Worcestershire
WR13 6NW UK
Tel: 01684 584900
For more information please contact:
Sharon Gilbert
Press & PR Manager
Telephone:
01684 584929
Fax:
01684 584930
E-mail: sharon@threecounties.co.uk
Editor's Notes:
The Three Counties Show is a fund raising event for the Three Counties Agricultural Society (Registered charity no: 511868).
A Buoyant Mood At Malvern’s Food And Farming Showcase
Farming and non-farming communities came together this year to celebrate all aspects of the great British countryside, as the annual Three Counties Show at Malvern (19 – 21 June) attracted another bumper crop of visitors, exhibitors and traders.
A good weather forecast saw a substantial increase in advance ticket sales, with a final footfall of 92,000 – a positive response to the question on everyone’s mind; would the Three Counties Show be following the same route as Warwickshire’s Royal Show at Stoneleigh?
On the contrary, the mood was buoyant, particularly amongst breeders, back in their droves following the devastating impact of Bluetongue on the volume of livestock at the 2008 event. Pig and alpaca entries were up, and there was a brand new Malvern Dairy Goat Show on Saturday 20.
Only the dairy section suffered this year; almost certainly a casualty of the ongoing challenges in a troubled industry.
Winner of the Inter-Breed Beef Championship was ‘Westwood Advancer’ a Hereford, owned by Messrs Spooner of Leek in Staffordshire and its breeder, Clive Davies of the Westwood Herd at Mamble near Kidderminster. Reserve Champion was awarded to ‘Sterling Krumpet’s Roxanne’, a Simmental shown by Boddington Estates of Cheltenham.
The Inter-Breed Dairy Champion was Ridgefield Stormatic Zisky, a Holstein, shown by Stephen Hart of Monmouthshire, whose farm came under TB restriction several years ago.
Mr. Percy Tait of Worcester had the Supreme Champion, a Rouge De L’Ouest shearling ewe, in the Inter-breed Sheep Championship, while a Lincoln Longwool, shown by Mr. and Mrs. Fairburn of Market Rasen in Lincolnshire, took the Reserve Champion.
In the Pig section, Supreme Champion in the Modern section was ‘Prestleigh Beryl’, a Large White, shown by Panorama Pedigree Pigs of Neath, South Wales, and ‘Giltedge Sunshine’, a British Lop, shown by mother and daughter duo Rachael and Catherine Nicholas of Raglan, Gwent, was Champion in the Traditional section.
On Sunday, National Rare & Minority Breeds Day, Champion in the cattle was a Belted Galloway bull ‘Southfield Double-o-Seven, shown by Jane Smith. Champion in the sheep section, and overall Rare Breed Champion, was a Teeswater, shown by Miss Davina Stanhope of Shrewsbury, and Champion in the pig section was a Saddleback, ‘Pantysgawen Dinah’ shown by Messrs Edwards & Thomas of Newbridge, Gwent.
In the horse section, The Cuddy Supreme In Hand Qualifier Champion was ‘Heniarth Yippee-Aye-Yeah’ a Welsh Section A, shown by Messrs Miller and Davies of Ferryside, South Wales.
Away from the livestock lines, JJ Farm Services Ltd of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire won Best In Show for its trade stand, while husband and wife team Anthony and Christine Snell, from Harewood End, near Ross-on-Wye, currently building up their blackcurrant supply business - won the prestigious Bear Pit Competition, sponsored by Parkinson Wright.
Beltex breeder David Bishop of Colwall in Herefordshire was celebrating 50 consecutive years of showing at Malvern, and shared his experiences with BBC Midlands Today, who were filming on Friday.
Other television crews on site included IWC Media for Channel 5, filming a sheep shearing competition between comedians Rory McGrath and Paddy McGuinness for the second series of Rory & Paddy’s Great British Adventure, and the BBC Countryfile team, with presenter Adam Henson, who was judging the rare breeds on Sunday.
VIP guests this year included MPs James Paice, Michael Spicer, Peter Luff, Harriet Baldwin, Bill Wiggin and Dr. Richard Taylor, and speakers at the CLA’s Big Breakfast were CLA Vice President, Harry Cotterell and Chairman of the West Midlands Rural Affairs Forum, Bob Forster.
TCAS President, Michael Brinton HML gave the opening address on Friday, talking about an increasing demand for food production across the world, and how Britain’s knowledge and marketing skills would help us to take advantage of that demand.
The Bishop of Worcester was also at Malvern on the first day, making a special dedication to the Farm Crisis Network’s new promotional trailer, part-funded by the proceeds of the Malvern Showground’s November farming conference.
A brand new Farmers’ Market featuring artisan producers went down very well with visitors to the Cookery Theatre area, where local chef Felice Tocchini created some delicious dishes with the help of various guests, including television vet, Steve Leonard.
The Theatre was also the venue for the Worcestershire School Food Awards, cookery demonstrations using rare breeds meat, and talks by Chris Greenwood of Poultry Park in Gloucestershire, about keeping chickens in the garden.
Main Arena entertainment included the famous Kangaroo Kid (aka Matt Coulter) who wowed the crowds with a series of daredevil jumps over Morgan cars, trucks and even a horse ambulance, and the ever popular Red Devils parachute display team.
In the Countryside Arena, Members of the Vintage Tractor & Engine Club (West Midlands), raced against the clock to re-build a Ferguson TE20 tractor on each of the first two days of the Show, and the Young Farmers’ Club competitions included ‘Pimp my 4 x 4’ and ‘Dressing Up in Wallpaper’ – both qualifying heats the National Finals which will be held at the Showground’s Malvern Autumn Show later this year.
For more information, and/or photos please contact:
Sharon Gilbert – Press & PR Manager
Three Counties Agricultural Society
Telephone: 01684 584929 (direct dial)
E-mail: sharon@threecounties.co.uk
Show Web Site: www.threecounties.co.uk/threecounties
Ticket Hotline: +44 (0) 1684 584 900/924
All the competition results are available here.
This press release is available by e-mail and via RSS feed.
Released: 30/06/2009