Kirsty and the team from Channel 4 have been busy filming for the last couple of weeks prior to the show getting specialists local to the area to guide her with her entries for the Nidderdale Show produce competitions.

The Nidderdale Agricultural Society was also pleased to welcome this years special guest Dorothy Fairburn MBE, regional Director of the Yorkshire division of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA). Dorothy unveiled a new sculpture that had been commission for this years show, carved by local artist Rose Badger, from a 90ft Oak tree that formerly stood on the show ground until earlier this year when it had to be felled due to disease. The tree has been carved in to a beautiful new seating area, taking the form of a cow, sheep and pig.

Dorothy said of her day at the show ‘I loved my day at Nidderdale Show! It is a tremendous showcase for Dales farming, with great classes of cattle and sheep. And the competition in the produce and WI sections was pretty fierce too! It was wonderful to see so many visitors enjoying themselves at this very traditional agricultural show. The organisers – all volunteers – should feel very proud that their efforts were so successful.’

Kirsty Allsop also took a great interest in the pig section learning the ropes from award winning Young Farmer Sarah Whitley. Sarah aged 14 from Summerbridge is no novice when it comes to showing pigs, born and raised on a pig, sheep and dairy farm in Nidderdale, Sarah has followed in both her grandfather and fathers footsteps and has been showing pigs for the last 4 years racking up a whole series of awards including 10 awards for British Saddleback and Gloucestershire Old Spot’s at this years Yorkshire Show, Young Handlers award at Staffordshire Show, Best Gloucester Old Spot Sow in the East of England Show and for the fourth year running Sarah won all three awards at Nidderdale Show Pig section for Best in Show, Best Local Pig and Most Points in Show.

Sarah was delighted to be asked to give Kirsty an insight into the pig showing world, running through how to handle pigs and piglets, explaining what a judge is looking for and showing Kirsty how to walk pigs using a board and stick showing. Sarah said, I think Kirsty really enjoyed the pig showing, she wanted to have a go and try everything, I think she did really well. Chief Steward Keith Hardcastle said it was great to have Kirsty’s involvement she created a lot of interest with the general public drawing big crowds to the pig section.

The ATV Manoeuvrability was a huge success seeing the winners from the last 10 years compete in a champion of champions competition, with a much more challenging and technical course than in previous years, which included driving over huge tractor tyres, balancing on a see saw, jumping over the back of an open trailer and reversing up ramps to the finishing point. The competition was won by local lad Paul Middlemiss, but perhaps the most impressive part of the entire display was seeing Kirsty Allsop taking part, not to be out done by the boys Kirsty proved that she is game for anything by donning a crash helmet, jumping on a quad bike (even though wearing a dress!) and completing the course only slightly slower than the boys! Receiving the biggest round of applause!!

When asked about her day Kirsty said ‘We had an absolutely brilliant time at the Nidderdale Show. It was one of the loveliest shows we visited this summer. So many things to see and do – the pig walking with Sarah and her family was fantastic fun, as was the ATV quad biking!’ She also tweeted after Monday’s show ‘Amazing day at the Nidderdale Show, everyone so friendly & kind, perhaps the most beautiful showground we’ve visited’.

Show President Alan Firth said of his first year as President ‘Once again our Nidderdale Show has proved to be a great success. The sun shone down on us and attendance was very good. It was wonderful to see the very high standards set by our exhibitors and to see the happy smiling faces of the public thoroughly enjoying their day. There was something for everyone and I am sure a lot of people will already be looking forward to returning next year’.

Rose Badger is a wood sculptor and designer based in the Vale of York. She has been working for the last 10 years drawing inspiration for her sculptures from her love of nature and wildlife. Rose’s carvings range from native wildlife such as badgers and hawks through to wild animals from around the world and abstract forms including totem poles. Rose has just also completed work on new oak carved entrance posts at the Stud Fold Visitor Centre at How Stean in Nidderdale, North Yorkshire.

Rose began work on the new carving for Nidderdale Show back in June when the tree was felled and delivered to her yard, however it was too big to make it through the entrance so had to be placed in a nearby field for Rose to work on. Measuring in at a huge 26.5ft circumference and weighing over 7 tons, this is the biggest carving Rose has ever worked on. She also said it has been raising the interest of local farmers who over the past few weeks have been harvesting and passing by the field in their tractors, watching the sculpture unfold and trying to guess what it will be. What started out as an enormous tree trunk has now been transformed in to a seating area comprising of a cow, pig and sheep and the carving is on target to be finished and unveiled at this years Nidderdale Show on Monday 19th September.

