County shows / fairs.

Its the time of year for County shows and fairs, i cant get to them now, and i used to love a wander around them. My favourite was the last one held each year in Northumberland.

The Border Shepherds Show in Alwinton, least commercialized show of them all.

Once on a double walk day in the Cheviots with a National park ranger we dropped down into the Ingram valley show.

He set us up most royally, us blokes were to form a tug of war team against all the fit and burly young shepherds. They wiped the floor with us much to amusement of the onlookers.

Nice to see the stock, and usually enjoyed the crafts and dog shows.

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We used to go to many such events, Bakewell show, Chatsworth country fair, Hope show, and a few others. I believe Hope show is still held on August bank holiday Monday. The last time we attended the Hope Valley show a farmer friend of Mr Clumsy´s was killed by his own cow as he was getting it out of the trailer.

Here in Spain they have such events too, but we have only been to one which was held in a very small village. It was "different" but very interesting and Mr Clumsy was somewhat surprised to see some superb cattle, amongst other animals. I like to see them, from a safe distance, (I don´t trust cattle), but when talk is about various parts of whatever makes an animal a winner, I´m lost.

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Bakewell show and Ashbourne show used to be the highlight of the year when I was a child and just about all the locals went..

I used to go to Three Counties but the entrance fee it is just too expensive for me now @ £22.

I do enjoy the shows including looking at the stock and watching the sheepdogs demonstrating their skills .

Many of the shows seem to have become commercialised with all sorts of 'attractions' far removed from their agricultural roots.

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I have been to several, Devon County Show, Exeter, The Royal Cornwall Show at Wadebridge, The show at Shepton Mallet. As Nom said they are all very commercialized now & expensive to go to. I've also been to the huge Steam Rally in Dorset. Fun to walk around, but my poor aching feet & there are never enough seats dotted around to sit & rest on.

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We go to a local show most years in September called the Southwell Ploughing Match which, as the name suggests, as well as the normal country show activities also hosts a ploughing competition for vintage tractors and traction engines. A thoroughly good day out for a fiver a head.

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Do like to see traditional crafts being performed, like bodging, hedge laying, and dry stone walling.

Tried dry stone walling once, respect to those that do it. Really hard work and much more difficult than it looks.

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I haven't been to any country shows for a few years now, mainly because I would prefer to go with someone, than go on my own.
I used to love them. There's a big one at Peterborough showground every year which had thousands of stalls/ displays/competitions/livestock and dog shows/ trade stands, and loads more.
There are smaller ones more locally, but again, I haven't been for ages.
When my son was little we took him up for a helicopter ride at one show, we thought he'd love it, but the poor kid nearly filled his pants!

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In general I like County shows but I do think they have been spoilt by the inclusion of companies such as replacement windows, new cars and building firms.

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One of my greatest moments of Schadenfreude, was at at a show a twerp was demonstrating his captive birds of prey by flying them, i hate these people.

Anyhow said bird took off and despite said twerp twirling his lure like the clappers it get going away into the hills.

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I enjoy going to classic car shows and the like, but you can keep all those tedious knitwear and cake stalls out of my way.