It's Show-Time!

 

The first full week of August is Show Time in Orkney. A host of horticultural or agricultural shows around the isles and parishes.  This is my first year in the East, so I was keen to support the East Mainland Horticultural and Agricultural Show yesterday.  East Mainland includes the parishes of Deerness, Toab, Holm and St Andrews. As you can see in the photo above - the day was glorious for the show, dry, warm, sunny and barely a breeze!

The horticultural section was in the St Andrew's Community Centre, a few miles down the road from me.  These shows include fruit and vegetables, baking, jams, flowers and handicrafts.  For a relatively small community there was a magnificent display well laid out.  So here are some photos from the hall..... (and no I most definitely did not enter anything!).

The baking - the red tickets are first prizes for a Currant Bun  (or Black Bun) - which is packed with currants and in a pastry case.  A very Scottish Tradition.  Take a look here for details

The Children's classes were well represented too - very inventive!

And then down the road to the Agricultural Show..... I headed for the horses and ponies.  It brought back many memories when I used to compete in local shows with my pony, Badger.  Gawd how or WHY I chose to get up at 5am to get us both ready and head off to a show is way beyond me now.  But I loved watching these classes.  Some lovely ponies and some plucky riders too!

Ooooh hallo gorgeous!

And another handsome boy!

Shetland mare and foal!  There are a couple of Shetland Pony Studs in Orkney. They do well throughout national shows, and it's lovely to see them at a local show too.

British Mountain and Moorland Ridden class. The chestnut pony just about to move off was quite a handful for his young rider.  The pony bucked and reared in the ring and the lad fell off.  He was very plucky and got straight back on and despite the pony still being a bit "troubleson" they won 2nd prize! Well deserved for the rider!

Lovely setting for one of the horse classes

And then there were the farm animals - cattle and sheep, plus some goats, household pets and maybe a pig (I didn't see the pig...).  Hmmm I only seem to have photos of sheep here!

The day finished with a beautiful sunset.  Admired by myself and Button.

And Hippo/Frog island (aka the island of Rousay - categorically confirmed as Rousay after much local debate!).

Hopefully the weather holds for the rest of Show week!