The sun sets on another crowd-pleasing Devon County Show
The 2013 Devon County Show lived up to its billing as the county's 'big day out' as bumper crowds poured into the showground to enjoy a relaxed day celebrating the best of rural life, and not a drop of rain on the final day.
On the third and final day - Saturday - unbroken sunshine and temperatures in the high teens attracted record numbers of visitors. All the car parks - including the overspill car parks - were full by early afternoon as the county came out in force to enjoy a day at the first major agricultural show of the season.
“It has been a cracking Show,” said delighted Show Secretary Ollie Allen. “We have brought together the best that Devon has to offer - rural, agricultural, commercial and the voluntary sector – and formed a huge shop window for life in the Westcountry.
“We will have final attendance figures next week, but we believe we will top 95,000 visitors and exceed last year's record attendance.”
The scene was set on the first day when HRH The Duchess of Cornwall officially opened the County Show and spent five hours meeting some of the many people whose passion and skills make this the biggest event in the county.
It was a family affair for the Duchess. Among the well-wishers were some familiar faces. Camilla's daughter Laura is married to Harry Lopes, son of the Show president the Hon. George Lopes. So as well as greeting her daughter and son-in-law, there was a chance to catch up with her three grandchildren Eliza, aged five, and three-year-old twins Gus and Louis.
During a visit to the poultry section, the Duchess was presented with some new additions to the family. She was given three trios of Pekin bantams by John Redler, who has been involved in poultry showing for 40 years. One trio will go to the Duchess's home at Highgrove and the remainder being shared amongst her grandchildren.
Farming commentator Anthony Gibson described the Show as the 'most uplifting I have experienced'.
"The greatest credit belongs to the livestock exhibitors for turning out cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and alpacas in such wonderful condition, which is all the more impressive because of the difficult year they have endured."
In the NatWest Livestock Arena local farmer Patrick Greed from Killerton, near Exeter, won the Interbreed championship with his two year old heifer Limousin Killerton Gucci. In the dairy competition, a four year old Holstein Friesian Moorshard Lennon took the Interbreed Dairy Championship for RK & SG Miller & Sons from Bridgwater.
Among the 600 cattle were two magnificent national cattle shows - the South Devons and Dexters.
"The agricultural content has been stronger than ever," Anthony added. "Every farmer at the Show hopes this is the end of one of the most difficult farming years for a century and now we are at the beginning of something much better and brighter.”
Farming minister David Heath was involved in a lively debate at the Devon Young Farmers marquee also attended by NFU President Peter Kendall. They discussed how to create more opportunities for young people to make a start in farming.
On Saturday Huw Irranca-Davies from the Labour front bench brought his family to the show and discussed food policy with representatives of the NFU.
A new Guinness World Record was set at the Ales from Devon feature on Saturday for the most people to complete a skittles throw in eight hours. The Shoot Out Club, who organised the record attempt, smashed the 150 target set by Guinness World Records with more than 350 participants.
Food and drink plays a major part in the Show and was on offer to eat in the showground and to take away. The massive pavilion was packed with local producers and the demonstration kitchen featured a bake-off with the BBC's Justin Leigh and David Fitzgerald as well as a series of cookery demonstrations from local chefs
Celebrity chefs including Michael Caines, Anton Piotrowski, Peter Gorton and Devon chocolatier Willie Harcourt-Cooze were a great hit in the kitchen.
Dancing Diggers were the main attraction in the Mole Valley Farmers main arena while near the woodland section the extraordinary Savage Skills stunt BMX team demonstrated their gravity-defying tricks.
The media also turned out in force. BBC's One Show broadcast live on Wednesday evening, BBC Breakfast broadcast the weather live from the Show on Thursday morning, BBC Radio Devon celebrated its 30th birthday, BBC Spotlight and ITV Westcountry crews gave local audiences lively and colourful features.
