Country shows hoping for blue skies

11:30am Friday 18th July 2008

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AS COUNTRY show season approaches, organisers are hoping for better weather than last year.

Many agricultural shows were cancelled in 2007 after North and East Yorkshire suffered torrential downpours.

The 110th Bishop Wilton Show And Craft Fair is due to take place tomorrow, with the 122nd Malton Show, held at Scampston Park, scheduled for the following day.

The 117th Huby And Sutton-on-the-Forest Agricultural Show will be held on Sunday, July 27.

But Gareth Harvey, a weather forecaster at Meteo Group, said the outlook was not very good for this weekend, with rain moving south overnight Friday causing it to be wet underfoot on Saturday.

“On Saturday, it doesn’t look brilliant,” he said.

“There will be a fair amount of cloud around East Yorkshire and it won’t be particularly warm.

“It will be quite breezy in the afternoon.

“There will be a few bright spells but quite heavy showers in the afternoon.”

But Sunday should be better, he said. “There’s still hints of one or two showers, bit it doesn’t look like there’ll be anything heavy,” Mr Harvey said. “There will be high pressure building from the west.”

He said the day should be mainly sunny, with some cloudy spells in the middle of the day.

Next week should see warmer weather, but he said this would break into a thunderstorm towards the end of the week or next weekend.

Richard Davy, spokesman for the Bishop Wilton event said the show would be a great family day out. “There will be plenty of entertainment for children with art and creative classes open to all, a pet show, children’s sports and fun rides.”

He said more than 50 craft stands were expected, offering everything from jewellery to earthenware.

He said there would be more than 300 judged classes and this year’s show would be bigger than ever.

Malton Show chairman Charlie Breese said a permanent horse-jumping area had been added to this year’s event.

“It means that one of the most popular events will now be going on throughout the show, rather than having to be rushed through later in the day,” he said.

“There’s something for all the family, from the agricultural attractions now traditionally associated with the event to many other amazing attractions, to make this one of the best shows yet.”

David Jones, the spokesman for the Huby And Sutton-on-the-Forest Agricultural Show said the event would be bigger and better than ever, featuring a wide range of attractions to suit everyone. “This year there will be a fur and feather marquee, which is new feature at the show,” he said.

“In other marquees, there are classes for farm and garden produce, as well as the ever popular Women’s Institute produce and craft classes, plus a children’s flower show.”

He said there would be a record number of exhibitors in the craft marquee this year displaying a wide range of crafts.