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Livestock, bees and exotic rats delight show crowds
Robert Sutcliffe THOUSANDS of people turned out this weekend for this year's Halifax Show with a host of attractions including exotic rats.
The show at Savile Park took place amid overcast skies and the constant threat of rain.
Although estimates of turnout were unavailable, it is thought they may be less than the 14,000 visitors that the organisers had hoped for.
Attractions included a large variety of exhibitions from cattle, sheep and poultry to a magnetic display by Halifax and district bee keepers, which showed people how to handle bees, and a chance to taste local varieties of honey from Hebden Bridge to Elland.
A new attraction at the 59th show – exotic rats, courtesy of the National Fancy Rat Society – proved popular, with many parents and children overcoming their initial aversion to handle the creatures.
Treasurer Sue Foulds said: "It's the first time we have been here and it is going very well. People seem to enjoy watching them running around.''
Show general co-ordinator Peter Todd said: "Overall, this show has gone better than we expected it to. We have had plenty of volunteers.
"They work from 8.30am to 8.30pm and all they get is a bag of chips for their 'pay' and then we go and have a pint afterwards. There's a lot of work to do, from putting up a mile of fencing to keep non-payers out, to putting up another half a mile to keep animals in and for crowd barriers.
''I have been involved in these shows since I was 15, and we are all looking forward to planning the 60th, which we hope will be one of our biggest and best ever.''
He added that it costs around 35,000 to stage such a show .
This year some of the helpers included teams of offenders working under the supervision of Yorkshire Probation.
Janine Hines, senior probation officer said: "The Government wants to make community service more visible. Events like the agricultural show make the work of the Probation Service more visible where the public can see offenders making amends.
"Under the close supervision of community service supervisors, offenders set up fencing and toilet facilities. On the day they helped with crowd and animal control, by manning gates. After the event they clear the site of litter.''
Former Calderdale mayor Chris O'Connor, making his first visit to the show in 34 years, said: "I have been intrigued by the breadth and variety of what is on offer.''
robert.sutcliffe@ypn.co.uk
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
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