VISITORS flocked to Malham Show on Saturday.

“It’s been a great day,” said Malham Show secretary, Rob Thacker, who estimated that between 2,500 and 3,000 were in attendance. “The weather has held up for us, and it’s been well attended and well supported.

“It’s a job well done by all of the volunteers in particular, and it’s down to all the hard work they’ve put in over the last few months.”

Malham show president, Raymond Lund, a senior auctioneer at Hawes Farmers Auction Mart, said it was an ‘exceptional’ day.

Raymond, who farms at Garsdale Head and who has been coming to Malham Show since 1984, said: “Today has gone very, very well. It’s been an exceptionally good show as the number of cattle, sheep and produce entries have all been up, and the weather has favoured us as well.”

Eric and Moira Hepworth, of Salterforth, have been coming to Malham Show for several years and Eric was Malham Show president in 2014.

“It’s just a genuine little country show, a homely show,” said Moira. “We know a lot of the local people and it’s nice to meet up with them on show day.”

Lynne Naylor came all the way from Drighlington in Bradford because she said: “I wanted to do some photography on anything to do with show life.”

“This is my first Malham Show. It’s one of the smaller shows, but also one of the more interesting ones.”

Andy and Helen Wood of Haworth took their two children to Malham Show.

“We come every year as a family day out,” said Helen, who grew in the Grassington and attended agricultural shows in Craven as a youngster.

Andy, who grew up in South Yorkshire, said: “The shows are new to me, and Helen introduced me to them. It’s a totally different lifestyle, but the kids have loved it.”

Simon Hinchliffe came from Skipton to enjoy a day out with his family.

“It’s a really good family show in a fantastic setting,” said Simon. “There’s a fantastic welcoming atmosphere; you can tell how much effort has gone into making it happen.”

Bell Busk man Bob Marchant, a steward at the produce tent, said: “Visitors have a great deal of interest and fascination with country life. This show gives a glimpse of what life is like outside the big city.

He added: “This is also one of the big days for farmers to get together.”

Patricia Wardman of Hellifield was perusing the many entries in the produce tent.

She said: “It’s a show that’s been the same over the years, which brings the tradition out. I’ve always like Malham Show because it’s a good country show.”

David Booth of Scholes near Rotherham made his first visit to Malham Show a successful one by winning the Best Highland Animal and three other categories in the Highland classes.

David was proud of his champion, known by her Gaelic name Aibhlin Ruadh 1st of Scholes, and said: “She’s very feminine and pretty. We’re really happy because she’s animal we’ve bred. With so many cattle here today, we’ve done well.”

A local man, Ashley Caton of Otterburn, won the top sheep prize, the Overall Sheep Champion, with his Blue Faced Leicester gimmer lamb.

Ashley, last year’s Malham Show chairman, and his family have been showing champion sheep for generations; and this year is the second time he has won overall champion.

Ashley said: “It’s an honour. She won because of her tremendous style and presence.”

Ashley’s wife Rachel also said: “She was born in a snow blizzard this spring during the Beast from the East storm.”

Phil Hargreaves, chairman of Malham Show, was pleased with this year’s show, saying: “The weather speaks for itself. The cattle entries were up by 20 to 72, the sheep entries were up too and the produce tent was full of entries (1,500), the majority of which were Malhamdale people.”

Phil, whose father David was Malham Show chairman 20 years ago and his late grandfather Eric was chairman 40 years ago, said the show is about getting different generations involved.

“I’m a young chairman (40) and we have a young committee, and that is our strong point.”

Phil, a dry stone waller by trade, also paid tribute to the wall built by the entrants in the dry stone wall competition.

“We drained the show field earlier this year and took the stone from the ground and used it for today’s competition.

“It’s amazing what they’ve done, considering it was just of pile of rubble to start with. It’s a site to behold.”

