Nidderdale Show: New base opens to cap off fine day

Crowds enjoying the delights of Nidderdale Show at Bewerley Park, Pateley Bridge, viewed from a cherry picker which can be hired from SHC Hire Centres. Pictures: James Hardisty.

The industry’s future direction may be somewhat hazy amid the post-Brexit vote lull until any new British agricultural policy takes shape, but there was a celebratory mood at Nidderdale Show.

Bathed in sunshine when last year it was beset by summer showers, visitor numbers were expected to be up on 2015.

Chris Prince, chairman of event organisers, the Nidderdale Agricultural Society, said: “It’s gone really well and we’ve been blessed today, it’s nice and fine.”

The supreme beef champion, a Belgian Blue Cross Limousin, called Bonita Bootie, shown by Clare Cropper, 24, of Mill House Farm, Long Preston, near Skiption.

Show day saw the society move into new permanent offices on the show field. Completed just the day before the show, they provide a permanent meeting place for the society to hold its meetings and also provides a base for community groups such as Nidderdale Young Farmers whose membership offers fresh blood to help take a show first held in 1895 into the future.

A five-figure sum from society funds and a £20,000 grant from The Prince’s Countryside Fund, has paid for the new building.

As for the show itself and the quality of livestock stood out - from goats, pigs and poultry, to the dog show, equine classes and the traditional livestock competitions.

It was a delightful day for Andrew Jennings, who farms near Fountains Abbey, almost a year after one of his toughest decisions - to quit milking.

Alfie Holding, aged five, of York, showing a Tamworth pig.

With low milk prices taking their toll, Mr Jennings sold his 200-strong herd, keeping only his dairy show cow, Merrydale SS Polly. Shown by his daughter Natasha, 17, the Holstein clinched the supreme dairy championship - the third successive year the family has won the top title at Nidderdale.

In reserve was Gavin Clarke, who farms at Brimham Rocks, with Abbey House GJ Marbella.

Champion beef animal was Bonita Bootie, a Belgian Blue Cross shown by Clare Cropper and John Mellin of Long Preston.

Reserve champion was a British Blue, Pendle Knock Em Out owned by Mark Hartley of Pendle Valley.

Supreme sheep champion Andrew Fisher, with his winning Wensleydale sheep.

The supreme sheep was a second shear Wensleydale ram shown by Andrew Fisher of Low Laithe, which came out top ahead of a Blue Faced Leicester shearling shown by Sue Sayer of Snilesworth.

For extended coverage of the show, see next Saturday’s edition of Country Week - 20 pages of rural news, features and views only available in The Yorkshire Post.