A SUDDEN thunderstorm and downpour could not dampen the spirits of competitors and visitors to a North Yorkshire country show.

The 106th Osmotherley Show on Saturday, at Home Farm, Thimbleby, managed to avoid being a wash-out until later in the afternoon when farmers rushed to get livestock into trailers and spectators dived into the beer tent.

This year’s presidents, Colin Barker and his mother Joan, said they had enjoyed the day which was significant for Mrs Barker as it would have marked her 60th wedding anniversary.

Mr Barker said: “My parents first met at the Osmotherley show and married on the show day five years later in 1964.

“Unfortunately my dad, Mick, died two years ago so I stepped in so mum could still enjoy her day as president.”

Mrs Barker added: “It’s been a wonderful day – it’s funny because on our wedding day there was a thunderstorm before we went on honeymoon so it is similar to today. The show has lots of happy memories for me and I’m sure my husband would be very proud.”

The show’s first woman president Jean Abbott said despite the weather the show had been successful, with quality entries in the livestock and heavy horse classes.

She said: “We have had a bit of a revamp of the show field this year with the tents further up the show field to prevent them becoming waterlogged in weather like this.

“It has been good to see the Hurworth Hunt, and we sold about 300 tickets to the evening’s show dance which is fantastic.”

It was a good year for young female entrants in the cattle classes, with 23-year-old Claire Keel taking commercial beef champion, and Jennifer Almond taking champion dairy with her Jersey heifer.