Champions and other prize winners have now been announced for this year’s virtual Kilnsey Show, the brainchild of organisers, Upper Wharfedale Agricultural Society, who pulled out all the stops to ensure the famous Yorkshire Dales highlight, which like many others fell victim to the Covid-19 pandemic, should not be lost completely.

Robin Moule rounds up the entries in an unprecedented show which didn’t fail to bring up some worthy champions and winners.

Here is his report of the unique show, bar the carnival atmosphere of brass bands and parade rings.

THE show did go on, albeit in a reduced format, with free to enter online show classes for the keynote sheep and cattle sections, plus other popular categories. Entries, all accompanied by relevant photographic evidence, were limited to people who had shown in the previous two years or to others living within a 15 mile radius of the showfield, all for ease of administration.

And while no prize money or trophies were awarded this year, winners, who all receive virtual certificates, were announced via the show website and social media channels, to coincide with what would have been the annual 123rd show day on Tuesday, September 1.

Sheep classes were judged by Skipton Auction Mart, with the supreme champion adjudged to be the first prize North of England Mule gimmer lamb from W&D Lawson & Sons, of Carnforth. Standing reserve champion was Skipton’s John Addyman with the first prize Swaledale female.

Also catching the eye with a hat-trick of first prize successes in the sheep section was Matthew Benson, from Cumbria, with his Masham gimmer lamb and both Jacob male and female. D&R Taylor, from Long Preston, won both the male and female Texel show classes, while other double winners in the various breed sections were Mark Elliott, from near Knaresborough, with Teeswater sheep, and Henry Bailey, of Keighley, with Beltex.

Cattle show classes were judged by Kilnsey’s usual cattle stewards, who awarded the dairy championship to the first prize in-milk Holstein Friesian cow from EJ Fort, of Silsden Moor, the reserve championship falling to another in-milk Holstein Friesian cow from G&H Herd, of Hebden

In the pedigree beef section, British Blue champion was a maiden heifer known as ’One in a Million’ from M&F Ewbank, of Nidderdale, with the Limousin title falling to a bull from Pat Varley, of Queensbury The champion native breed was a pedigree Beef Shorthorn with her calf at foot from Hartlington’s Jeremy Daggett.

In the open young farmers stock judging competition – the adjudicators were members of the senior young farmers committee - Joe Charnley, won the 10-18 years show class, while for members aged 19 years and over Rob Hayton, came out on top.

Horse classes are always popular at Kilnsey and four online ones, judged by Michelle Parkin-Vaughn, were well supported, with the ridden class falling to Molly Phillipson and the virtual jumping won by Barnoldswick’s Michael Bower. The two other class winners were Liz Hall, and the Nicky Caurso & Rachel Younger pairing from Grassington with ‘Westwick Harry.’

In the children’s section, picking up two first prizes in the decorated paper plate and decorated stone classes was Eddy Stockdale, of Burnsall, with Sally Goodman, of Skipton, also prominent among the prizewinners in the photography section.

The green fingered were also catered for in the horticultural section, judged by Wendy Hutchinson, with Rosie Jowett, the standout performer with a hat-trick of class wins, while Easingwold’s Hazel Gamble was also to the fore with two class victories.

Four vintage tractor show classes saw Nobby Clarke step up with the best pre-1960 model, while Kenneth Sharp drove off with first prize for the best post-1960 tractor.

Show chairman Chris Windle thanked all who had entered this year’s virtual show classes. He said: “So many people from near and far have been in touch saying how sad they were, yet completely understanding, to hear of the show’s cancellation this year. We thank them all for their continuing interest and look forward to welcoming everyone back to the 124th Kilnsey Show & Sports on Tuesday, August 31, 2021.”

Full results were:

Sheep:

Dalebred Male – 1 E Hird, Yockenthwaite. Dalesbred Female – 1 R. Booth, Giggleswick, 2 – E Hird.

Swaledale Female – 1 John Addyman, Skipton. 2 Eileen Addyman, Skipton. 3 – R. Booth.

Teeswater Male – 1 Mark Elliott, Knaresborough. 2 Matthew Benson. Teeswater Female – 1 Mark Elliott, 2 Matthew Benson.

Blue-faced Leicester Male – 1 JW Stockdale & Sons, Burnsall. BFL Female – 1 W Porter, Riddings, 2 Ben Harvey, Norfolk, 3 JW Stockdale & Sons.

Texel Male – 1 D&R Taylor, Long Preston, Texel Female – 1 D&R Taylor.

Beltex Male – 1 Henry Bailey, Keighley, Beltex Female – 1 Henry Bailey.

Jacob Male – 1 Matthew Benson, Jacob Female – 1 Matthew Benson.

Zwartble Male – 1 Anne Robinson, Shrewsbury 2 AR Houseman, Zwartble Female – 1 Anne Telfer, Pilmoor, 2 Anne Robinson, 3 AR Houseman.

