors arrived with minimal hold ups. APF teamed up with The Arboricultural Association, whose own show had been cancelled in 2022, to offer even more events and focus on the Arb industry. We had a dedicated Arb Worker Zone and staged two climbing competitions and a crane dismantling display. The only significant change was that we lost the woodland part of our demonstration circuit due to internal changes at Ragley. 800m of the circuit was

26 50 years of the APF

The 2024 APF team.

Visitors at Ragley Park in 2022.

relocated to what had been one of our car park fields previously. Although we were concerned about having a show celebrating forestry without many trees, exhibitors welcomed the move due to the ease of setting up and accessibility. APF 2022 showed that there was still an appetite for the Demo from exhibitors, visitors and sponsors alike.

Ragley Estate 2024

After a long gap, the UK Forwarding Driving Competition returned with sponsorship from Richard Court Forestry Engineering and Coombes Forestry. We also staged a new climbing competition: The APF Team Speed Climb. To promote arboriculture as a career, we had a have-a-go tree climbing area where visitors could test their head for heights

“

APF 2022 showed that there was still an appetite for the Demo from exhibitors, visitors and sponsors alike.”

and ascend a tree using a rope and harness. Axe throwing returned for the first time since 2002 and was very popular. Plus, we staged the UK Lumberjack Championships with over 50 competitors involved, though the noise of the Hot Saw did prompt some complaints from

nearby exhibitors! On the Demo Committee, Greg Cole took over the Safety Officer role from Gordon Adam. The possible arrival of a huge thunderstorm engaged the Demo Team throughout the Friday afternoon. If it came within our 10km perimeter, we would have had to postpone the pole climbing and request that all cherry pickers were lowered. Fortunately, it behaved itself and skirted our safe zone. Unfortunately, the weather got its own back on the Monday after the show. A monsoon hit us, as well as much of the rest of the UK, flooding roads and generally causing mayhem. The site was flooded and exhibitors could not leave our temporary roadway without getting stuck. This caused long delays in loading lorries and it was only through the sterling efforts of Mat Box and our breakdown crew that we managed to clear the site within our deadline.

Ragley Estate 2026: Our Golden Anniversary APF 2026 will celebrate 50 years of the APF Demo. A record to be proud of. There are not many shows that have been around that length of time and survived bad weather and pandemics. Incredibly, there are eight companies that exhibited in 1976 that will exhibit in 2026. These are Compact Loaders, Forestry Commission, Husqvarna (previously Hyatt Adams), James Jones & Sons, McConnel, Merrist Wood College, and Oregon (previously Omark UK Ltd).

St John Ambulance provided our first aid cover in 1976 and still do so in 2026. We believe it is because the APF Demo has always stuck to its core values and provides the perfect opportunity to sell equipment and machinery to a very targeted audience. It is also a great place to network, keep up to date with the very latest industry trends, meet old friends and watch world class competitions. Thank you for joining us so far. 50 years of the APF 27

APF TEAM

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Due to a small number of missing documents, we apologise if any names have been missed.

APF 1976

Show Director: Roger Fitter Exhibition Secretary: Tony Phillips OBE Treasurer: John Hancock Machinery Organiser: John McHardy Exhibitor Steward: Edward Liddon Safety Oﬃcer: Don Wheildon Press Oﬃce: D Watson Coordinators: Alan Powell & K Haigh Helpers: Ray Allard, Cyril Ashdown, Ernie Bee, John Bewick, Robin Bullus, C Bunting, Niel Carr, Simon Clough, S Dovano, P Gascoigne, Richard Goodson, Rod Garton, Ruth Griffiths, Andrew Jennings, Tim Liddon, John Newcombe, D Paxton, R Salt, Chris Sharples, Frank Sheridan, Mr & Mrs Stannard, Mr & Mrs Start, Terry Stanford

APF 1978

Show Director: Roger Fitter Exhibition Secretary: Tony Phillips OBE Treasurer: John Hancock Further records unavailable.

