The Farmers Mart Aug/Sep 2013 - Issue 29 | Page 37

EVENTS ROYAL VISITOR TO VISIT WESTMORLAND SHOW The Westmorland County Agricultural Society is delighted to announce that HRH the Countess of Wessex GCVO will be making a visit to this year’s County Show on Thursday 12th September. In recent years, Her Royal Highness has become involved in the world of agriculture and held the position of President of the Royal Bath and West of England Society before becoming Vice Patron in 2011. The Countess is also Patron of the Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations (ASAO) and made her first visit to Kendal in 2011 when Westmorland hosted the national ASAO Conference. Christine Knipe, Chief Executive of the Westmorland Agricultural Society commented: “We are absolutely thrilled that The Countess of Wessex will be visiting the Show. This is the first visit of its kind in our 214 year-history and indeed a huge honour for Westmorland County Show, our volunteers and exhibitors who help make the event what it is today.” Jonathan Mason, Chairman, added: “We are really looking forward to showing Her Royal Highness some of the many areas of our wonderful Show, especially the livestock with hundreds of cattle, sheep, pigs and horses. We will all be pulling out the stops to make the visit as enjoyable as possible.” The Westmorland County Show, which is held at the Crooklands Showground, near Kendal, is expected to attract more than 27,000 visitors and will once again focus on the county’s rich agricultural heritage. In addition to the livestock, the public will get the chance see a variety of rural past times including falconry, ferreting and hounds in the Countryside Area while the Food Theatre will see live cookery demonstrations throughout the day, with special guest, the popular celebrity chef, Phil Vickery. Christine added: “This year’s show will be a true celebration of Cumbria’s agricultural heritage but also a great celebration of the agricultural professionals that continue to make the county such a vibrant farming community.” Subscription costs just £21 for 6 issues and can be paid by credit card or cheque. Simply call Ian Wilkinson on 01226 321 450 or email [email protected]. www.farmers-mart.co.uk PENISTONE SHOW – YORKSHIRE AT ITS BEST! As this issue of The Farmers Mart went to press, the Penistone Show was pulling in the crowds with a fantastic array of attractions such as the Rotherham Rockets Flyball team, an amazing spectacle of dog agility, and Jive Pony, who use horses and ponies rescued from tough lives trained to superb stunt riding. Shire horses are always a tremendous draw at the Show and this year the organisers are delighted to host the annual show of the South West Yorkshire Of course, there are all the usual livestock show classes plus assorted crafts and the popular Vintage Vehicles giving visitors a glimpse of a different world. The Show is proud of its display of vintage vehicles, which this year is coordinated by Robert Halliday, an able successor to Neil Whitmore, who is now retired. PENISTONE SHOW - Yorkshire at its best. We will be reporting on the Show in the next issue of The Farmers Mart. District of the Shire Horse Hiring Society, whose very name is redolent of history and tradition. To read more, visit www.farmers-mart.co.uk FarmersMart Aug/Sep 2013 37