Any Other Pure Breed Male – 1 Georgina Gillam, 2 Robert Crowther, 3 Matthew Benson; AOPB Female – 1 Robert Crowther, 2 John Akrigg, 3 Chloe Dolphin.

Masham Gimmer Lamb – 1 Matthew Benson.

North of England Mule Gimmer Lamb – 1 W&D Lawson & Sons, 2 WC Porter, 3 JW Stockdale & Sons.

Supreme Champion – W&D Lawson with Mule Gimmer Lamb. Reserve Champion – John Addyman, Skipton, with Swaledale Female.

Cattle:

Dairy - all in milk.

Holstein Friesian cow – 1 EJ Fort, Silsden Moor 2 G&H Herd, Hebden, 3 DE & MA Booth, Lothersdale.

Holstein Friesian heifer – 1 DE & MA Booth, 2 EJ Fort.

Jersey Cow – 1 E Sugden, Gomersal, Jersey Heifer – 1 E Sugden.

Dairy Champion – EJ Fort, Silsden Moor. Reserve G&H Herd – both in Holstein Friesian Cow in Milk.

Commercial beef cattle:

Bullock – 1 H Mellin, Colne.

Heifer – 1 H Mellin, Colne.

Suckler Cow with calf at foot – 1 J W Stockdale & Sons.

Commerical Champion – H Mellin, Bullock. Reserve – H Mellin, Heifer.

Pedigree beef:

Limousin maiden heifer – 1 P. Varley, Queensbury Limousin Bull - 1 and Breed Champion – P. Varley; British Blue maiden heifer – 1 and Breed Champion M&F Ewbank with ‘One in a Million,’ 2 M&F Ewbank with ‘OIimpia.’

AOPCB Bull – 1 G Bentham, AOPCB Cow with calf at foot – 1 G Bentham.

AOPNB Bull – 1 Whitehill Herefords, Hartlington 2 J M Daggett, Hartlington.

AOPNB cow with calf at foot – 1 and Pedigree Native Champion with Beef Shorthorn outfit J M Daggett.

Horses:

Condition in Hand – 1 Caurso & Younger with ‘Westwick Harry,’ 2 Georgina Gillam, 3 Beth Stockdale with ‘Louie.’

Ridden Class – 1 Molly Phillipson with ‘Murthwaite Sat-Nav’, 2 Liz Hall, 3 Beth Stockdale with ‘Louie.’

Jumping – 1 Michael Bower with ‘Gadoralda D,’ 2 Liz Hall, 3 Molly Phillipson ‘with Caebryn Vanity.’

‘Through The Ears’ – 1&3 L. Hall, 2 R.Younger.

Children:

Children’s Picture, 4 and under – 1 Edward Kendall.

Children’s Picture, 5-7yrs – 1 Lydia Chute.

Decorated Paper Plate – 1 Eddy Stockdale, Burnsall.

Handwriting – 1 James Dobson, Hartlington.

Decorated Stone – 1 Eddy Stockdale.

Photograph by child 16 and under – 1 Edward Kendall.

Photograph with caption – 1 Sally Goodman, Skipton 2 Peter Huff, 3 Janine McHale.

Hill or Dale Photograph - 1 Janine McHale, 2 Sally Goodman, 3 Rebecca Huff.

Horticulture:

Sweet Peas – 1 Rebecca Huff, 2 Rachel Younger, 3 Roy Harrison, 4 Jim Stockdale, 5 Kathleen Carlisle.

Mixed Perennials – 1 Rosie Jowett, 2 Kathleen Carlisle.

Flowers from the Garden – 1 Rosie Jowett, 2 Julie Carlisle, 3 Kathleen Carlisle.

Arrangement in a Glass – 1 Jane Munro, 2 Rebecca Huff, 3 Rosie Jowett, Rebecca Kendall, Julie Carlisle.

Gent’s Buttonhole – 1 Hazel Gamble, 2 Julie Carlisle.

Lady’s Spray – 1 Hazel Gamble, 2 Kathleen Carlisle, 3 Julie Carlisle.

Miniature Arrangement – 1 Anne Telfer, 2 Rebecca Kendall, 3 Julie Carlisle;

Foliage Arrangement – 1 Rosie Jowett, 2 Anne Telfer, 3 Rebecca Kendall.

Foliage Arrangement, child 16 and under – 1 Edward Kendall.

Vintage tractors:

Best Tractor, pre 1960 – 1 Nobby Clarke, 2 Robert Arnott, 3 Colin Fewster.

Best Tractor with Implements – 1 Malcolm Campbell.

Best Tractor, post 1960 – 1 Kenneth Sharp.

Any Other Agriculture Vehicle, pre 1970 – 1 Malcolm Campbell.

Young Farmers stock judging:

Members aged 10-18 years – 1 Joe Charnley, 2 Molly Ayrton, 3 Thomas Herd, 4 Ted Harrison. Members 19 years and older – 1 Rob Hayton, 2= Jack Kitching & Christine Pratt, 3 Hannah Saxby.

ENDS