APF 1980

Show Director: Roger Fitter Assistant Director: Peter Donnelly Exhibition Secretary: Tony Phillips OBE Treasurer: John Hancock Safety Oﬃcer: Don Wheildon Press & PR: Tony Phillips OBE & P Drumn Chief Coordinator: Alan Powell Coordinators: Ray Allard, E Bee, Laurie Birch, John Osbourne, D Mackintosh, A Massey

APF 1982

Exhibition Director: Roger Fitter Assistant Directors: Edward Liddon & 28 50 years of the APF

Captain J W Mitchell Exhibition Secretary: Tony Phillips OBE Treasurer: John Hancock Press & PR: Tony Phillips OBE & P Drumn Car Parking: Len Yull Chief Coordinator & Safety Oﬃcer: Alan Powell Coordinators: Ray Allard, E Bee, Laurie Birch, John Osbourne, D Mackintosh, A Massey

APF 1984

Show Director: Roger Fitter Exhibition Secretary: Tony Phillips OBE Treasurer: John Hancock Safety Oﬃcer: Alan Powell Chief Coordinator: Gordon Little Coordinators: Mike Box, Jacky Little, Ian Millward, Aileen Sheridan, Frank Sheridan

APF 1986

Exhibition Director: Roger Fitter Exhibition Secretary: Tony Phillips OBE Treasurer: John Hancock Safety Oﬃcer: Alan Powell Chief Coordinator: Gordon Little Coordinators: Gordon Adam, Mike Box, Jacky Little, Ian Millward, Aileen Sheridan, Frank Sheridan

APF 1988

Exhibition Director: Roger Fitter Exhibition Secretary: Tony Phillips OBE Treasurer: John Hancock Safety Oﬃcer: Alan Powell Timber Supply: Alan Cobb Chief Coordinator: Gordon Little Coordinators: Mike Box, Jacky Little, Ian Millward, Aileen Sheridan, Frank Sheridan

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APF TEAM

APF 1990

Exhibition Director: Roger Fitter Exhibition Secretary: Tony Phillips OBE Treasurer: John Hancock Safety Oﬃcer: Alan Powell Timber Supply: Alan Cobb Chief Coordinator: Gordon Little Coordinators: Mike Box, Brian Fletcher, Dean Little, Jacky Little, Ian Millward, Aileen Sheridan, Frank Sheridan

APF 1992

Exhibition Director: Roger Fitter MBE Exhibition Secretary: Tony Phillips OBE Treasurer: John Hancock Safety Oﬃcer: Alan Powell Chief Coordinator: Gordon Little Coordinators: Mike Box, Alan Cobb, Brian Fletcher, Dean Little, Jacky Little, Ian Millward, Aileen Sheridan, Frank Sheridan

APF 1994

Exhibition Director: Roger Fitter MBE Exhibition Secretary: Ian Millward Treasurer: John Hancock Safety Oﬃcer: Alan Powell Timber Supply: Alan Cobb Chief Coordinator: Gordon Little Coordinators: Gordon Adam, Mike Box, Matthew Cobb, Brian Fletcher, Dean Little, Jacky Little, Aileen Sheridan, Frank Sheridan

APF 1996

APF 1998

Exhibition Director: Roger Fitter MBE Exhibition Secretary: Ian Millward Treasurer: John Hancock Safety Oﬃcer: Alan Powell Assistant Safety Oﬃcer: Gordon Adam Timber Supply: Alan Cobb Car Parking: Stuart Pearson Chief Coordinator: Gordon Little Assistant Chief Coordinator: Mike Box Coordinators: Lin Box, Matthew Cobb, Brian Fletcher, Nick Hunt, Dean Little, Jacky Little, Aileen Sheridan, Frank Sheridan, Mark Steele

APF 2000

Exhibition Director: Roger Fitter MBE Exhibition Secretary & Treasurer: Ian Millward Safety Oﬃcer: Alan Powell Assistant Safety Oﬃcer: Gordon Adam Timber Supply: Alan Cobb Chief Coordinator: Gordon Little Assistant Chief Coordinator: Mike Box Coordinators: Lin Box, Matthew Cobb, Brian Fletcher, Jonathan Gasson, Matthew McGuire, Dean Little, Jacky Little, Aileen Sheridan, Frank Sheridan, Mark Steele, Martin Webb

APF 2002

Exhibition Director: Roger Fitter MBE Deputy Director: Gordon Little Exhibition Secretary & Treasurer: Ian Millward Safety Oﬃcer: Alan Powell Assistant Safety Oﬃcer: Gordon Adam Timber Supply: Alan Cobb Services Coordinator: Stuart Pearson Ticketing: Roger & Maureen Wicks Car Parking: Jonathan Gasson HQ Admin: Trish Syms Chief Coordinator: Mike Box Assistant Chief Coordinator: Mark Steele Coordinators: Matthew Box, Matthew Cobb, Brian Fletcher, Dean Little, John O’Gorman, Des Pickard, Ian Pickard, Frank Sheridan, Martin Webb >>

