Country Shows

The Pembroke Show was my initiation into country shows. Pembroke is the most south westerly county in Wales, a great county for holidays. I did not make records of my visit, but I do remember the horses,, a competive horse show where young women competed with each other. A good memory. Another memorable event was the Chatsworth Show, held in the grounds of a stately home and attended by the Duke of Devonshire, though  Chatsworth is not in Devonshire. Visitors were entertained by parachute jumps and a display of World War Two armoured vehicles. I diligently investigated the armoured cars, searching for one named Hunter: my father's vehicle, but to no avail. The rest of the show was partly a show of flowers and country crafts.

My experience of working at country show, though the events occurred in a town, was the Southport Show, I was not a participant, but an adviser, working for the Chartered Institute of Horticulture. My task was to meet members of the public and answer their questions. I was part of a team of three on that day, three being necessary for the great variety of plants in the world ensured that there might be questions that the team could not answer individually. I decided to focus the bulk of my advice on my specialism which was vegetables. This was a a good decision. My contact with the Southport Show was very positive and I intended to work at the show again, but after the second of the two shows, I did covid set in and the show was cancelled. I was prepared to wait but a new problem arose, this time more damaging. I began to feel ill and I was not improving. Eventually the diagnosis was Parkinson's Disease. I was no longer able to drive to the shows and began to suffer chronic fatigue. My time for showing was over. I missed it. The Southport Show gave a sense of satisfaction that I enjoyed very much and the show staff, including the chair, were very friendly. Southport was a show that is held nigh to the shore.

Some memories have stayed in my minf. My very first client was an old man who came to me and said,  "You are the expert., What do I do about this bonsai." Expert! I gave advice and left satisfied. I checked with an experienced horticulturalist and was proved right. Then there was the nice newly married couple who were making a vegetable garden at their new home. Later a man hurried to my stall and asked for advice on begonias. I told him to look  behind him and there across the aisle of the marquee was the national  begonia society. 

Poynton is a rather attractive village . It is near to the edge of the Greater Manchester conurbation, but not far from Macclesfield, a small own. The National Vegetable Society Manchester Branch uused to have a stall there, but expense meant that this was unsustainable. But it is a pleasant show with a good atmosphere. On the two occasions that I participated in the show I manned the stall. I had created a niche for myself, as I took on a role dealing with the general public, a role that I took at the  Tatton Flower Show and at allotment open days. 

There was a small range of flowers, whose marquee was the largest tent, but there were other attractions, one a poultry pen that housed a flock of chickens. There was also a stall for homemade wine. I made a beeline for that tent and enjoyed the samples. As it is illegal in the UK to sell alcohol without a licence, the stall had to give free samples, as they had no sales licence for alchol. Giving away homemade wine is perfectly legal

To distinguish between flower and country shows, the latter of which have animals there must be some farm animals. The last time I did a show, before the illness reduced my ability to stay on my feet for long, I was standing outside the floral marquee when a woman with two children sped up to me. She implored, "Are you a judge, where are the cattle". I had never been a judge and I told her that I was a horticultural consultant. I pointed out the right direction and she sped away, thanking me profusely.

The very large shows focus on animals, and there are displays which introduce expensive beasts whose owners are seeking a high price for them. Cattle, sheep, pigs, sometimes goats, and occasionally others, such as poultry, find their ways onto the showground. The much smaller Poynton Show finds room for a section showing small animals. Farmers make their beasts as well-groomed as possible, with their hair trimmed and hooves trimmed. Before a show the farm is a hotbed of animal beauty treatment, all to make a good impression at the show. Ribbbons earned are proudly displayed in the farm office