6:30pm Thursday 2nd September 2010
Wall-to-wall sunshine brought the crowds to Kilnsey on Tuesday for a bumper agricultural show.
After two years of struggling knee-deep in mud, the showground remained in pristine condition throughout the day and all the marquees and trade stands were crammed with visitors.
The only stand that was relatively quiet was the one selling wellington boots.
An estimated 11,500 people came through the gates; not the highest number ever recorded, but certainly as good as could be expected given the number of events going on elsewhere in the county during school holidays.
The popular farmers’ market marquee was another huge success for exhibitors, whose stands rapidly became depleted as visitors took the opportunity to buy Yorkshire-reared and made products.
Also busy was the children’s marquee with the biggest crowd around the small animals’ section, and the cookery demonstrations boasted a capacity audience.
The REAL farming exhibition explaining the principles of hill farming was also popular.
Kilnsey Show president Sheila Foster said she was thrilled the day had turned out so well.
“It really makes a huge difference when the weather is nice, it really made the day. Everyone seems to have enjoyed themselves and all look happy. That is the beauty about this particular show. Even if you are not from a farming family there is still plenty to see and do and, indeed, learn about the countryside,” she said.
Mrs Foster said she was pleased to see an increase in sheep entries.
However, cattle entries were slightly down because some of the farmers were mowing the grass and could not be in two places at once.
There was success once again for Bell Busk farmer Brian Moorhouse, whose Holstein cow took supreme champion in the diary section.
John Stephenson, of Bordley Farm, Bordley, took supreme commercial beef champion with his 13-month-old Belgian blue heifer. It also picked up the runner-up sash in the overall beef championship, which was won by The Cooper family, of Dacre, with a Limousin bull.
At the other end of the field, the produce, crafts and horticultural sections did not disappoint and the exhibitors produced some outstanding displays of expertise.
In the main ring, the crowds were entertained by the Pendle Forest and Craven Hunt hounds, followed by the heavy horses and vintage tractors, and there were flycasting demonstrations on the river.
The ambulance service was busier than in recent years, dealing with more than 25 minor incidents ranging from people fainting in the heat to the occasional wasp sting, splinters, a sprained ankle, blisters, a little boy with sore knees and a slightly scalded child who had had an accident with a cup of coffee.
The fell races produced some closely-contested races from gutsy runners and none more so than Bruce Elsworth, head chef at the Angel Inn, Hetton, who was running on an ankle with a hairline fracture he picked up on Snowdon recently.
He felt he would not be running at his best, but organised a competition with the Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association where stand visitors could make a donation to the Association and guess his finishing time to be in with a chance of winning a night’s bed and breakfast and bottle of champagne at the inn’s Angel Barn Lodgings.
This was duly taken up by visitors and was won by Wendy Crawford-Smith, of Salterforth, who guessed 9.12 seconds ” just one second away from Bruce’s actual time of 9.11 seconds.
Show chairman Robert Lambert said the day had been thoroughly enjoyable.
“The weather certainly made life easier for me this year. We haven’t had any problems and it’s been good to see everyone enjoying their day out.
“We were pleased with the visitor numbers because there is a lot going on round and about these days and a lot of competition to draw people.
“We’ll be having a meeting soon and next week will start to work on next year’s show,” he said.
* A round-up of Kilnsey Show trophy winners, the full results and fell racing results ” plus lots more photographs ” will be published in next week’s Craven Herald
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