CHRISTINE Knipe, the chief executive of the Westmorland County Agricultural Society, has been appointed chairman of the Association of Shows and Agricultural Organisations (ASAO).

Mrs Knipe, who has been CEO at Westmorland since 2005, takes over from outgoing chairman Ollie Allen, secretary of the Devon Show and formerly of the Royal Bath & West of England Society.

The official handover took place at the ASAO’s autumn conference, hosted by the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association at Dunston Hall in Norwich.

Mrs Knipe said: “The ASAO works hard to encourage and share ideas and best practice between agricultural societies and related organisations, and I am delighted to be heading up a team which is committed to making Britain’s agricultural shows the very best they can be.”

Ollie Allen, who has been chairman of the ASAO Council since 2013, said she was confident that the Association was in very good shape, and would continue to thrive under Christine’s leadership.