Thousands at Shropshire weekend events

Thousands of people turned out at agricultural and summer events across Shropshire at the weekend helping to showcase some of the county's best local produce.

Visitors braved the showery weather over the weekend to enjoy big annual events including Oswestry Show, Dorrington and Vron Gate shows, near Shrewsbury, Clun Show and Carnival, and the Tenbury Wells show on the Shropshire border.

The key to keeping Oswestry Show the success it is, say organisers, is volunteers, retaining agriculture at its heart and having its own showground.

Thousands of people visited the 125th show, held at the Park Hall Showground outside the town on Saturday.

Oswestry Show chairman Philip Jones, said the committee had pushed the boat out with more attractions than ever.

"Despite the early rain the show still attracted the crowds. The park and ride at the livestock market worked well. It is now in its third year and people have become used to using it," he said.

He praised the show committee members for their hard work in organising the event.

"We have a great committee with young people joining and bringing new ideas. But we also have to pay tribute to the committee of the past that had the foresight to buy the Park Hall Showground and provide the show with a permanent home."

North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson, said the show clearly had the recipe for success. He said: "There seemed to be more people than ever at the show this year.

"It is a great place for people to meet up and to enjoy the very best of British agriculture."

Mr Jones said the event did not make a profit on the day but by using the showground for events throughout the year it was able to keep viable.

As well as attractions such as the dancing diggers, the grand parade of livestock proved one of the main highlights of the day. Another was the sheep-shearing competition, brought back again this year after it was introduced for the first time last year.

Dorrington Show, which was facing an uncertain future earlier this year, was today hailed a success after people flocked to the showground and village hall during the event on Saturday afternoon.

Nearly 400 exhibitors showed off their creations in a variety of categories, including floral designs.

Positive

Peter Smith, chairman of the event, said: "It seemed to go very well, we had lots of exhibitors and a lot of vintage cars turned up, which was great as we weren't sure they would because the rain was forecast.

"There seemed to be a very good atmosphere on the showground and there were lots of people there.

"Everybody seemed to be having a good time and everyone I spoke to has been very positive about it. In the hall itself we had a lot of exhibitors and there was some really good quality stuff.

"It was the first time we had classic cars and vehicles and the exhibitors seemed to enjoy it and so did the public."

Hundreds of people also flocked to the 44th Vron Gate Summer Show, also held near Shrewsbury, with gates opening at 8am on Saturday. About 600 people turned out for the event.

Beryl Johnson, one of the organisers, said the entries were also up at this year's event, which featured exhibition categories including horticulture, vegetables, cookery and children's work along with a selection of farmers' classes.

Entertainment was provided by magicians, wood turners, a dog agility display along with an owl and hawk demonstration. Other attractions included pony rides, archery, tombolas, plant stalls and children's sports.

She added: "There were rain showers in the morning which we thought would put people off, but the sun came out in the afternoon and it brought everyone out."

Torrential rain cut visitor numbers down by about a quarter at one of South Shropshire's most popular shows this weekend.

Many of the attractions at Clun Show and Carnival on Saturday had to be cancelled after heavy rain soaked visitors for about an hour and a half.

But show organiser, Richard Bright, said entries for classes were up with more than 800 exhibitors in the show tent — the event's best ever. He said: "The carnival was good and at least it was dry by then. The heavens just opened, it was the heaviest rain we have had for weeks and weeks, but we can't do anything about the weather, it is a risk in this country.

Enjoyed

"We have had about three bad shows in a row, it is getting a bit tiresome."

He added that overall the rest of the show went well.

Meanwhile, thousands of people enjoyed a traditional countryside show near Tenbury Wells on Saturday. During the event people enjoyed a display of sheep, cattle, horses and horticulture.

Now in its 152nd year, the Tenbury Countryside Show took place on the A456 just outside Tenbury Wells and continues to grow.

Other highlights included the Pony Club mounted games, a parade of Wyre Forest Beagles and Ludlow and Clifton Foxhounds. Shire horses in decorated and working gear also took to the ring along with a fancy dress parade, classic vehicles and vintage tractors, and a steam engine tug-of-war.

Meanwhile members of the Wrockwardine and District Garden Club in Telford held their 21st Summer Show at Wrockwardine Parish Hall, near Admaston on Saturday.

The show featured fruit, flowers, vegetables, domestic handicrafts, floral art and children's classes.

Organisers said this year saw 613 entries in the various classes.

