Osmotherley Show: Meet the Yorkshire gatemaker who will be welcoming crowds to his agricultural show

"When the sawmill ceased trading I picked up a couple of field gate customers and grew my own business over the last 35 years at Over Silton and later Knayton. We are now the largest manufacturer of 5-bar wooden field gates in the north of England making about 250 a week.

“Being ‘on the gate’ at Osmotherley Show is how I started here. I was asked to join the committee when I was 25, originally stewarding on the gate and on car parking.”

Nick has not missed a show since then and 32 years later the show has become part of his DNA.

He’s involved with not just chairing the committee but also showfield management, setting up the field, leading the team from banging in the posts to organising where everything goes and making sure everybody feels part of the group.

“We have a committee of 40-plus and a strong core of people who give so much to the show.

"They are the main reason for its success because without them we wouldn’t have a show, and in our show secretary Susie Pattison we have one of those women who you imagine can be running a pair of curtains up in one hand and driving a tractor in another, while being a mother of three and doing everything that comes with being show secretary.

“We are also really fortunate to have the assistance of Mr & Mrs Shelley who own the show field at Thimbleby and are always willing to help in any way they can. Andrew and Andrea, who is the eldest daughter of Ken Morrison are definitely our greatest allies.”

Osmotherley Show is based at Home Farm, Thimbleby just south of the village of Osmotherley and Nick says the show’s location is something new visitors always find stunning.

“It is one of the oldest one day shows in Yorkshire and has a unique backdrop of the Hambleton Hills. It’s a social, people day and everybody says what a lovely little show Osmotherley is.

"A slogan I introduced is that it’s ‘A Great Day Out for all the Family since 1895’ with all the traditional agricultural show elements of cattle, sheep, horses and ponies, crafts, flowers, vegetables, children’s competitions, tradestands, vintage tractors, heavy horses and a fell race.

"The Hurworth Hunt is always popular and the children love to see all the hounds.

“For a smaller agricultural show we punch reasonably at our weight with cattle and sheep entries. Last year we had 185 sheep on the showfield. We still hold individual classes for Masham, Mule and Swaledale breeds as well as commercial crossbreds, a continental class and any other native breed class.

"We had 30 cattle last year in classes for dairy bred calves, native breeds and commercial cattle, as well as also running young handler classes for sheep, calves and cattle.”

Nick says they have made tweaks in recent years reflecting how people’s lives have changed that have made the show even more of a family day and for longer, adding greater value.

“We’re a show that offers so much throughout the day as it goes on from 10 in morning until 10 at night. That’s another part of its success. We encourage families to stay on the field and have quality local food and entertainment.

"Some years ago there were show dances, but we found that people were leaving and not coming back, so we now encourage them to stay with families and offer plenty to keep the children occupied with a very popular children’s tent, bouncy castles, inflatables and games.

“There have been social changes around Osmotherley and the local villages in the past fifty years. These hills are now prime commuter belt and there are now far less people employed in agriculture.

"Many who live here now commute for their jobs and villages have changed dramatically in my lifetime. They are all great places to live, as well as to visit by those who come on holiday, that’s why we’ve tweaked things to reflect that and stay relevant.

“One of the other secrets to Osmotherley’s ongoing success is we don’t aim to make it any bigger, we don’t get ahead of ourselves, and we don’t make it any smaller. It’s all about just those small tweaks year-on-year taking on board social changes and changes in agriculture.

"We’re also careful about the right kind of tradestands and make a point of having local food producers, again reflecting on who comes to the show.”

Nick says his satisfaction comes from seeing others enjoying themselves at the show and enjoying the day and like every other agricultural show chairman he prays for good weather.

“Believe me, wet days are the bane of all shows. Everything can go from delightful to bloody awful in one stroke and you’ve only to have two consecutive wet years and anything you have in reserve is swallowed up, which is why you’ve always to run a tight ship, but when the sun shines and everyone is enjoying their day that’s when you get the reward.

“The worries are always weather, inflation and having no internet connection on the showfield.”

Nick was born and raised in Ingleby Arncliffe and went to school in Great Ayton. He’s a local lad who wears Osmotherley Show and local employment on his sleeve.

“I employ local people and I work with local people at the show. I’m enjoying leading the show and love seeing it full of happy, smiling faces on show day.