Dorothy has a lifetime involvement with the farming industry in Yorkshire, beginning life as a farmer’s daughter on the North York Moors, where her brothers still farm, she then went on to graduate from the University of London (Wye College) with a degree in agriculture.

Later she qualified as a rural practice chartered surveyor (land agent) whilst working for Savills plc in London and York, dealing with sales and purchases of country estates as well as the management of investment estates for financial institutions.

Prior to joining the CLA in 1998, Dorothy worked for the National Trust in Yorkshire. There she managed over 30,000 acres of outstanding countryside (including Brimham Rocks) as well as being responsible for historic houses open to the public and the acquisition of major new properties –the highlight being the 7,000 acre Upper Wharfedale Estate, a gift from the Watson brothers in 1989.

In her spare time, Dorothy is a trustee and Vice-Chairman of Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT) and has been involved with £20m worth of projects to benefit the Dales since its inception in 1998.

Earlier this year Dorothy was awarded an MBE in recognition of her 30 years service to rural affairs in Yorkshire.

Dorothy stated she was both thrilled and honoured to be asked to attend this year’s show and is looking forward to the day and to meeting the exhibitors and standholders who make the show such a success.

The Nidderdale Agricultural Society has also decided that due to the present economic climate, the admission charges for this year’s show will remain the same as last year; it was felt by the members of the committee that this would be their way of thanking those people who have continued with their un-dwindling support of the show year after year.

John Fawcett gave his final speech as Show President stating that he ‘ never had any aspirations to become President, but once elected his two years as President have been the most enjoyable on the show committee’, he went on to say that he’ has been invited to various functions and events and met lots of interesting people he would otherwise not have met’ and he thanked the Society for giving him that opportunity.  John also gave thanks to his partner Eileen who had been an enormous help with organising for the show and special thanks were given to Sue Monk who has done a tremendous job as the Show Secretary for the last 15 years. John wished every success to the new President Alan Firth with whom he had been a Sheep Steward for the show for over 30 years.

The Nidderdale Agricultural Society would also like to announce the launch of its new website , please go to www.nidderdaleshow.co.uk to find out more information and to view images from last years show.

They are also looking for more entries in to this years childrens ‘pet on a lead’ class, so if you have any type of pet from a mouse to a well behaved elephant, so long as it’s on a lead, we want you to enter. With the Yorkshire Dales Society donating £50 towards prize money you could stand to earn some serious pocket money!

The final event of the Nidderdale Agricultural Society 2009 calendar year was held last week in Pateley Bridge.  The show’s annual dinner at the Pateley Bridge Memorial Hall catered for over 160 committee members and guests.This year the society was honoured to have Elizabeth Buchanan, the Prince of Wales former Private Secretary as it’s guest speaker. Elizabeth who spent 10 years as the Princes’ Private Secretary was instrumental in securing his visit to the Nidderdale Show in 2003. Elizabeth has been a regular visitor to the Nidderdale area, her Grandfather lived in Ramsgill, she still has family connections in Ramsgill and friends throughout the dale. Accompanied to the Dinner by her mother also Elizabeth she recalled many memories of the dale, including the stories her mother told her of hacking to the show from Ramsgill on their pit pony. She also recalled flying over the dale on official engagements with the Prince of wales and pointing out the farms and villages, where she knew many of the locals. Guests were delighted to hear that the Prince sent his regards to all connected with the show.

Elizabeth described the sense of connection she has with the local community and still to this day feels very close to. Elizabeth herself an organic farmer, stated that hill farmers represent all that is best in British farming, battling against the elements and the government regulations to produce fantastic food for this nation, maintaining the culture of a family farm loving and caring for the farm just as parents past did.
Afterwards guests were well entertained by comedian, Chris Briton from Oldham and well fed by Haregill Lodge Catering from Ellingstring, Masham.

Show President John Fawcett spoke of his first ever Show Dinner in 1959, which was at the Kings Arms pub in Pateley Bridge High Street and was a men only affair. He recalled the past year, his first as Show President, and said thanks to all who helped and supported him including the previous President Dave Smith and his wife Ann. He stated that 2009 had been a good year for the show, blessed with a dry August and September the grounds were the best they had been for sometime, even though Show day itself may have been a little damp!

