Community / ‘Unlimited opportunities for yarning’ – crowds enjoy a day out at the Cunningsburgh show
Shetland News’ dedicated agriculture show reviewer Davie Gardner has an educational day ranging from tractors to tray-bakes
Having read the introduction to this piece you could be forgiven for immediately asking yourselves why someone like myself who generally doesn’t know the grass munching end of a tup, ewe, coo or pony from their less appealing opposite ends has been given the task of reporting on what amounts to Shetland’s largest – and arguably its most respected – agricultural show?
A fair question indeed. But given that my admittedly almost total lack of detailed agricultural knowledge is possibly in line with that of many visitors to the annual Cunningsburgh show – largely folk with an equally untrained eye who are simply here for a good day out and to enjoy, in their own right, the huge amount of exhibits here – I’m hoping I might just get away with it and not have to dwell on the technical and competitive detail of things I clearly know very little about.
My intended approach is bolstered by one of the overarching aims of the event itself which states that it seeks to promote an “inclusive, enjoyable event for the whole community” and one that “brings together all the communities of Shetland with common interest”. There we go then, not just an event for the farming and crofting folk amongst us – but something for everyone hopefully. So let’s go…
This year the show celebrates it’s 78th event stretching back to its original roots in 1935. Since then, it’s been held annually, barring intrusions from the likes of World War II, epidemics, pandemics and, perhaps less dramatically, even a visit to the isles by the Queen Mother on one occasion which appears to have forced a cancellation. I’m sure she would have enjoyed the event had she been allowed to attend though.
So, an occasion for the whole community to informally enjoy then, but a hugely competitive one too of course, with an incredible 550 classes of competition to enter and no less than 123 trophies up for grabs during the day as well – far too many to detail individually here, even those viewed as the most important ones. I’m sure you will find a full list of results elsewhere, however.
In terms of the potential for overall show enjoyment, it was something of a personal relief to waken up to sunshine, hopefully ensuring, initially at any rate, a splash, squelch and gutter free dander around the show area.
Add to that just enough of a breeze to also ensure the show wouldn’t be blighted – for both man and beast – by an equally unwelcome plague of midges and we have, perhaps, the perfect conditions for a show day then. Indeed, could we face the unheard of scenario of a stall selling sun cream proving to be the most popular of the day?
But as the old saying goes ‘Let’s no spik aboot a fine day till night time.’ Indeed, as darker clouds start to gather later in the morning, one worthy keeping a ‘wadder eye’ on them observes, “It widna be a show day withoot a doonpour at some point I suppose.” Thankfully, and perhaps a touch miraculously, the rain, bar a few spits and spots, holds off while I’m there at least.
I arrive quite early but already the car parks are extremely busy, with the team of young army cadets called up to help with car parking duties having their work cut out for them with, I’m told, around 500 folk through the gates ahead of me and a nice buzz evident relatively early on too.
It’s a diverse show with something for everyone, from tractors to tray-bakes and everything else in between, along with lots of local organisations offering the chance to find out more about what they do in Shetland.
But, of course, it’s primarily a livestock show which features virtually every conceivable farm animal – in fact multiples of each – ensuring there’s plenty to both engage the casual viewer, young and old, and retain the competitive element among local livestock owners/breeders. Serious faced judges scrutinise virtually every part of every animal while equally serious faced livestock owners watch on hoping that the prized and much-hoped-for rosettes are ultimately attached to their animal or pen.
A few eventually have plenty to smile about while others, although clearly disappointed, nevertheless appear to be magnanimous in defeat. It’s clearly a good-natured event – or that’s the impression I get at least.
Even if you know very little about agriculture you learn something every day at events such as these. For instance, earlier I learned that the sheep / tups have their wool dyed bright yellow/orange in order for it to stand out better for the judges. The animal world’s versions of hi-vis vests I suppose.
I head from the livestock pens toward an impressive display of farm equipment where a few noisy, perhaps over-enthusiastic, very young children – possibly future farmers, crofters or perhaps plant operators – are clearly having fun.
“What are you enjoying most about the show” I ask? There’s a unanimous if partially disjointed chorus of “the tractors and diggers” screamed in my general direction. One lone peerie voice however shouts out “fighting” while aiming a dangerously low, but thankfully low powered, blow in my direction. Some things in Shetland never change.
I decide to strategically withdraw to the relatively safety (and quiet) of the nearby baking and produce shed where I encounter a quietly delighted friend who has just seen her Victoria Sponge – an essential at any good agriculture show of course – one that she got up to bake for the event at 4am this morning – secure first place in the baking competition – using her own hens’ eggs as an ingredient too no less.
The produce in the baking shed, plus a general aroma of cooking drifting on the breeze, creates a bit of a hunger pang in me and I have a sudden, undeniable lust for a sassermeat roll. So, quietly saying to myself “to hell with the diet” I head for the catering vans only to discover queues at each stretching back to what can only be described as somewhat discouraging proportions.
Whilst debating whether or not to queue up for Shetland’s greatest delicacy I have time to look around into the faces of some of the show animals which, along with the admittedly appetising aroma of cooking, starts me thinking about the fate that awaits many of them in the future. The shows anomaly of featuring prize-winning animals on one hand and fast-food outlets on the other is suddenly too much to bear, so I decide to settle for cornflakes when I get home instead.
But, as always, the highlight of the event, for me at least, is its social structure and especially the unlimited opportunities for yarning. There’s so many folk to catch up with, so much to see, lots of stuff for families to do and get involved with, live music and so on and so forth. It is, as I alluded to before, quite simply a terrific day out even if you are an agri-ignorant individual like myself.
For instance among many folk I catch up with during the day I meet surely the only Parisian couple currently not in that city for the Olympic Games, Marie-Laure and Jerome Maquaire. Instead, they have elected to tour Shetland by motorbike. So rather than absorbing the sporting atmosphere in the Stade de France and elsewhere around the city here they are surveying tups, gimmers and so forth in Cunningsburgh. I can’t say they seemed too disappointed to be honest.
I also catch up with the president of the show, Alex Dodge, who I also know from her previous coast guarding days. She tells me she’s delighted with the entries for the show, which are up again this year, and also the turnout on the day.
She agrees re the social elements of the event too, reminding me that farming and crofting can ordinarily be a very ‘lonely’ occupation, so local shows and events such as the ones at Cunningsburgh, Voe (3 August), Walls (10 August), Unst (31 August) and Yell (7 September) are important social get-togethers for the crofting and farming community and also a very important means of attracting young folk, local into the industry.
I wonder again where my young tractor loving friends I met earlier will be in a few years from now? Perhaps showing off prize winning animals in their own right. I sincerely hope so!!
On that important note, and with a few renegade drops of rain by now hitting the car window, I head for home, perhaps lacking the previously anticipated sassermeat roll, but with renewed confidence in the local industry and with, once again, just a bit more agricultural related knowledge than I started the day with.
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