Thousands flock to showground

Although good weather had been predicted, Otley Show day on Saturday turned out damp and murky.

But armed with overcoats and boats, thousands of visitors turned out to enjoy the event - back after last year's cancellation because of the foot and mouth outbreak.

Janet Raw, show secretary, said she was pleased with the way the show went and labelled it a 'success'.

She said: "Given the fact that we didn't have cattle and sheep and with the weather as well, I think we had a successful show.

Despite poor weather and the absence of cattle and sheep, Otley Show at the weekend was declared a success.

More than 8,000 people turned out for Saturday's event at Bridge End - happy to be back after last year's cancellation because of the foot and mouth epidemic.

And despite there being no cattle or sheep, because of continuing tough hygiene regulations from the Department of Environment, Fish-eries and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), there were horses, dogs and a record number of poultry.

Janet Raw, show secretary, said despite the poor weather and the fact there were no cattle or sheep, it had been a successful show.

"Numbers were down quite a bit but that was due to the weather and to the absence of cattle and sheep, but we've got to be positive and in the end most of the people who came were quite happy and came well prepared with coats and boots."

Mrs Raw believed the final tally of visitors would be between 8,000 and 10,000.

"If there's not the cattle and sheep it's difficult to find things for people to look at, but the crowds seemed to enjoy it."

She said particularly popular was the poultry tent with entrants competing for the first time in the regional contest for The Poultry Club of Great Britain.

Entertainment throughout the day included demonstrations of horse whispering and terrier racing with the Cyril the Squirrel. There were also demonstrations in horse shoeing and a farrier competition and a display of vintage tractors and Harley Davidson motorbikes.

Other attractions included a tug-o-war contest, children's face painting and the extensive craft marquee.

Crowds were particularly impressed with The Sheep Show with handler Richard Savory able to get round DEFRA restrictions by using sheep already on the showground.

It had been thought that the demonstration, which normally has live sheep, would have to make do with fleeces. But on the day showfield owners FM Lister & Son lent some of their own sheep which had been grazing on the field.

For the first time at Otley Show, there was a display and competition of dry stone walling by the Otley branch of the Dry stone Walling Association.

David Ridgeway, group secretary, said there had been a lot of interest from visitors.

Members of the group dismantled a section of wall on the showfield and then put it back together again.

Mr Ridgeway, a former deputy head from Horsforth who now lives in Pateley Bridge, said: "It's gone very well and has created a lot of interest, although I'm sure there has been plenty of farmers saying they wouldn't do it like that."

The group, which has been going for just three years, works with the council rangers on Otley Chevin repairing sections of wall.

He added: "We've formed a very good working relationship with the rangers, they suggest walls that we could repair to enhance the Chevin."

The group meets at The Three Horseshoes, Otley, on the first Tuesday of every month.

Ever popular with the crowds were donkeys from the Elisabeth Svendsen Trust for Donkeys at Eccup.

Debbie Coombes, centre principal, was pleased with the number of people at the show.

"Everybody likes to see the donkeys and a lot of people have said how nice it is to see us again.

"You can see the most hardened of people softening when they see the donkeys.

"I got up on Saturday morning and looked at the weather and almost thought twice, but once we were there, it was nice to get back into the shows again."

The centre was at the show for the third time and is due to appear in July at Arthington Show.

Otley Lions were also happy to be back at the show with their ever popular Pot Shy and book sale and new for this year, free diabetes testing.

Eric Booth, chairman, said: "It's nice to return and this has been one of the busiest times yet for our pot shy, there aren't any prizes, people just like to have a go."

Michelle Bradley, from Pateley Bridge, at the show with her mother and three children, said: "We come to the show every year. It was such a shame it had to be cancelled last year and it's not the same without the sheep and cattle, but we wanted to make the effort for the sake of the farmers and to show our support for the show."

And Matthew Davies, from Keighley, said the numbers of people at the event were higher than he had expected.

"When I got up this morning and saw the weather I thought twice about coming, but I'm glad we did, the kids loved looking at the hens and pigeons in the poultry tent and there's always something to look at inside when it starts raining."

Councillor Clive Fox (Con, Otley and Wharfedale) said he thought most people were very glad to see the show back.

"I was especially pleased to see that there were many more shire horses there than usual - these are very evocative of the countryside and of times past as were the old tractors and other vehicles on parade.

"It must have been a successful show as against my better judgement I was persuaded to buy a gadget from a stall holder which I was assured was the answer to DIY nightmares when it comes to screwing things to walls. The last time I spent so much at the Otley Show was about 30 years ago when I joined the RAC and I have been paying ever since."