100 and still going strong

11:33am Thursday 24th August 2006

This weekend's Farndale Show will be its 100th. CAROLINE MOONEY looks back through the archives.

A LOT can happen in 100 years. People, places and faces can all change dramatically.

Agricultural shows aren't necessarily subject to these changes, in the sense that their core content stays the same.

This year, Farndale Show is celebrating its 100th show over the bank holiday weekend and there will be a special commemorative exhibition.

Show secretary Barry Sunley, who has been associated with the show for the last four years, says they have had quite a good response to requests for items.

"We've had some clothing that has been hand embroidered as an entry into the first show. We've also been given photographs from the 1920s to the 70s, along with old tools and equipment."

The show has kept true to its original concept and covers a wide range of animal categories. Cattle, sheep, pigs, horses, goats and sheepdogs are judged alongside more domestic pets such as birds, rabbits and ferrets.

There are also categories for fruit, vegetables and flowers, as well as cake, jams and handicrafts. To get more children involved, there are also classes specifically for them.

The show suffered during the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001. With most of the exhibits of the show being farm animals of one variety or another, the show had to be cancelled.

In 2004, it looked as if the show might have to be called off for a different reason. Bad weather had already meant the cancellation of two other shows in the area. However, although horse and pony classes were left out of the events, the show managed to go on and actually saw record gate entries of 3,500 people.

In its centenary year, this year will no doubt also see bumper figures - enticing not only those who would exhibit and visit the show anyway, but also those wanting to revive the memories of shows gone past.