MORE than 100 Swaledale sheep passed the judges’ eyes at this year’s Langdon Beck Show.
In contrast to the days before and after, the sun shone brightly on Saturday morning as exhibitors prepared for the day.
Show chairman Neville Bainbridge was pleased with the turnout which was only slightly down on previous years because of a difficult season.
He said: “The weather has been wretched for everybody but the quality is still there. This is probably one of the best Swaledale shows this year. The produce is very good – fantastic I would say.”
There had been torrential rain as show officers set out the field on Thursday and had it continued the show would have been in doubt, the chairman said.
It was a good day out for the Hutchinson family with Tom and Kay presenting the local champion and daughter Hettie exhibiting the reserve local champion. In the open classes the supreme champion was Robert Hutchinson’s gimmer shearling, while the reserve went to Joseph Natrass’s ewe.
John White secured the most points in the open sheep classes, while Tom Hutchinson had top score in the local classes.
Michael Hedley earned the most points in the flower and produce class, while Helen Stephenson earned the best in show photograph.
Vegetable grower Roger Lilleker teamed up with Lenny Turnbull to ensure they had enough to exhibit.
He said: “It has been a terrible year – I only had a couple of things to enter.
“My tomatoes have been on the stalk too long, their skins are too hard and starting to wrinkle because it has taken that long to ripen.”
