Goodwood awarded Bledisloe Gold Medal

On Tuesday 12th December, The Goodwood Estate was awarded the prestigious Royal Agricultural Society of England Bledisloe Gold Medal for 2017, for outstanding achievement in land management. The award is made annually to one landowner in recognition of the successful development of an agricultural estate in England.

The Duke of Richmond and Gordon said: "I am thrilled and very flattered to receive this prestigious award. The success of this Estate is largely down to my parents. There was really nothing here when they made the decision to move into Goodwood House in the early 1960s, but they set about rennovating the building and developing the farm and the forestry. I inherited an Estate that was already up and running and was able to concentrate on bringing back all the sports that are part of our history."

Susan, Duchess of Richmond and Gordon and mother to the current Duke, plays a central role in Goodwood’s organic food story. She was one of the Soil Association’s earliest members and ran her kitchen garden on organic principles, passing this passion on to her family. As a trailblazer of the organic movement and champion of animal welfare, she has been instrumental in transforming Goodwood into a model of progressive farming.

The Duke of Richmond and Gordon added: “We’re very proud of our farming heritage at Goodwood; the farm was here long before any of our big events and it has inspired our food philosophy across all of our restaurants."

The ceremony was held in The Ballroom at Goodwood House and the award was collected by Home Farm General Manager Tim Hassell and Chief Operating Officer Chris Woodgate.