The 107th annual Millom and Broughton agricultural show in 1988 proved an outstanding success.

Early heavy rain gave way to brilliant sunshine, which helped to attract large crowds to the traditional event.

For local farmer and show chairman John Dennison it turned out to be quite an occasion.

The Mail:

Mr Dennison walked off with five of the top cattle awards – the Society Cup for champion Friesian, the J and M Taylor Cup for the supreme champion in cattle classes, the W S Watson Memorial Cup for the best farmers group, the A E Mansergh Cup for best pair of cattle and the Furness and South Cumberland Supply Cup for the best dairy cow in milk.

His young son, Stephen, won the W G Lawrence Cup for the best exhibit in the children’s calf classes, and two other sons, Michael and Andrew, who both worked on the family farm at Mireside, Broughton, acquitted themselves very well in the Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling tournament, with Michael winning the 12 stone perpetual belt.

The Mail:

Prizes were presented by the show’s president, Dr Agnes Lewis, of Millom, who said she was proud to follow in the footsteps of her father, Dr J P Jackson, who was president in 1954.

In 1989, 4,000 people attended the show, despite grey skies and early morning rain.

The most successful competitor in the sheep section was Tyson Hartley, of Seathwaite, who scooped five prizes, including the supreme sheep in show award for his four-year-old Herdwick ram.

The Mail:

Poultry show secretary David Riding said the quality of entries was up to its usual high standard.  Best in show award went to Peter Wearing’s English Game Bantam.

A new competition for vintage tractors attracted seven entries and the winner was Colin Brakewell, of Moss House Farm, Kirkby, with his 1943 Fordson and 1950 threshing machine.

Mrs Dorcy Storey, of Ulverston, won the private driving class to add to her other successes at Kendal, Cartmel, North Lonsdale and Hawkshead in the 1989 season.