We arrived in Nantwich to learn that today is the International Cheese and Dairy Awards. The show has been running since 1897, and indeed cheese was a big cargo down the Shropshire Union in the past. Along side the cheese show is the Nantwich Show, which is itself said to be the largest one day show in the UK. I think that if that is the case the Driffield Show, near where we live, is a good second. Seeing as how we missed the Driffield the other week we didn't need to think twice about forking out £16 each (prebooked tickets, £20 on the gate) to spend the day right next to the canal.
When the Shropshire Union was built the engineering knowledge of building embankments was not advanced, and as they had been denied access to the land of the local stately home they had to try to build one by Nantwich. It actually collapsed twice before they had it sorted. Glad it was today! The Nantwich Show and International Cheese Show is held in the fields on the other side of the canal behind the tall trees.
The Telford Aqueduct is impressive in a solid and staunch sort of way, not quite flying in the sky like on the Llangollen, as crawling across the roof tops.
There were 5000 cheeses and other dairy products at the Cheese Show, and to a couple of Wallace and Gromitt fans like us it was heaven to wander around the trade stands and obtain samples, and buy at reduced rates too. The judging had taken place yesterday and the dairy with the most winning cheeses was Belton Farm that is a family run place not very far away in Whitchurch. I did see that the Champion white farmhouse Cheshire cheese was Wensleydale Creamery.
In the horticultural tent there weren't too many entries. I'm not sure if that was due to the weather, but the soft fruits looked good enough to eat!
There were plenty of classes of sheep but mainly only ones bred locally. The handlers of these were very happy. The ones I thought would do well weren't placed, so perhaps I should stick to a nautical life rather than become a son of the soil.
This is a new breed of sheep called the rabbit! Actually it is a Border Leicester. It is a dual purpose sheep, good for wool and meat, but was actually first breed in Northumberland in 1767. The name comes from the base ram as it was a Dishley Leicester. They are large but mainly docile.
These Red Poll cattle were having a good rest and munch. The Red Polls were bred from Norfolk Red beef cattle and Suffolk Dun dairy cattle in mid 1800's. Both those breeds are now extinct now. The original name was Norfolk and Suffolk Red polled cattle. Polled just means no horns. Over this years this became Red Poll. They are deep red with only white on the tail switch and udders. They are mainly raised for meat but there are a few dairy herds of them. They are known for easy calving and manage to raise a good proportion of their calves and are sometimes used for conservation grazing.
In the main arena was the Bold Dog Ling Moto cross stunt display team. They bring their own vehicle that folds down into a couple of ramps and there are also a couple of inflatable bags that add protection. The whole lot erects in about 10 mins. They did a short display but they were turning somersaults etc and looking like the winter sports freestyle skiers, but with a bike!
There were plenty of tractors and machinery, mainly old it has to be said. Greater love has no man than to that of his tractor, or vintage car, static steam engine etc etc. Hours and hours spent on these machines has to make you admire them, but not for me I'm afraid.
This was the champion cock pigeon in the show. They are nothing like the manky birds that you see pecking about in cities. They are beautifully presented and look really pampered. The range of patterns and colours was great too.
There were plenty of chickens on show too, and they also looked well prepared and looked after. There are plenty of varieties and I expect that the keeping of them has increased as you now see them being towed about in their coops behind narrow boats.
There were a lot of vintage cars at the show, the Star Association were well represented as were Bentley's. I was struck by this reproduction of a vehicle. Apparently Baden Powell, the founder of the Scout Movement went to France in 1915 WWI. He saw that there was a great shortage of motorised ambulance to bring the wounded from the front. He wondered how he could help, and then realised all his richer friends had bought cars before the war, but now there was no petrol for them and the chauffeurs had been called up. He asked them to 'lend' him them for the period of the war. He took the bodies off and had the simple bodies added on as well as the canvas cover and shipped them over to France.
We arrived at the show at 1015 and left at 1700 so I think that we got our monies worth. We saw James Martin and Will Holland doing cookery demonstrations using cheese, had a beautiful pastie for lunch and a great ice cream. Helen managed to find some Christmas presents and we will be eating different cheese for a week or two too. A good day all round.
No comments:
Post a Comment