North Yorkshire County Show: Poignant moments as agricultural show returns for first time in three years

For one of the show committee’s few that have any farming experience it will be a poignant time too, as Elaine Dennis of Hill View, Over Silton assists as sheep steward once again having also taken on another role this year of attracting sponsorship, because the last time she will have been at the show would have been with her husband Dave, one of Yorkshire’s best known Charollais sheep showmen who passed away two years ago.

“Jess, our daughter was a tiny baby when we first showed at North Yorkshire County,” says Elaine. “We’d all taken part in showing there and at shows all over Yorkshire and we’d won many rosettes.

“We had a big sheep section back then, but sadly many that we showed with have passed away. We still have lots of classes for many breeds such as Texels, Blue Texels, Beltex, Charollais, Wensleydale and new ones such as the Valais Blacknose that weren’t around when we started, and we have both MV accredited and non accredited classes.

“I got asked to go onto the committee because they didn’t have many people with an agricultural background. They really wanted Dave to go on, but he didn’t want any of that, so a friend asked if I would go on it.

“I’ve just been involved with the sheep section for quite a few years, helping Gladys Gouldthorpe, but this year I’ve taken on the role of sponsorship, specifically to try and encourage more agricultural sponsorship, because the agricultural tradestand side of the show had dropped off a bit, possibly because most of the committee are not involved in agriculture.

"I’ve been trying to encourage agricultural businesses and young farmers to get more involved, as is our new chairman, Mark Hall.”

Elaine says that this year’s return of the show also sees a return to its usual date in the calendar.

“The show has always been held on Father’s Day as far back as I’ve been involved and people know that’s when it is going to be. The last time it was held the date had to be changed because circumstances dictated we had to change it.”

Elaine says that Hill View runs to 52 acres owned and 60 acres rented.

“Dave’s dad farmed up at Longlands Farm next door. His granddad had it, then his dad. Dave left school and worked on the farm with his dad and his uncle, and we continued with sheep when his dad died.

“We went into pedigree Charollais, starting off with five sheep and built our flock up together. We showed at all the local shows at Stokesley, Pateley, Ryedale, Wensleydale, North Yorkshire County Show and showed at the Great Yorkshire Show. Dave won a Charollais flock competition a few years ago and we had breed champion at Pateley Show.”

The Dennis’ Charollais flock has reduced from its height of 70 pedigree breeding ewes they once had, but they’re currently looking at restocking and building up the flock once again.

Elaine’s son James looks after them, while also working as a contractor on sheep shearing, lambing and other contracting work; and Elaine’s daughter Jess is now looking at running her own flock, whilst also looking after event horses for a couple of owners.

“Selling tups was what Dave was known for,” says Elaine. “We had breeders that came back year after year buying tups direct from us. We had regular clients who also became our friends, who would come and say ‘don’t forget I want two for next year’.

“We have many wonderful friends in the Charollais world who really supported Dave, particularly Charles Marwood and David Ford who both gave him lots of advice when he started showing. We bought our first sheep from David and our first tup from Charles.

"Kenton Foster, Cyril Dougherty and many others have been so supportive throughout. We’ve met a lot of really good friends through showing and they have been the backbone of our support, which has helped Jess and James since Dave left us.

“Dave sold at the pedigree sales in Skipton, Builth Wells and Carlisle, and had a few go through our local mart at Thirsk, where he used to work, having started there in lockdown and having stayed on afterwards.”

Dave’s legacy looks assured with both Jess and James now looking to take or already taking up where their dad left off.

“James is self-employed,” says Elaine. “He bought a shearing trailer for his business throughout the year, he goes lambing in spring and looks after the sheep at home.

"When his dad died, James took over Dave’s judging. Dave was booked at a number of shows. James took his judging exam at the Great Yorkshire and picked up the dates Dave was due to judge at.

"Last year he judged at Westmorland, Dumfries and Malton Show and he's judging our Young Handlers at North Yorkshire. Kenton Foster has been a big help to James.

“James didn’t show our sheep last year, but he was still at shows. He does a lot of shearing competitions including at Harrogate and also shows cattle with Craig Bentley and Rachel Mudd.

"When they won at Great Yorkshire Show the year before Dave died, James was showing their bull.

“Jess is also wanting to get back showing and mentioned just the other day that she’d quite like to get her own Charollais and start again.

"Jess did an international equine and business degree and has been to New Zealand and worked as a groom for an eventer in Portugal and in event course building in Australia before coming back home. She’s just bought a freezer trailer to get into the hospitality trade.”

After an understandably emotional time the Dennis family is looking forward once again, as Elaine hopes is also the case for North Yorkshire County Show.

Elaine’s career was as a nurse with the NHS, where she spent 38 years. She’s found a new career as lead nurse at Thirsk racecourse, covers Catterick racecourse and Point to Point meetings. “I started to work for racecourses. I now handle concussion assessments and whatever injuries they have.”

North Yorkshire County Show will be held at Otterington Hall, Sunday 15 June.