Glorious sunshine and an action-packed programme brought records crowds to this year’s Royal Bath & West Show – resulting in the highest attendance for 28 years.
A total of 163,170 people poured into the Bath & West Showground over the four days – 13,066 more than last year when treacherous downpours dampened spirits.
Show organisers were delighted with the results and turn-out for the Show which was once again sponsored by EDF Energy, and was hailed by acclaimed commentator Mike Tucker as one of the most important national shop windows for showcasing the agricultural industry and the countryside.
The standard of top quality livestock on parade at the show was outstanding, he declared, and the variety of entertainments, features and products on display made the Bath & West one of the finest shows in the country.
His views were echoed by the Rev Trevor Farmiloe, who is retiring after 22 years of running the Church on the Show’s Village Green. Leading the crowds in prayer at the Grand Finale of the Show he highlighted the spirit of friendship, goodwill and sense of community spirit that pervaded throughout the show. It was a major occasion which celebrated the various successes and achievements and shared interests of such a diverse variety of people from all walks of life at what was a tremendously important coming together of town and country.
New features at the Show included the Heavy Horse Area where the magnificent gentle giants of the horse world delighted the crowds, and down on the lake was a Canoe Village where hundreds of people queued up to take to the water.
There was something to suit everyone of all ages – whether they were passionate about the very best of food and drink on offer all around the showground from award-winning ciders to champion cheeses, concerned about the future of the planet or were up for the shopportunity of a lifetime.
Exciting adventure action was provided by the Bolddog Lings Motorcross Display Team who amazed the crowds with their spectacular extreme motorcycle trick-riding.
There was more high-flying action over the Main Ring – but this time courtesy of the feathered variety. The crowds were spellbound by the amazing sight of a flock of geese and cranes flying into the Show in perfect formation behind legendary Frenchman Christian Moullec at the controls of his microlight.
A keen ornithologist and a meteorologist by profession, Christian has travelled to some of the most beautiful and remote corners of the world to study the migration patterns of various species of birds – but particularly rare and endangered varieties of geese.
With careful training, the birds accept Christian and his microlight and have come to consider him as their parent, following him in graceful flight, all making for a truly spectacular display.
The Show was also one of the first in the country to feature a Sustainability Showcase area, highlighting the importance of renewable energy, technology, and developments that help save energy and cut costs.
Businesses lined up to play their part in the Sustainability Showcase, promoting the very best renewable and sustainable energy practices embracing all relevant areas including, transport, buildings and measures to reduce the carbon footprint and protect the planet.
This theme was reflected across the whole Show this year. All food and drink served by mobile caterers at the Show was served in recyclable containers, with paper plates and wooden forks.
And the magnificent prize of an eco-friendly QPOD – kindly donated by Noel Edmonds – was won at the Show by Clive Stuckes, of Headley Lane, Headley Park, Bristol – in a Grand Draw which raised £8,000 for Children’s Hospice South West.
Thousands of show-goers rested weary feet by taking a trip aboard the Showground’s miniature railway which has been created by the East Somerset Society of Model & Experimental Engineers (ESSMEE) and has been extended to the edge of the lake.
The wild wolves were back in the Woodland and Wildlife Area and once again a whole Orkney village was transported 700 miles to the Show with a mouth-watering array of fine food, exhibitions of furniture and entertainment by the islands’ musicians.
Hundreds of youngsters took part in the popular Family Trail which took families to specific destinations on a fun and fact-finding tour round the Show, opening their eyes to activities that they might never before have discovered.
Gordon Ramsay showed his pigs – making his first foray into the world of exhibiting for his popular F-Word programme, and other celebrities included author and cook Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall who headed up his River Cottage team cooking up treats in the theatre.
The Supreme Beef Championship was won by Logie Daredevil, a two year old 1,250kg Aberdeen Angus, owned and shown by Colin Hutchings of Kings Brompton Farm, Brompton Regis on Exmoor in a nail-biting finale.
The Reserve Championship went to a Dorset-bred Charollais heifer shown by Jane Haw of Compact Farm, Worth Maltravers near Swanage.
And the Supreme Dairy Championship went to a Holstein, Mars Bar Jordan owned by farmer David Norman, from Sigwells near Sherborne. The Reserve Dairy Champion was a Jersey, Sowden Juno Ceres, shown by Jeff Daw, of Robert Cooper’s Holsteins at East Farm, Winterborne Monkton, near Swindon.
The Sheep Championship was won by the Fooks brothers of North Poorton near Bridport with their shearling ewe Poll Dorset who also won breed championship at the Devon County Show.
The supreme pig championship was won by 16 year old Adam Collings from Launceston, Cornwall with his champion Welsh gilt which breeders reckoned was the best quality entry for years.
The Pig of the Year Award went to Cyril, a large white pig bred and shown by Duane Hobbs (21) of Pound Farm, Wimborne, Dorset,
The Champion Cheese was a 25 kilo traditional cheddar made by Keen’s of Wincanton, which was later donated for auction and was bought by Longmans Cheese Sales Ltd from North Cadbury, raising £425 for Children’s Hospice South West.
The Dog Show attracted over 1800 entries. The Best in Show was a West Highland white terrier -Thomson’s Ashgate Sheriff owned by Sue Thompson, of Fivehead, Nr Taunton.
The Reserve Best in Show was a Chihuahua Smooth Coat, Aylett’s Ch Angcherish My Fair Lady JW ShCM owned by Mrs Aylett (address withheld) and the Best Puppy in Show was a Lhaso Apso, Paradise’s Shardlow Wiggley Giggley owned by Mr & Mrs A Paradise, of Longlevens, Gloucester.
Next year’s Open Dog Show will be a Premier which will enable those winning Best of Breed to qualify for Crufts Dog Show – this is a great achievement and will be one of only a very few shows with that status.
But the best kept secret of the Show was uncorked down in the Orchards and Cider Area where 78 year old Miss Doreen Pocknell from Rushall in Herefordshire was the startled yet delighted recipient of the Royal Bath & West of England Society Gold Medal for her contribution to the cider industry. She still does 6am work starts for Westons Cider – where she has worked for the last 43 years – and finds time to run a working men’s club!
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Record Crowds!
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