Saturday 27 August 2011

The Wensleydale Show













Well, that's the Show over for another year and I must say that the weather could have been a whole lot worse. Great black clouds loomed around the showground but mainly the sun shone and the breeze stayed light. It was not a warm day but as the showground is on top of a rise people had wrapped up well. Only the really hardy were in their shirt sleeves. Even some of the hundreds of dogs that came with their owners had coats on.

The turn out was very good indeed, the car park was full and the overflow car park was full too, so I am sure that they will have done quite well financially. They need to do this each year in order to keep going.

The horticultural tents had fantastic vegetables, enormous leeks and onions (far too big to think of eating I would have thought); some of the flowers were lovely - in particular the sweet peas and the dahlias - and the most wonderful green gladioli.

In the baking section I particularly liked the cup cakes in the photo above - they won first prize and richly deserved it - I almost stole one to eat. My friend, H, entered the most beautiful jumper knitted in Wensleydale sheep wool - I was disappointed to find it had not won a prize.

When a sharp shower took everyone into the tents, we went into our feed merchant's tent and had lunch - they make the most super sandwiches and pork pies and serve tea and coffee - and give us a supply of free biros to last until next year. It is one of the highlights for me.

There were plenty of sheep on show. This Swaledale ram had a magnificent pair of horns although he had not won a prize. However, our neighbour had got the Supreme Championship with his Holstein milk cow.

I rather liked the black cockerel - and he had such a loud crow. And don't you think the feathery-legged chap is magnificent too?

Old tractors paraded round the ring and then lined up across the middle of the show ring, but by this time the black clouds were really threatening (you can see them in the background of the tractor photograph) so we thought it was time to beat a hasty retreat. It is only half a mile to home, so we were home well before the rain came.

12 comments:

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

I thought everyone was "really hardy" up in Yorkshire so it must have been chilly! Nice to see the little grey Fergies - remember driving one of those - very bracing on a cold day. you've captured the feel of the show very well.

angryparsnip said...

What a wonderful day !
The photos were fabulous. I love the Ram what terrific horns and the chickens were indeed quite handsome !

cheers, parsnip

Irene said...

I sure like the look of the cupcakes and the cow is very good looking. I would have wanted to take a cupcake to eat also.

Sue said...

Love the green gladioli.

Heather said...

That was such a treat Pat and reminded me of my youth when our little town had it's own show each year. It must be such a difficult task to judge the entries when the standard is so high. The cow,ram and poultry are magnificent, as are all the other things you showed us. I love those green gladioli and can almost smell the sweet peas. Glad the weather held out - it's a financial disaster if bad weather keeps the crowds away.

Penny said...

Our Spring shows are about to start with the big Adelaide Royal next week, the girls will be there with the ponies.

Totalfeckineejit said...

a rip dat doody (I'm listening to jazz) a bit bat boody alfa fruity doobley do dat tootty I'm loving that (faib fab groody) new header (doob doob wah weah!) and the little ole tractors!

Midlife Roadtripper said...

"and give us a supply of free biros"

I'm not certain what that is. This event sounds like or county fairs of old - the judging of animals and garden flowers and vegetables. Always most fun.

ArtPropelled said...

This post brings back many memories and I can almost smell all those wonderful scents that one gets used to at an agricultural show. Seeing your photos bought all those typical smells rushing back. Vegetable leaves, sawdust and manure .... and coffee.

Dave King said...

How fortunate you are to have all that only half a mile from home! Thanks for showing it. Brilliantly done.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thank you for the comments - my legs ache today from all the walking but it was a good day.

Golden West said...

Those are some grand sweet peas! And the chartreuse gladiolas are outstanding!