Muddy marvellous!

9:00am Monday 8th September 2008

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TRACTORS reigned supreme at Dorset County Show as downpours turned Dorchester showground into a quagmire.

Exhibitors and visitors battled through mud as the two-day show opened on Saturday morning.

One vehicle after another slithered to a halt on the churned-up field and had to be towed into place by tractors.

Many vehicles had avoided the worst of the weather by arriving earlier in the week. But traffic arriving early on Saturday had a longer than usual get-in to the ground, causing tailbacks on approach roads round the town.

Inspector Les Fry of Dorchester Police said: "This is the worst I've ever seen this field. It's slowed the traffic getting in."

He said the one-way system devised for the show had worked well in previous years. Police asked people to avoid on-site parking and use the main public car park where conditions were better.

Show secretary Sam Mackenzie-Green said: "The mud did slow everything down to start with. Vehicles couldn't just come in at their normal rate. Heavy trade vehicles were particularly affected and it did cause a few delays.

"But in the end everyone got here including the judges and everything got under way."

She said traders had been particularly affected by the conditions and added: "It hasn't been too bad for exhibitors and visitors but it has been tough for traders.

"We learn from every show and after this one we'll have to look at anything we should do different. Hopefully there won't be another one like this but we will look at whether we should get more hardstanding and that sort of thing."

The highlight of the main ring entertainment - the Flying Gunners motorcycle display team from the Royal Artillery - went ahead though the team had to cut some of their daredevil stunts.

Other attractions including the Rockwood Dog Display team, Jonathon Marshall's falconry display, Adam's Axemen lumberjack demonstration, scurry racing and a festival of hounds were also staged.

Mrs Mackenzie-Green said the standard of exhibits across the show was high. Entries were up in many areas including farm produce and homecrafts, which had the biggest-ever number of entries in classes.

The homecraft marquee was filled with some of the show's most unusual exhibits including decorated Y-fronts that helped raised money for the Prostate Cancer Research Founda-tion and a crowd of scarecrows.

The horticulture and floral pavilion presented show-goers with an impressive display of vegetables that whetted the appetite for next year's show when the National Vegetable Society national championships come to the Dorset County Show. Dozens of comical characters created by children using fruit and vegetables delighted showgoers of all ages.

The show attracted a record number of trade stands with more than 450 set up across the showground outdoors and within marquees.

And this year it welcomed back the livestock with cattle, sheep, pigs and goats claiming their rightful place at the heart of the show after classes were cancelled last year because of the outbreak of bluetongue.

Horse and pony classes, including showjumping and showing, also delighted the crowds with a new addition this year - spotted ponies. The spectacle of the coaching fours were the equine showstoppers for many people.

More people attended yesterday than on Saturday. Last year the show drew around 55,000 visitors over the two days but numbers for this weekend are still being assessed.