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50 years of the APF 31

APF TEAM

APF 2004

Exhibition Director: Gordon Little Exhibition Secretary: Ian Millward Safety Oﬃcer: Gordon Adam Materials Coordinator: Roger Wicks Services Coordinator: John Charlton Entrances & Ticketing: Jim Brown Car Parking: Roger Fitter MBE HQ Admin: Trish Syms Arenas & Events: Lachlan McEwan APF Catering Team: Lin Box, Anne Little, Aileen Sheridan Chief Coordinator: Mike Box Assistant Chief Coordinator: Mark Steele Coordinators: Matthew Box, Matthew Cobb, John O’Gorman, Frank Sheridan, Colin Wilson

APF 2006

Exhibition Director: Gordon Little Exhibition Secretary: Ian Millward Safety Oﬃcer: Gordon Adam Materials Coordinator: Roger Wicks Services Coordinator: John Charlton HQ Admin: Trish Syms APF Catering Team: Lin Box, Anne Little, Aileen Sheridan Chief Coordinator: Mike Box Assistant Chief Coordinator: Mark Steele Coordinators: Ed Box, Matthew Box, Matthew Cobb, John O’Gorman, Frank Sheridan, Colin Wilson

APF 2008

Exhibition Director: Gordon Little Assistant Director: Mike Box Exhibition Secretary: Ian Millward Safety Oﬃcer: Gordon Adam Materials Coordinator: Roger Wicks Services Coordinator: John Charlton HQ Admin & Ticketing: Trish Syms & Dionne Elliot Hotel Coordinator: Lin Box APF Catering Team: Lin Box, Anne Little, Aileen Sheridan 32 50 years of the APF

Chief Coordinator: Mark Steele Assistant Chief Coordinator: Colin Wilson Coordinators: Ed Box, Matthew Box, Jim Brown, Matthew Cobb, John O’Gorman, Frank Sheridan

APF 2010

Exhibition Director: Mike Box Exhibition Secretary: Ian Millward Safety Oﬃcer: Gordon Adam Materials Coordinator: Roger Wicks Services Coordinator: John Charlton HQ Admin & Ticketing: Trish Syms Hotel Coordinator: Lin Box APF Catering Team: Anne Little, Aileen Sheridan Chief Coordinator: Mark Steele Assistant Chief Coordinator: Mat Box Coordinators: Ed Box, Matthew Box, Jim Brown, Matthew Cobb, John O’Gorman, Frank Sheridan Confor Executive Director: Chris Inglis

APF 2012

Exhibition Director: Mike Box Exhibition Secretary: Ian Millward Safety Oﬃcer: Gordon Adam Materials Coordinator: Roger Wicks HQ Admin & Ticketing: Trish Syms Site Mapping & Layout: Jemma Box Chief Coordinator: Mark Steele Assistant Chief Coordinator: Mat Box Coordinators: Ben Anderson, Dick Bell, Joan Bell, Eric Boyd, Ed Box, Lin Box, David Cameron, Jamie Chaplin-Brice, Will ChaplinBrice, Matthew Cobb, Charlotte Cook, Tom Dutson, Dave Delve, Roger Fitter MBE, Brian Fletcher, Anne Little, Dean Little, Gordon Little, Leo Lock, Mike Lowther, Lachlan MacEwan, Gavin Munro, John O’Gorman, Aileen Sheridan, Frank Sheridan, Heidi Stevenson, Rob Stevenson, Will Veitch, Andy Whitworth Confor Executive Director: Chris Inglis

APF TEAM

APF 2014

Exhibition Director: Mike Box Exhibition Secretary: Ian Millward Safety Oﬃcer: Gordon Adam Materials Coordinator: Roger Wicks Exhibitor Administration: Trish Syms Site Mapping & Layout: Jemma Box Chief Coordinator: Mark Steele Assistant Chief Coordinator: Mat Box Coordinators: Ben Anderson, Dick Bell, Joan Bell, Eric Boyd, Ed Box, Lin Box, David Cameron, Jamie Chaplin-Brice, Will ChaplinBrice, Matthew Cobb, Charlotte Cook, Bob Cubby, Tom Dutson, Dave Delve, Dionne Elliot, Roger Fitter MBE, Brian Fletcher, Anne Little, Dean Little, Gordon Little, Leo Lock, Mike Lowther, Lachlan MacEwan, Gavin Munro, John O’Gorman, Jen Robinson, John Robinson, Aileen Sheridan, Frank Sheridan, Heidi Stevenson, Rob Stevenson, Mike Ticknall, Will Veitch, Alistair Walton, Martin Webb, Andy Whitworth Confor Executive Director: Chris Inglis

