Attendance record for show as the sun shines on visitors (From The Advertiser Series)

Attendance record for Stanhope show as the sun shines on visitors

3:29pm Sunday 16th September 2012 in News

ORGANISERS of a 170-year-old agricultural show said the weather proved to be their biggest attraction at the weekend as a new record attendance was set.

The 172nd Stanhope Agricultural Show took place on Saturday and Sunday at Unthank Park in Stanhope, and attracted more than 3,000 people on each day.

Show chairman for the past three years, William Hutchinson, said they took a record of £21,000 in entry fees on Saturday and probably something similar on Sunday.

He said: “We couldn’t be happier, it has gone better than we could have wished.

“What has made this show different to previous ones? The weather, without question.

“We have had glorious sunshine which people have come out in force to enjoy.

“Unfortunately the rain has caused problems at other shows in the North-East this summer so when people finally had the chance to enjoy a show in the sun, they have taken it.

“The sun has certainly proved our biggest attraction.”

Visitors came from all over the North-East as well as Weardale to see livestock parades, horse trials and stunt artists.

It proved another successful competition for the partnership of Julie Sedgewick from Sedgefield and Neil Slack of Penrith as their British Blue Cross heifer, for whom it was a first competition, was named champion of the cattle section.

And Ms Sedgewick said it also proved a successful day for the next generation of cattle handlers with Taylor Allison, 14, from Penrith and Josh Bellas, 12, from Appleby showing the champion cattle.

Father and son team John and Mark Emerson, who farm at Haggate farm in Eastgate, Weardale, won the championship for the best cow and calf together.

Meanwhile, Ian Collinson who farms at Eastgate, ended the day with the best sheep for the ninth time thanks to his four-year-old Swaledale .

He bought the Swaledale from Robert Clarkson in Hawes and has now won six championships with it. In the Mule category, another Weardale farmer, John Dobson from Frosterley, was the champion with his 16-year-old daughter Rebecca demonstrating.

There were also plenty of prizes won in the horse section with categories for sport and hunter horses, Welsh ponies, Dales ponies, Clydedales and donkeys.

The latter was won by Taka Ra Haka from Todridge in Northumberland who finished ahead of Freddy Star.