Trophy winners at Malham Show were as follows:

Cattle

Verity Cup - Best heifer in calf: IR and DE Wellock; Fritsilver Cup - Local cow in calf: IR and DE Wellock; Arla Foods Trophy - Best cow in milk: Allan Throup; J Clowes Cup - Cattle Group: DM and J Booth; JF Mellin Cup - Champion local dairy: Mary Throup; Preston Farmers Cup - Reserve dairy animal: DM and J Booth; Wolfenden Trophy - Champion dairy animal: W and M Oldfield; Foster Memorial Trophy - most points in B,C,D and E: JW Stephenson; Bollthwaite Trophy - Best home bred dairy animal: DM and J Booth; Bob Taylor Cup - Champion commercial beef: Mellin and Cropper; Thompson Cup - Overall champion beef animals section C and D; Stephenson Family Cup - Champion pure bred animal: JC Walker; Willis Trophy - Champion Highland cow: David Booth; Townson Bros Fuel Trophy - Champion Highland animal: David Booth; JP Rycroft Cup - Most points young farmers in section Robin Schofield; Val Caton Trophy - Most points in Coniston and Malham Show: Robin Schofield

Sheep

Woodrup Memorial Cup - Most points Dalesbred: R Close; SJ Verity Memorial Trophy - Pair of Male Dalesbred: R Close; F Ambler Cup - Most points Swaledale: S and D Robinson; R Haggas Cup - Best local Swaledale: S and D Robinson; Jack Carr Malham Moor Cup - Champion Swaledale: Barrie Thomas; Eric Hargreaves Cup - Mule gimmer lamb: JK Wilson and Son; Runley Mill Shield - Champion Mule: JK Wilson and Son; Airedale Beagles Cup - Pair of butcher’s lambs: J Stephenson; W Mason Cup - Most points butcher’s lambs: J Stephenson; JD Taylor Memorial Painting - Local champion Blue Faced Leicester: Ashley Caton; John Thompson Cup - Champion Blue Faced Leicester: Ashley Caton; Gisburn Auction Marts Trophy - Champion Continental: H Parsons; Barclays Bank Trophy - Local champion sheep: Ashley Caton; Show Committee Trophy - Overall champion sheep: Ashley Caton; RBST Dales Group Trophy - Overall champion primitive: Jack Wray; Pennine Cup - Champion non-primitive: Penny Paisley.

Horses

Triers Cup - Child/pony combination judged to have made a good effort: Oscar Kershaw

Farm Crops

Garris Lodge Trophy - Traditional meadow hay: Miles Bentham; Act Trophy - Best exhibit grass silage/big bale silage: Alfie Throup.

Produce

William Nelson Trophy - horticulture: Nick Metcalfe; Best Vegetable Trophy - horticulture: Francis Galpin; Taylor Cup: Laura Tyers; Susan Fairhurst Trophy - floral arrangements: Charlotte Booth; T and J Sharp Trophy - floral arrangements: Ruby Mitchell; William Wild Trophy - art: Harry Lancaster; P D Green Trophy - art: Harriett Peel; Malham Tarn Trophy - photography: Andrea West; Sarah Clay Trophy - crafts: A Towler; Malhamdale Players Trophy - handwriting: Emma Peel; Betty Carr Cup - preserves: Angela Booth; Hemingway Trophy - tea tray presentation: Paula Swainson; Carol Dudgeon Trophy - gentleman’s cake: Rob Thacker; Susan Graveston Trophy - hand knitting: Sarah Greenwood; Carruthers Cup - needlework: Jane Rollason; Wellock Cup - senior children: Thomas Darwin.

Fell Race

The Rycroft Family Trophy: William Johnstone; J Metcalfe Cup: Jacob Reeday; Akers Cup: Phoebe Midgley; Keith Hill Memorial Trophy: Alex Poulston; Fell Trophy: Emma Peel; Buck Inn Cup: Louis Hudson; Lockwood Trophy: Arthur Peel; Proctor Trophy: Duncan Birtwistle; Hill Top Bunk Barn Ladies Trophy: Joanna Rycroft; Otterburn Trophy: Michael Hall.

Dry Stone Walling

Cutter Cup: Frankie Brown; Ambler Waling Cup: Frankie Brown; YDNP Shield: Tom Panter.

Cars and Vintage Tractors

Alan Barker Memorial Trophy: IJ Lawson; Field Studies Council Trophy: John Trevarrow.