Last updated at 08:38, Friday, 06 July 2012

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• Click here for details of the 2012 Lowick and District Agricultural Show on cumbrialive.co.uk

TRACTOR pulling, hay chucking and prize heifers were among the star attractions at this weekend’s Lowick Show.

Despite heavy rain, the wet weather failed to dampen spirits among the farming community at the event on Saturday.

Members of Lowick Young Farmers’ Club crowded in the beer tent to take shelter as the heavy rain caused many visitors to stay away from the showfield, but farmers turned out in force to support the show, which is known affectionately as ‘L’al Royal’.

Organisers said the number of visitors had fallen heavily, although they were pleased with a high turnout from exhibitors and locals alike.

The 154th show was said to be one of the wettest in recent memory.

Despite the poor weather, hundreds of visitors enjoyed more than 100 competition classes, ranging from the best rum butter to hound trails, horses and cattle.

Dean Saunders, of Midlands Tarn Farm in Marton, picked up three cattle prizes.

Mr Saunders said: “We always go to the shows.

“We’ve had a few prizes before. The last one was a few weeks ago at Cartmel.

“I picked up first for best interbreed, the best in the heifer class and best in the beef category. I come to show off my animals and let people see what I’ve achieved.

“I’m over the moon with the prizes, it’s brilliant.”

Preparations for the show had been ongoing for several months, with the showfield being set up on Friday in what appeared to be promising weather.

Show secretary Tim Cook said: “We’ve had a really good turnout from exhibitors and that’s been going really well. Attendance wise, we are down because of the weather – we had our first call at 5.45am checking to see if it was going ahead and people have been ringing ever since.

“We’re at a new field this year and it is a much better one – it is just a shame. The weather is so terrible.

“It’s disappointing when it is like this but when I woke up the rain was bashing against the windows.

“But today, with everybody turning up, it means they really do support the show – it goes to show they enjoy it.

“There’s a lot of Young Farmers’ members here today, which is really good to see.”

Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock attended the show to encourage people to sign up as potential donors for the Anthony Nolan Trust, a campaign spearheaded by the inspirational Ulverston teenager Alice Pyne.

He said: “The show is full of fit young farmers and everyone you speak to is keen to sign up to the scheme.

“I came because I wanted the opportunity to encourage people across the Furness area to support Alice Pyne’s campaign.

“It’s the first time I’ve done the show and it’s a really good spot to get people to sign up and to meet constituents.”

One visitor summed the mood of the show up when he said: “It doesn’t matter if it’s raining or not, we go to the show every year. I wouldn’t miss it.”

First published at 10:42, Monday, 05 September 2011
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk