The Royal Smithfield Club was founded in 1798 and its objectives remain the same now as they were then, with the Club working for the benefit of the public to improve and promote the breeding of cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry and other livestock.

The Club aims to achieve these objectives through a number of means, including primestock and carcass competitions and technical demonstrations at events across the UK.

In 2011 the Club entered two new partnerships, one with the East of England Agricultural Society to stage its annual primestock championships at the East of England Smithfield Festival and another with the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers to provide technical beef farming advice at the Dairy Event and Livestock Show.