Sense of community prevails amid farming concerns at 153rd Ryedale Show

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The prospect of a no-deal Brexit and the potential for huge tariffs on food exports may be weighing heavy on rural businesses; while beef prices are at their lowest for years, but today's 153rd show brought a welcome sense of collective strength as a district synonymous with agriculture celebrated its heritage.

Speaking to The Yorkshire Post, Polly Arnett, York East county adviser for the National Farmers’ Union, said: “There is a lot of uncertainty at the moment but there’s also an element of positivity because I think a lot of farmers realise they have to embrace change.”

Andy Stephenson, the union’s group secretary for Ryedale, added: “Once we get some clarity about the future, farmers can make decisions but right now, good businesses are already looking at their business plans and when the time comes they might diversify, whether that’s in or out of agriculture.”

Though political and market concerns tend to get set aside on show days, Ryedale’s annual agricultural showcase at Welburn Park near Kirkbymoorside was a timely reminder of the collective might in this area of rural North Yorkshire, said Ms Arnett.

“There’s a real sense of community and support, not just from farming people here - a real sense of everybody coming together.”

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Financial pressures for beef producers did not tell in the show’s cattle section where the standard of entries was high - though an early escapee from the pens caused some mischief.

The supreme beef champion title went to a homebred Limousin, Almande Ovett, shown by Alan Morgan and Mandy Johnson of Trimdon, County Durham. Their 520kg heifer had come third in its class at the Great Yorkshire Show and took firsts at Otley and North Yorkshire County shows.

In reserve was Neil Barrett of Everingham with Everingham Judy, a homebred British Blonde that had taken the interbreed championships at Otley and Malton earlier in the year.

The supreme dairy animal was Knayton Sultan Thrush, a Jersey on its first show appearance of 2019, and a late stand-in for another cow that had been playing up before the show.

The winner was shown by Laura Crosby from Knayton near Thirsk on behalf of her auntie Pamela Crosby, whose herd supply milk for Yew Tree Dairies.

In reserve was a Holstein, Panda Jolly O’Kalibra Red, shown by Charles Featherstone of Driffield, who is herdsman for St Quintin’s Creamery at Harpham.

It was a first sheep interbreed championship win at Ryedale since 2015 for Whenby-based C W Marwood & Son with a March-born Charollais shown by Stephen Marwood. Mr Marwood, who farms in partnership with his father Charles, said the gimmer shearling ewe’s success felt even better than past triumphs because this was their first supreme title at Ryedale with a homebred sheep.

Rather than having a reserve champion, an honour for the best hill breed sheep went to a Scotch Blackface ewe from Kildale’s Peter Turnbull, while the champion longwool was a Leicester Longwool shown by North Frodingham’s Gillian Shipley.

Show secretary Christine Thompson hailed the show’s community atmosphere and said she hoped visitors felt inspired to back British farming.

“We have over 120 volunteers and when they come together it’s a sense of community and everybody digs in... with all the uncertainty coming up, the big message from all the farms is make sure you buy British.”

Special honour for show veteran

For David Cussons this was a very special Ryedale Show.

The recently retired show director, 81, has been involved in the event since he was a child but had to miss the 2018 edition due to serious illness.

Following a triple heart bypass operation and a battle with cancer, Mr Cussons, who is a district councillor, made his show return yesterday to receive a special Agricultural Award in the main ring from the Ryedale and Pickering Lyth Agricultural Society.

“My first job was leading baby Shorthorn calves for one-and-a-half miles to the show field as a five-year-old,” Mr Cussons said. “There’s been a lot of changes over the years. The facilities for the public are now far better,” he added, saying he was “honoured” to receive the award and thrilled to be back at the show.

Originally an event to improve livestock breeding in Ryedale, the show now boasts modern additions such as a cookery theatre where demonstrations were given on its 153rd edition by chefs including Stephanie Moon.

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