Saturday 28 August 2010

Wensleydale Agricultural Show.












Phew! I am just home after spending three hours on the Showground - it is only a short distance from our farm, but luckily the farmer had taken the car - I do not think I could have walked home after walking round for so long.

There were crowds there (usually the attendance is around twenty thousand) and the weather was reasonably kind although there was a stiff breeze blowing and as the showground is on top of a rise this meant that it was quite hard walking when one was facing into the wind.

We went round the cattle first - it is always my favourite place. Our friend and neighbour won the Supremem Championship with one of his Holstein cows and also won quite a few more rosettes, so that was pleasing.

There was a lovely parade of old vehicles in the main show ring - tractors, lorries, cars, fire engines - all trundling in stately manner round and round before disappearing out of the entrance where they had come in. One car broke down spectacularly on the circling round and remained there with the bonnet up when we left!

There were sheep - very handsome pair of Suffolk sheep in the photograph I am sure you will agree. There were heavy horses - they always look so even tempered and placid. There was poultry for the first time - my goodness the sound of about fifty crowing cockerels against each other is quite some sound. A very large black cock had the most basso profundo voice I have ever heard in a bird.

And then of course there was the Produce tent - here all the local ladies compete for the prizes for cakes, jams, curds, flowers, bread; children make crowns and necklaces from kitchen products; amateur photographers enter pictures and gardeners enter gigantic onions which would feed an army and cabbages that are quite out of the realms of possible eating.

One of the highlights is lunch at our feed merchants! Believe me after walking round for two hours a half hour sit down with a plate of food is heaven. Each year they provide sandwiches, home made with their own ham and beef, pork pie and - this year - lemon drizzle cake. A sit down at a table, under cover, a chat with others, a cup of tea or coffee and a plate of food - you can't beat it.

Refreshed we walked round one last time, accompanied sound-wise by the Leyburn Band - we met farmers we knew and had little chats, we stroked quite a few dogs we met (we didn't take Tess) and we came home after three hours ready for a cup of tea and a sit by the Aga with the crossword.

Enjoy the photographs. More tomorrow probably.

From the top: Big boy.
Heavy horse.
Lunch at the feed merchant.
The cockerel basso profundo.
Winning vase of sweet peas.
The garden produce table.
Prize-winning dahlia bloom.
2 delightful Suffolk sheep.
A Jacob Ram.
A Dairy Shorthorn.
Richard with the Supreme Champion.

14 comments:

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

The most perfect example of a rooster that I have ever seen. How wonderful it must be to attend this show!!

Unknown said...

Glad you had a great time, Weaver. Super photos. You deserve your sit down!

Dianne said...

wow, and so green!
Good thing they had good food,
everyone looks interesting, the flowers are unearthly.
once a year, right?
Dianne

angryparsnip said...

Great photos... love the heavy horse and the sheep !

What a wonderful day you had. I would have loved to have been there.

Cheers, parsnip

Nancy Grossi ~ Churned In Cali ~ The Wife of a Dairyman said...

Just love that Draft horse....a beautiful gentle giant :) Glad you're getting a rest after your day.

Heather said...

Your photos are wonderful Pat. I feel as if I have walked round all the stalls, pens and exhibits with you. I love country shows and think the local ones are best as they have more atmosphere and a sense of community. So glad the weather was kind - everyone puts so much hard work into these events and the weather can make or ruin them.

MarmaladeRose said...

Looks like the weather was kinder to you in Leyburn than it was for us over in Dent. Looks like you had a excellent day.

Totalfeckineejit said...

A fine day out!

Bovey Belle said...

What an excellent day out, but I know how tiring it gets walking round and round! Great photos.

Dave King said...

I think I might have wanted something stronger to round off all that and to help me reflect! What a super show!

Golden West said...

That is indeed a fabulous bunch of sweet peas - mine grew in this year on 3-5" stems, nothing like those beauties pictured. What a grand day you had!

Crafty Green Poet said...

Sounds like a good show, a bit like the Royal Highland Show....

The sheep particularly look lovely

maryelizabethroche said...

Looks like you had a lovely day!
Great photos!!
Hope you don't mind if I follow you... ; )

M.E.

ArtPropelled said...

Oh the sweatpeas are so beautiful! I can almost smell them and as for the Jacob ram .... those horns are amazing!