Thornton-le-Dale show: Rabbit is all ears ahead of judge’s verdict at popular village show

It’s a traditional, and, importantly, local agricultural show, but Thornton-le-Dale Show pulls in the punters year after year.
By The Yorkshire Post
Published 8th Aug 2024, 06:00 BST

Membership secretary Gena Douglas told The Yorkshire Post that by 11am yesterday morning the overflow car parking was already in operation, with a crowd of 14,000 to 15,000 packing onto the showfield in the North Yorkshire village.

Gena has been involved in the show since she was a child, along with her sister Linda Pepper, who dealt with the shepherd’s crooks section this year, which attracted nearly 200 entries.

"I grew up in Wilton and my father, Jack Hollows, was very involved in the show – he did sheepdog trials and was sheepdog secretary, so we always went along,” she said. "It is a lovely, local, rural show.

Thornton Le Dale Show. Rabbit judging at the show. Picture taken by Yorkshire Post Photographer Simon Hulme.Thornton Le Dale Show. Rabbit judging at the show. Picture taken by Yorkshire Post Photographer Simon Hulme.
Thornton Le Dale Show. Rabbit judging at the show. Picture taken by Yorkshire Post Photographer Simon Hulme.

"My role is dealing with membership, sponsorship and advertising and it is lovely that there are people supporting the show year upon year.

"Every year they come back and it’s a really good local familyevent.”

Among those taking prizes yesterday was the appropriately named C Mudd, who took top honours in several farm produce categories, including for best barley, wheat, oats and hay, in a yearwhen the early part of the year was so wet and made farming so difficult.

There were also lots of entries in the cattle, sheep, goats and pigs section, while the poultry section was allowed to return this year after missing out due to avian flu last year. The horses section saw either ends of the spectrum, with heavies, such as shires and Clydesdale, with miniature Shetland ponies, and even a place for retired racehorses in between.

Thornton Le Dale Show. Picture taken by Yorkshire Post Photographer Simon Hulme.Thornton Le Dale Show. Picture taken by Yorkshire Post Photographer Simon Hulme.
Thornton Le Dale Show. Picture taken by Yorkshire Post Photographer Simon Hulme.

And the big tent was also crammed with tasty morsels, including cakes, jams and sloe gin.

As well as the classes, there were circus workshops, gundog demonstrations, a motorbike display and live bands.

Gena said plans for next year’s show start in September, and there is an easy way to remember the date of next year’s.

"It’s the first Wednesday or after the first Monday in August, which was chosen because the first Monday in August was traditionally a bank holiday,” she added.