Shropshire County Show organisers hail success for event that brings 'town and country together'

Phil Thornycroft, who chairs the show for the Shropshire & West Midlands Agricultural Society, said: "It is looking like one of the highest turnouts for a number of years.

"We are delighted that the weather held fair and visitors got a fantastic show of livestock and horses. Traders reported a very busy day - there were long queues for the ice cream.

"Many thanks to everyone for coming and supporting the show which brings the town and country together. One hundred per cent we will be running it at the same time next year for the 150th anniversary."

Everyone who is anyone in Shropshire's farming community seemed to be there alongside a myriad of organisations including Army recruitment, charity causes, morris dancers and Shrewsbury Evangelical Church. Fun fair rides, arena shows, food stalls and arts and crafts makers made it a day for the whole family.

Among the vintage cars, tractors and steam engines on show was Reuben Metcalfe, from Bayston Hill, the owner driver of a Fordson New Major tractor.

Mr Metcalfe, 82, a retired electrician by trade, has been taking the vehicle to shows for 12 years in memory of his son, Noel who sadly died from cancer at the age of 33.

Noel, who had been an armed response officer with the police, had found the old tractor abandoned in a field.

"I like a laugh and so did he," said Mr Metcalfe. "It is a reminder of my late son, he was very fond of it."

Little tractor fan Charlie Evans, aged two and a half, from Telford, was in his element visiting the machinery with mum and dad Louisa and Richard.

Richard said: "It has been good today and Charlie loved it, sitting in every tractor."

Among the steam engines was one called Steam Sapper that has quite a history before ending up as the last steam engine owned by the British Army.

It had actually been captured by the Germans in the First World War before eventually being a part of a royal jubilee event.

It's now owned by Maggie and Mark Astbury who keep it at Criggon, just across the Powys border in Criggon.

Team Lewis, from Sundorne Farm at Uffington, near Shrewsbury, was among the scores of livestock owners showing off their best creatures.

Pete and Debbie Lewis started their flock of Dorset Down sheep 14 years ago when they brought their son Joshua and daughter Georgia a ram and two ewes at Christmas. Nature took its course and they created a large flock although they have since reduced it to 10.

Mr Lewis said: "We had our first show here, won a rosette and built it up from there.

"One of our goals in life was to breed champions for the Royal Welsh Show which we did in 2018 and 2019. Now we're resting on our laurels as we think all 10 are winners."

They succeeded in picking up a number of prizes in this year's show, too.

"The sector is looking good," said Mr Lewis. "We are still selling sheep for breeding... that's why we have 10 left."

The couple also help to organise the sheep pens and Mr Lewis said the county show had a record 600 animals this year which is "good for the rare sheep sector."

It is also good news for regulars at The Pheasant pub in Admaston, Telford, because sheep have been named in their honour. The couple adopt themes when they name their sheep, and the pub turned out to be one of their themes.

Rare breed cattle were also on show and some like the Irish Moile are still considered at big risk of dying out. Woodhouse Farm, near Lichfield, in Staffordshire, brought along seven year old bull Woodhouse Stewart which took away champion awards.

Farmer Andrew Stone, who has been running the council-owned farm for 15 years, took along the champion animal, plus Woodhouse Belle and their new calf Woodhouse Priscilla, who was named to remember Mrs Presley and her deceased singer husband.

Mr Stone and his wife Annamarie Stone have both made big career changes to be in farming. He used to be an electrician while Mrs Stone turned away from being a beautician and hairdresser to become an award winning butcher.

They are also helped by farm volunteer Ross Fellows a team manager at Tesco who helps out to get some fresh air.

Also taking home awards was a massive one tonne-plus British White bull called Dump Truck, based at Oldington farm, near Bridgnorth.

The British White is an ancient British breed and the kind of animal that Paul Pennington hopes will become more and more popular as a large sector of people increasingly choose quality, home grown products.

Mr Pennington, who was born on the farm, says that breeding rare animals helps his mixed agricultural business to diversify. He has 53 British White in his herd.

He said: "We have got to keep the genes going for breeds like this and keep them alive because they go back a long way. We need to learn to adapt and diversify.

"We have had a wonderful day and I would like to say well done to all the organisers for putting it on so well as a one-day show. The turnout is good although I would say probably not as good as it used to be."

The county National Farmers Union were out in numbers to present their case to visiting politicians and members of the public alike.

Ed Garratt, the NFU's Shropshire county adviser, said it was a good opportunity to showcase the vital importance of the agricultural sector to the county economy.

He added that the important thing for farmers was to get political parties to recognise the sector's importance.

"The problem is we are looking for a party in government that will listen to us and the importance we have to the economy," he said. "Too often, changes are imposed on us."

For more information about the show visit the website.