The Society also chose the evening to honour four lifetime achievers Audrey Summersgill, Fred Spence, David Prince and previous president David Smith, who were presented with life membership badges by President John Fawcett in recognition of their many years of service and dedication to the show.

The Society also took the opportunity to thank Ian hall the retiring Show Sponsorship Secretary for his all his hard work and effort over the past years and the time he has dedicated to this role, and welcomed Janet Winder as the new show secretary.

Ian and his wife Margaret had always been keen walkers and their weekly walks always seemed to draw them to the Nidderdale area, so in the early 1970’s Ian and his young family decided to move to the dale from Harrogate, He had already at this time been working for the Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC) for several years and had close involvement with many people in the Farming Industry, including farmers, wholesalers, retailers and Agricultural Show Societies. Due to his close ties with and understanding of the farming industry within the area Ian was approached by Francis Dawson who as a Nidderdale Agricultural Society Committee member had already had dealings with Ian through their regular NFU meetings.
In 1989 Ian who had by then become Chief Officer for the North of England MLC, was awarded the MBE in recognition of his services to the livestock industry.
Francis and Roger Worthing the previous secretary for the show had developed an embrionic scheme for sponsorship prior to Ian’s arrival and it is this method that Ian has built upon. Since taking on the role Ian has seen the show evolve both with committee member strength and numbers and in the variety of upland and livestock farming the show now represents, giving something specific to all interests.

Ian is proud that the Nidderdale show has always stayed true to its origins and remained a traditional agricultural show, not being amalgamated into the commercial world being merely a shopping extravaganza for it’s visitors. Which is difficult in the modern world where commerciality is key, he believes the show has maintained a balance between modern needs and the original aim of the show, which is for Farmers to compete against one another, in the pursuit of improving standards in their stock and produce. ”

When asked about the changes he has seen over the years Ian said “The show has opened up to new types of exhibitors and there is always a queue of companies wanting stands, however we try to do our best to ensure that they are still connected to agriculture in some way. The site itself has also been widely developed and diversified, new facilities on the show field, the laying of new roads, the best quality marquee’s and of course the quality of it’s exhibits all work together to improve visitor numbers and membership each year which in turn gives the sponsors the confidence to invest in our show, proving that we are still one of the best shows to visit.

There have also been many improvements to the show sections over the years. The dog Show has developed to be one of the leading canine events in the North, the poultry and rabbit sections have shown a genuine interest in new breeds, the goat section has been grown entirely by the enthusiasts that run it and the pigs section which has suffered greatly over the last few years due to disease is back showing it’s traditional breeds. The carcass demonstration from the 1980’s onwards has helped people realise the importance of local produce to local hotels and shops developing a link for consumers from the live product to the end result.”

Ian also feels that the involvement of young people with the show is what will keep it current and successful, the encouragement of Youth such as Young Farmers who will carry on from their fathers, and Grandfathers before them is what will keep the show alive. The introduction of new classes such as the Junior Shepherd are developed with these thoughts in mind.

One of the main changes he has witnessed over the years has been the shift in awareness of Health and Safety, and of the dangers now associated with running a large public event. All of these improvements do however add to the cost of running the show and in order to run a safe, health conscious show you have to accept that the income of the show determines how thoroughly this can be done. Financial insurance on the day and improvements to the site are all factors that raise the running costs, which makes the importance of attracting new sponsors each year cruicial to the smooth running of the show.

The show prides itself on retaining a traditional reputation and attracts high levels of entries in livestock and produce classes to compare with the very best in the country. However keeping up to the highest standards in modern times incurs high costs, and income generated form the society’s sponsorship scheme helps to ensure that the Nidderdale show continues to attract high attendances. Sponsors are invited to meet the prize monies offered in the various competitions on show day and they are encouraged to present the rosettes awarded to the leading breeders and competitors who are a vital part of the show.
The Nidderdale Agricultural Society are now beginning the search for a new Sponsorship Secretary to take over Ian’s position. The role is hugely  important in maintaining a network of supporting companies and individuals and hosting them on show day.  It is one of the most   critical positions within the show as without the Sponsorship from local firms and individuals the Nidderdale Show would not be able to exist as we know it. For most the Nidderdale Show is a one day event to visit and enjoy with friends and family, but for the sponsorship secretary it is the culmination of the years work of preparing, organising and arranging the funding necessary for the Nidderdale Show to be a success. As soon as one show is over the preparations begin for the next. Ian Hall describes the role as ‘enjoyable, and totally absorbing working with enthusiasts in a range of businesses and ocupations. ’  Who m ever follows Ian as Nidderdales sponsorship secretary will inherit upwards of a hundred loyal sponsors of the show and he invites anyone interested in the position to get in touch with the Show Secretary Susan Monk on 01969 650129.

