Wednesday 13 July 2011

Agricultural Shows.

This is the week of The Great Yorkshire Show. It has a permanent showground on the outskirts of Harrogate and the farmer and I used to go every year. In fact it was one of the first occasions when we had a proper 'date'.

Now, with the demise of the Royal Show, the Great Yorkshire is the largest Agricultural Show in the country and a very prestigious place in which to win a prize in any of the many classes. I am pleased to say that our neighbour has already (it only opened yesterday) won two first prizes with his Holstein dairy cows so I am sure he is jumping for joy.

We no longer go - for a variety of reasons. There is a long queue to get into the car park, there is an awful lot of walking to be done, and - sadly - over the years there are more and more stalls selling goods which have little to do with farming. Dare I say - we are past it!

But it is a fantastic event - today Charles and Camilla are going to be there, the weather looks fairly set fair and I am sure they will all have another good day. (Fingers crossed for our neighbour to win more prizes).

On the subject of the Royal Show - in around 1948, probably the first Royal Show after the Second World War, when there was no permanent showground and the Royal moved from county town to county town, it came to Lincoln. I was still at school at the time and I remember lining the route and holding my little Union Jack as the King and Queen (GeorgeVI) and the two Princesses went past in an open carriage. I'll be telling you I saw Queen Victoria next!!

13 comments:

Dartford Warbler said...

Well done to your neighbour!

I have not been to the New Forest Show in recent years, for reasons similar to yours. Too many crowds and too many commercial stalls.

MorningAJ said...

That brings back memories. When my mum and dad were stil alive they used to help out at the Yorkshire Show every year (he was in St John Ambulance and she was WRVS)pushing wheelchairs round so that visitors who were a bit dicky on their pins could still get to see around it.

I was roped in as a volunteer most years too - even though I lived three hours drive away! It was hard work, but I loved every minute of it. (I used to get to do the Harrogate Flower Show too!)

Heather said...

Congratulations to your neighbour on his successes. Agricultural shows are wonderful events but definitely for the young and fit, and one has to remember to save enough energy for the journey home! Even the small local shows can be exhausting but they are all a great day out. We used to go to the Bath and West Show each year before my husband retired, as he was usually on duty there.

Crafty Green Poet said...

Congratulations to your neighbour. I've been to the Scottish equivalent (The Royal Highland Show) once and it is quite an event!

Gerry Snape said...

We always try to get to one of the agricultural shows...Lakes, Cheshire or Lancashire...I always went to the Balmoral show in Belfast as a child...it was a highlight of the year as both dad and aunt Helen were usually involved and somehow I felt part of it even though I was a city child!

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

I agree that it's a pity that there are so many non-agricultural stands, but I bet that's the last thing on your neighbour's mind at the moment!
Thanks for visiting my blog and adding it to your sidebar.

Doohie said...

I was at the show yesterday and took photos of the cattle. I wonder if I got a picture of your neighbours cows?

angryparsnip said...

I remember a post from when I first started to read your blog and I think it was about this show. You had wonderful photos of some lovely dairy cows.

We have State Fairs here in America. They first started out as animals and home crafts and good show but have involved into more with a fun zone filled with rides games and crazy food. Deep Fried Snicker bar anyone ?
The last time my daughter and I went to the Orange County Fair, we always have to see the Pig Races, we tried the Deep Fried Snickers Bar and it was tasty but I felt my arteries clogging up at first bite.

Congratulations to your neighbor maybe next time you stop by you can take a photo so we can see the winning Dairy Cows. Very exciting !

cheers, parsnip

mrsnesbitt said...

Our neighbours are showing cows at the Yorkshire Show - one is called Denise - the cow that is not the neighbour! lol!

Midlife Roadtripper said...

Haha! Sounds pretty exciting seeing the royal family.

I do love fair time. The local county fairs in Texas are not as I recall from my youth in Minnesota. I always waited in such anticipation for fair week. My mother loved the cow barns best. Well, maybe the flower one best. We would enter arrangements and so hope to win prizes the next morning.

ChrisJ said...

I went to the show in the early fifties, on a school outing. I must say the school could have done a better job of preparing us for the show. All I remember is tractors!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Photographs which I put on last year would be from our local Wensleydale Show, which is at the top of our road so we go to that every year.

Seems we are of a mind when it comes to shows and walking round as we get older, particularly as the stalls are no longer 'agricultural'. Thank you for your comment.

Jennifer Tetlow said...

From the little tour I did whilst there, the balance is definitely in favour of agricultural and farming - the livestock section was huge and wonderful - the flavour of the show is definitely agricultural. The Society needs all the help it can get, and the odd trade stand with only a faint connection, helps with this. There are wonderful golf buggies that you can hire to convey you round the wonders!