APF 2016

Exhibition Director: Mike Box Exhibition Secretary: Ian Millward Safety Oﬃcer: Gordon Adam Materials Coordinator: Roger Wicks Exhibitor Administration: Dionne Elliot Site Mapping & Layout: Jemma Box Chief Coordinator: Mark Steele Assistant Chief Coordinator: Mat Box Coordinators: Dick Bell, Joan Bell, Ed Box, Lin Box, Eric Boyd, Alex Cave, Matthew Cobb, Dave Delve, Tom Devereux, Rosie Dutson, Tom Dutson, Thomas Edmondson, Thomas Fell, Roger Fitter, Brian Fletcher, Joel Gray, Ben Hardie, Anne Little, Dean Little, Gordon Little, Leo Lock, Mike Lowther, Lachlan MacEwan, Oli Millward, Gavin Munro, Aileen Sheridan, Frank Sheridan, Heidi Stevenson, Rob Stevenson, Andy Whitworth Confor Liaison: Chris Inglis

APF 2018

Exhibition Director: Mike Box Exhibition Secretary: Ian Millward Assistant Exhibition Secretary: Susie Drew Safety Oﬃcer: Gordon Adam Assistant Safety Oﬃcer: Eric Boyd Chief Coordinator: Mark Steele Assistant Chief Coordinators: Jemma Bargery & Mat Box Coordinators: Ed Box, Lin Box, David Cameron, Alex Cave, Jamie Chaplin-Brice, Matthew Cobb, Dave Delve, Tom Devereux, Rosie Dutson, Tom Dutson, Thomas Edmondson, Thomas Fell, Joel Gray, Ben Hardie, Dean Little, Leo Lock, Mike Lowther, Lachlan MacEwan, Oli Millward, James Ritchie, Heidi Stevenson, Rob Stevenson, Alistair Walton Confor Liaison: Chris Inglis

APF 2022

Exhibition Director: Chris Inglis Exhibition Secretary: Ian Millward Assistant Exhibition Secretary: Susie Drew Safety Oﬃcer: Gordon Adam Assistant Safety Oﬃcer: Eric Boyd Chief Coordinator: Jemma Bargery Assistant Chief Coordinator: Mat Box Coordinators: David Armstrong, Tony Boffey, David Cameron, Alex Cave, Jamie ChaplinBrice, Andrew Burnet, Matthew Cobb, Euan Dear, Dave Delve, Tom Devereux, Beth Dutson, Rosie Dutson, Tom Dutson, Thomas Fell, Joel Gray, Jack Hobday, Dan Jones, Lachlan MacEwan, Ramsay MacEwan, Julian Moles, Becky Noble, Jon Vinson, Sue Wall, Tony Wall, Baz Wright Confor Liaison: Stuart Goodall

>> 50 years of the APF 33

APF TEAM

APF 2024

Exhibition Director: Chris Inglis Exhibition Secretary: Ian Millward Assistant Exhibition Secretary: Susie Drew Safety Oﬃcer: Greg Cole Assistant Safety Oﬃcer: Eric Boyd Chief Coordinator: Jemma Bargery Assistant Chief Coordinators: Mat Box & Joel Gray Coordinators: David Armstrong, Tony Boffey, Lydia Browne, Andrew Burnet, David Cameron, Rob Camish, Alex Cave, Jamie Chaplin-Brice, Matthew Cobb, Euan Dear, Beth Dutson, Rosie Dutson, Tom Dutson, Leo Henley Lock, Jack Hobday, Megan Lucas, Lachlan MacEwan, Ramsay MacEwan, Aidan Sears, Sam Titchard, Jon Vinson, Sue Wall, Tony Wall, Baz Wright Confor Liaison: John Bruce

APF 2026

Exhibition Director: Chris Inglis Exhibition Secretary: Ian Millward Assistant Exhibition Secretary: Susie Drew Safety Oﬃcer: Greg Cole Assistant Safety Oﬃcer: Eric Boyd Chief Coordinator: Jemma Box Jenkins Assistant Chief Coordinators: Mat Box & Joel Gray Coordinators: David Armstrong, Ben Batt, Tony Boffey, Jacob Box, Lydia Browne, David Cameron, Rob Camish, Alex Cave, Jamie Chaplin-Brice, Matthew Cobb, Tom Dutson, Tim French, Jack Hobday, Megan Lucas, Lachlan MacEwan, Ramsay MacEwan, Aidan Sears, Sam Titchard, Jon Vinson, Sue Wall, Tony Wall, Baz Wright Confor Liaison: John Bruce

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34 50 years of the APF

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