The scouts are hired to sell the catalogues to the general public, but that is not all they do.

Steve Gibbon chairman for the Society said “These lads do a fantastic job, they trail the showground all day in an orderly manner usually in pairs (one to carry the catalogues and one to take the money for them) are well dressed in scouts uniform and are very polite and courteous to all, asking people if they would like to buy a catalogue and collecting the money. Some people don’t want to spend £2 on a catalogue and just ask them to point them in the right direction to find something they are looking for, whether it is the nearest toilet, a stall selling hats or coats, or the produce or poultry marquee. The scouts open the first page of the catalogue where there is a map of the show ground and show the person the exact location of what it is they are looking for, they then go on to give the person the right directions to get there.

“The scouts have done this job for a number of years under the watchful eyes of scout leader Kevin Harle and Kim Harris, some of them being a scout for a number of years, know the showground like the back of their hand.

In these times when a large number of people are quick to criticize youngsters for hanging around on street corners being loud and unruly, it is good to see these local youths giving up their time at the Nidderdale Show and helping out in such a professional manner. The committee would like to say a big thank you to the scouts and their leaders and hope they will continue to provide such a good service for future shows.”

Steve Gibbon says “There are a lot more people who help out on show day, we would not be able to put on such a successful show without them all playing their part.”

“I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who helped including the committee, stewards, exhibitors, and judges. I would also like to thank the general public for coming to the show and for all the kind words I received on show day and afterwards, saying what a great show it was and how much they had enjoyed it. Of course we also get a few complaints which we take on board and discuss as to how we can get it right for the next year. We are now starting to organize next year’s show and are always on the lookout for more volunteers to help out in any way possible, whether it is to steward on show day or help with events throughout the year. “

If anybody or any group would like to become involved with the show please contact Steve Gibbon on 01423 711280 or Secretary Susan Monk 01969 650129.

The same scouts and explorer scouts have organised a bonfire on the Nidderdale Showground to take place on Saturday 7th of November with a firework display the fire will be lit at 6-30pm.

John has been an dedicated committee member for over 38 years. He was approached by the committee following the death of his father in 1971, making him a third generation member as his father and grandfather before him were all active members.

Recently retired John has farmed all his life at Spring House Farm, Burnt Yates, where he was born, running a successful dairy farm, until his retirement in Oct 2008. He has a wealth of experience to bring to his new role including sheep stewarding, 25 years on the Entertainments Committee and 2 years as Chairman from 1991-1992.

On first being asked to be President John was a little apprehensive as he realised what a huge responsibility the role was. However having the vote of the committee behind him gives him great confidence. The Nidderdale Agricultural Society shield was handed over to John this week by David who has been the custodian for the last 2 years. The shield is one of three made in the centenery year and each President has the honor of displaying it at his own home for his period in office.

John was thrilled to receive the shield and said “I am looking forward to taking on my new role and hope that I will do a job worthy of my predecessors who have all done a marvellous job”.

The Society also chose the evening to honour two lifetime achievers Mr Ian Weatherhead and Mr Stephen Church, who were presented with life membership badges by President David Smith in recognition of their many years of service and dedication to the show.

The evening was also the final official function for Society President David Smith, who has held the position for two years, when asked to comment on his time as President David stated “On first joining the society over 30 years ago I often hoped that one day I could perhaps become Chairman, then in 1995 my thoughts became reality and I was nominated Chairman for two years. Little did I think that 12 years later I would become President. Unfortunately my first year as President was the very first year the show had no livestock, but 2008’s show certainly made up for that. Walking down Pateley Bridge High Street, with the band playing, the procession following and all the crowds watching was one of the proudest moments of my life, it was all worth it just for that one moment! The experiences the role has given me, such as the people I have met both locally and from other shows, will never be forgotten.”

The Society would like to take this opportunity to thank David for his all his hard work and effort over the last two years and the time he has dedicated to this role, he has been an exemplory President.