Best In Show

August 7, 2007 by uphilldowndale | 4 Comments

Last week the farming community were enjoying Bakewell show in Derbyshire, foot and mouth was not on the agenda.

I love agricultural shows, they have their roots the basic premise of ‘my cow is better than your cow.’ Whilst the atmosphere is one of all the ‘fun of the fair’, there is an underlying current of competitiveness. These photographs were taken last Thursday, because of the restrictions on the movement of animals as a result of the foot and mouth outbreak, shows taking place this week across the country will be a shadow of what they should be

This six week old calf would be back at the farm, it is ironic in the circumstances that I took the next photo because I thought that it had dainty little feet

As well as the competitions, you can buy just about anything and everything at a show, it’s a giant market, does your dog need a reflective sun tabard?

Or are you looking for a ball of string or some sweets?

But it is the diverse mix of people that you can see, (I’ve always been an avid people watcher) that is the cherry on the tart for me (yes I know ‘true’ ‘Bakewell Tarts’ don’t have cherries on.)

Be it horses, steam engines, cheese, poultry or live stock that is their thing, they are passionate about it.

Here they are preparing the rabbit class for judging, the young man on the left has just been bitten by his rabbit!

Some of the competitors just know instinctively how to strut their stuff.

But beauty is often in the eye of the beholder

And there can be a lot of hanging around

waiting,

for your time to shine in the ring.

There is a lot of kudos attached to being a judge, and hats for judges are very important,

Getting your hands on one of these is what it is about,

And it is a very serious business

I like to look back stage, where you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

Hours of work goes in to preening and prepping the animals

I love this stained glass, by Hazel Crowe

And of course you are never going to keep me out of the flower marquees, (no matter how hard my children try!)

Shows are fun

And exhausting

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