Oswestry Show results

HORSES

Heavy Horses:

• Champion exhibit: S and S Ford and Cosgrove, Crewe

• Best competitor within 20 miles of Oswestry and best shire foal: A and S Pleavin, Hope, Wrexham

• Best shire from Shropshire, Hereford or Montgomeryshire: R Calder, Billingsley, Shropshire

• Best shire gelding: J and T Pleavin-Edge, Hope

• Best shire and member of local Shire Horse Society: R Rawlings, Tamworth.

• Hunter or Sport Horse: Champion, J Owen, Llanfechain.

• In Hand Hunter or Sport Horse: Best young hunter or sports horse, A Whittall, Pitchford, Shrewsbury

• Champion brood mare: J Hudson, Trefonen, Oswestry

• Champion foal: T Humphrys (crr), Machynlleth.

• Ridden Hunter or Sport Horse: Champion, J Owen, Llanfechain.

• Ladies Ridden Hunter or Sport Horse: Champion, JA Beck, Wirral.

• Show Hunter Ponies: Champion, J Vaughan (Chloe Vaughan), Ellesmere.

• Welsh Cobs in Hand Section C: Champion, G Turner, Ruthin

• Best mare: L Thomas, Maesbury, Oswestry

• Best foal: RB Jones, Llansantffraid.

• Welsh Mountain Ponies, Section A: Best Exhibit and Champion Welsh Mountain pony: A Parkinson, Bala

• Champion young stock: K Owen-Lilley, Coedpoeth.

• Welsh Ponies, Section B: Champion, RM Andrew, Manafon, Welshpool.

• Palominos: Champion, JW Nunn, Widnes.

• Mountain and Moorland in Hand: Champion, EA Painter, Clive, Shrewsbury.

• Mountain and Moorland WHP: Champion, EA Painter.

• Coloured Horse and Pony: Champion, S Zachary, Caergwrle, Wrexham; best yearling, A Boxshall, Malpas, Cheshire.

CATTLE

• Overall Champion: E Lee, Oswestry. Dairy Cattle

• Exhibitor with most points and champion group: RJ Clare, Adderley, Market Drayton

• Champion animal, best local animal and best dairy cow: TH Roberts, Nobold, Shrewsbury

• Reserve champion and champion heifer: C and L Window, Hunnington, West Midlands.

• Holstein: Champion and best female TH Roberts.

• Ayrshires: Champion, C and L Window;

• Best group: HJ Tomlinson, Nantwich.

• Jerseys: Champion, JD and JS Jones, Ormskirk, Lancashire

• Welsh Blacks: Champion, J Blackburn, Glyn Ceiriog.

• Hereford: Champion and best animal opposite sex to champion, DE, ED and AL Jones, Caersws.

• Limousin: Champion, W Jones, Llanfair Caereinion.

• Welsh National Charolais Show: Champion, E Lee, Oswestry.

• Simmental: Champion, RM Birch, Weston, Stafford.

• Highland, Champion: G Braines, Sunderland.

• Any Beef Breed: TR Owen, Malpas.

• Commercial beef cattle: Champion, Pennie and Son, Montgomery

• Reserve: T Jones, Conwy.

• Interbreed, handling and presentation: DE, ED and AL Jones.

SHEEP

• Most points in sheep section: O Hughes-Owen, Anglesey.

• Championship Cup and award: R and R Powell, Guilsfield.

• Reserve champion and best group: W McCaffrey, Malpas. Suffolk: Champion animal, best exhibit and best group: Mr and Mrs J Pryce, Trefnanney.

• Lleyn: Champion animal, DN and R Bennett, Meifod; best animal opposite sex to champion, DW Ellis, Betws y Coed.

• Shropshire: Champion exhibit, Miss A Harvey, Wirral; best animal opposite sex to champion, RB and B Higgins, Penyffordd, Flintshire.

• Texel

• Champion exhibit: W McCaffrey

• Texel Sheep society rosette: M and S Jones Rececourse, Oswestry.

• British Charollais Champion animal: Ec Lloyd Lewis, Conwy.

• Blue Faced Leicester: Champion, Mr and Mrs J Pryce, Trefnanney.

• Charmoise Hill: Champion, RG and BG Moseley, Ceredigion.

• Any Other Breed: Champion animal, RW Lloyd, St Asaph.

• Kerry Hill: Champion animal, R and R Powell.

• Butchers Lambs: Champion, M and A Williams and Newby, Four Crosses, Llanymynech.

• Young handler: Rhys Lloyd.