Sarah Todd: No joy with Olympics tickets so Chariots of Fire will have to do

Just like the swimming gala earlier in the year, a lot hadn’t turned up, and the organisers hinted that the reason was that many parents are against competitions. After years of dwindling numbers, the conclusion is that many modern parents don’t like to risk the possibility that their children might not win, that there could be disappointment.

What a sad state of affairs. Thank goodness the competitors at this week’s Great Yorkshire Show were cut from different cloth.

The work that goes into preparing some of the animals is beyond belief, yet everybody puts themselves through the judging process knowing there’s a fair chance they’ll come home empty-handed. It really is all about the taking part.

We had sent an e-mail many months ago to the Young Farmers’ Club, asking for information. Nothing arrived back. Proving the fact that old-fashioned face-to-face contact can’t be beaten, we walked up the steps of the club’s pavilion at the showground and spoke to a real person who gave us all the details.

Competitiveness has crept up on this correspondent, entering eggs, vegetables, roses and goodness knows what else in our local show.

The hens have been given a good dusting of louse powder after the embarrassment of Ralph the cockerel having “red mites” at last year’s event. What made it worse was the fact that we had got chatting and were the last people to collect from the poultry tent. There he was, sat in his cage – in disgrace.

The preparations helped take our mind off the disappointment of not getting any Olympic tickets. The Husband was sceptical about it before any were applied for, saying they’ll all go to southerners and you’ll get a better view on the television.

His negativity was ignored, and two unsuccessful attempts made. It’s a shame. Also, it’s been impossible to shut out thoughts – courtesy of you-know-who – as to what the ratio is between those in the South who got tickets and those from up North.

The children had heard on Newsround that people have had better luck through foreign websites, such as those in Germany and France.

After all the faffing around of applying before, the towel was thrown in and instead (for £3.99, including delivery) a DVD of Chariots of Fire was ordered. Rather than face another fight with a computer system, we’ll sit and watch this wonderful tale of two British athletes battling it out in the 1924 Olympics.

Hardly the British Bulldog spirit, but it’s one thing being competitive on the tennis court or showground but quite another having a run-in via the computer keyboard.