Thousands defy downpour

DESPITE an ominous weather forecast and eventual downpour thousands of people flocked to the 134th Henley Farm and Country Show.

The annual event, held at the Henley Showground on Saturday, comprised farming, livestock and machinery displays, classic cars, vintage tractors and fairground rides.

In the main ring, spectators enjoyed watching “scurry racing” where horse-drawn carriages race around a tightly marked course, Shetland racing and a display of farm machinery.

An outbreak of avian flu prevented the return of the poultry tent, which had only just resumed last year after a two-year absence due to the disease.

But visitors enjoyed the produce tent, which houses the handicraft, baking and flower and vegetable classes, with growers overcoming the hottest summer on record and a hosepipe ban.

Donna Guile, who was this year celebrating 25 years of running the tent said the number of entries had increased this year.

Ms Guile who is from Nettlebed, said: “It’s absolutely brilliant. Everybody seems to be very happy.

“We had to open entries a bit later because of the weather. I don’t know how my dahlia growers have been able to come up with the goods. When you look at them, they’re absolutely spectacular.”

Tim Saint entered the show for the 18th year and came away with first place for his giant pumpkin and marrow, which weighed 470lb and 150lb respectively.

He also scooped up two first-price prizes for the biggest cabbage and beetroot.

Mr Saint, who lives in Playhatch, had to contend with temperatures plummeting overnight at the start of the growing season but managed to grow his second biggest marrow ever.

He said: “We had cold nights to start with, which was a bit tricky, but I grow mine in a polytunnel. With the door shut, it’s quite warm.

“It has been tricky with the hosepipe ban but, luckily, I had saved a whole load of water during the winter so, all in all, it has been quite a good season, to be fair.”

Mr Saint said it was nice to have competition from a number of new growers this year.

They included Colour Serjeant Maisie Jackson, who had entered her giant pumpkin on behalf of the Henley Army Cadet Force, of which she is the second-in-command.

The cadets won second place for their entry, which weighed 358lb.

CSjt Jackson, 25, who lives in Henley, grew the pumpkin on a friend’s plot at the Greencroft allotments in Matson Drive near to Henley Cricket Club.

“It probably weighs at least five or six cadets,” she said. “Mixed emotions about coming second but obviously the best man, Tim, won. However, he’s got a huge amount of experience in growing vegetables, and this was our first go.

“The cadets have been very excited to enter this pumpkin and getting second place has only spurred us on for next year.”

CSjt Jackson said the secret to growing giant vegetables was “love, tenderness and care”.

As well as their entry into the produce tent the cadets, who are based at their detachment in Friday Street, Henley, worked throughout the day to help marshal the event, which included parking cars and co-ordinating show exhibitors.

Gina Capron, from Marlow, won best exhibit for her flower arrangement, which included dahlias, delphiniums and zinnias.

Ms Capron, who grows the flowers in her allotment, said: “It’s been very, very dry and not great. Not a good year for produce or flowers. I was very surprised to win, I thought some of the others were very pretty.” There were activities for families, including face-painting, falconry and the sheep show and, for older children and adults, archery and axe-throwing, which was run by Ewelme Sporting.

The company, which is based at Down Farmhouse, is run by 23-year-old George Wallis.

Mr Wallis, who set up the business in 2023, said: “It has been good today. Apart from the rain, people have absolutely loved the archery and axe-throwing.

“The kids have been quite good at the archery and beating their parents, which is always good fun.”

The dog show featured a pedigree section with classes for puppies aged from six to 12 months, sporting dogs, non-sporting dogs, an open category, junior handler and a veteran category for those aged seven and above as well as a novelty section with prizes including best trick and “lovely lasses”.

Alison Edwards, from Marlow, entered her dog Panni, who is a Kokoni mix, into the best rescue and cross breed categories.

Panni, eight, is a rescue from Hungary. Ms Edwards said: “We found her through Facebook. There’s a page called Hungary Hearts.

“I’ve had her for six years. She’s timid, but she’s getting better. I partly bring her to dog shows because it helps to socialise her.”

Karen Crossman and her son Liam, from Wallingford, entered their dog Rocco, a six-month-old show cocker spaniel in the cutest puppy category in the novelty section.

Ms Crossman said: “It’s a bit of fun and socialising for him. He has not been before.”

Crowds also enjoyed watching ferret racing organised by the Hants and Berks Ferret Club.

Stella Jackson, who is part of the group with her husband Tony, explained that the club aimed to educate the public about the animals and their ownership as well as raise money for their rescue.

One ferret at the show on Saturday, Ms Jackson recalled, had been rescued after being thrown out of a car window in Reading.

She said: “About 11 years ago, my husband and I were looking to get a pet and we wanted a dog but we work all day and we didn’t want to shut it in all day.

“Then we were watching Come Dine With Me and a guy got his ferrets out and said how they sleep 19 to 20 hours a day so, for people who work, they are perfect.”

In the horse classes in show ring three, siblings, 14-year-old Mya and 16-year-old Kadan Shaw placed first and third respectively in the young handler’s class.

Their mother Sandra is the organiser of the horse classes and this was the first year they had entered. To enter they borrowed two horses from Chalkhouse Green where their mother rides.

Kadan, who handled Harry, a shire horse, said: “They asked if I could do their young handlers for them because they didn’t have anyone.

“It was really good. He trotted really well. I didn’t expect him to do that. Normally he does a small skip before he starts trotting. I wasn’t that nervous. I think it went a lot better than I expected.” Of his sister placing above him Kadan said: “I’m never going to hear the end of it.” In the turnout for a single or pair (trade or agricultural) heavy horse class David Lawless and his son Toby came first with their Grundon-themed entry.

They displayed a horse pulling a traditional waste disposal cart which was painted blue with “Grundon” branding. Their horse had blue and white ribbons braided in his mane to match.

Mr Lawless said: “We’re working in conjunction with Grundon Recycling and we have been doing all kinds of promotional things for Grundon today.

“This is a horse-drawn dust cart. It actually tips so you wind a handle on the side of it and the whole thing tips. It would have gone round the streets so people could tip their dustbins in.”

Lizzie Wren and Dan Stalley, from Caversham, came to watch the horse classes.

Ms Wren, who rides at Chalkhouse Green, said: “I like seeing all different breeds all together. We also know one of the riders.”

Mr Stalley, who is originally from Tennessee, said he had enjoyed the show. He said: “You don’t get real Western shows around here, so I guess it’s as good as it gets. It’s good. It’s interesting to see, especially the different disciplines.”

Lennie Jones and her daughter, Melody, five, came from Gallowstree Common.

Ms Jones said: “We come every year. We like seeing the horses and my son likes the falconry. We tend to know lots of people as well.”

Siblings Mhairi Reid, eight and Ewan, three, came from Sonning with their parents.

Mhairi said she had enjoyed watching the scurry racing in the main ring.

She said: “I liked watching the horses going round in the buggy racing because it was funny how much shouting there was. It was very exciting.”

l Henley and District Agricultural Association’s next event is the annual ploughing match, which will be held at Red Lion Farm, Britwell Salome on October 5. It starts at 9am with the traditional “Blessing of the plough”.