Cunningsburgh Show popular as ever as thousands stream in to soak up atmosphere
LIKE MANY in Shetland, and indeed beyond, DAVIE GARDNER loves a good agricultural show – despite ordinarily struggling to differentiate between a goose and a gander or even a hog and a heifer. He was at Cunningsburgh Show to sample the best of the action today.
Events such as these are attended by much more informed individuals than I, often representing the highlight of their agrarian season.
But for many others, again like myself, they are simply a great opportunity for a relaxed social day out, peppered with unlimited opportunities for yarning, catching up with folk, making or renewing acquaintances and consuming sassermeat rolls, loaded fries, doughnuts, tea, coffee and ice cream by the bucketload too.
It’s also very much a family day out with, genuinely, something for everyone in that respect, especially as the bairns are still on their holidays. The show not only offers them something exciting and different to do on an invariably quiet mid-week day, with their perhaps increasingly by now holiday-weary parents in tow, but it might just help ignite the interest required to encourage our next generation of local crofters and farmers.
Although there are a few of these shows in Shetland at this time of year – all equally important in their own right – the Cunningsburgh Show – this year celebrating its 80th annual event – tends to retain the aura of the ‘big one.’ Behind the relaxed on-field atmosphere the competition is intense, with success here being measured as almost of Olympian achievement.
But it’s not just the quality of the wide and diverse range of farming livestock on show here today that’s being judged competitively of course. Everything from bannocks and other home-bakes to eggs and jam, vegetables and other produce, arts and crafts, knitwear, floral and vegetable arrangements and pets – incorporating everything from hens, duck and rabbits to more exotic species such as emu’s and axolotls. Everything comes under the scrutiny and critical eye of experts in their particular field, with colourful winning rosettes proudly displayed for those who ultimately triumph.
Then there’s the displays of vehicles and other farm machinery, trade stands and … well, so much more besides. A mammoth 2,764 individual entries this year to be exact. The show is huge to the point where only a photo of the area using a drone would do it justice. Clearly the organisation and work that goes into promoting the show is equally vast.
Inevitably though, as with all outdoor events in Shetland, the weather tends to make or break it, and given Shetland has experienced a veritable smorgasbord of weather conditions over the past few weeks – very little of which has been particularly appetizing – the organisers no doubt have been holding their collective breaths hoping for an improvement.
If so, it’s clearly paid off with early grey skies and misty conditions clearing and the sun – due to fully eclipse later this same evening – making an all too rare appearance in advance of that celestial phenomenon. “Fine day fur it,” is the cheery and accurate observation received from several people while making my way around the showground.
Even though I’ve arrived relatively early, the large field which acts as a car park for the day is already full to bursting point and the parking attendants are looking mildly concerned at the still ever-growing line of traffic they have to contend with. “I doot it’s joost going to have to be wan oot and wan in,” I hear one say, a mild note of panic in his voice while surveying the still very much one-way (inwards) line of traffic. It’s a problem for them, but clearly a good one to have.
Arriving in the showground itself we’re greeted by some lively accordion music emanating from the live music stage. The stage, showcasing local talent – much of it young – is due to run throughout the day, adding still further to the general buzz.
While perusing the ponies, where the word ‘cute’ appears to be the word on everyone’s lips, I catch up with a beaming and clearly delighted Alex Dodge, the show’s president. She confirms she is indeed delighted, both with the weather and the turn-out, not the mention the number of entries for the show – which continue to increase in many of the categories including sheep and cattle. “It’s been busy right from the start,” she tells me. “It’s absolutely brilliant to see so many folk coming along.”
She tells me that the fact it’s held mid-week appears to have no effect on attendances. “It’s a tradition that we hold the show on a Wednesday,” she says. “It used to take place during ‘Trades Fortnight’ and the Lerwick shops also used to have a half-day on a Wednesday, so when the shops shut they used to jump on the bus and come down here. It’s also fine to have something in the middle of the week to come along to,” she adds.
Its obvious many folk tend to agree. As I make my way home – after a few relaxed hours of wandering, checking out the exhibits and, in particular, yarning – not to mention having an enjoyable lunch (which was worth the queue) – I again cross paths with Alex who can tell me they estimate that at that time (around 2.30pm) they have had around 5,000 people through the door, with still a couple of hours to go. A huge turnout and success by any standards and hopefully adequate recompense for all the hard work that’s gone into staging the event.
So, 91 years and 80 shows down the line it’s safe to say the Cunningsburgh Show appears to remain as popular as ever – as an attending 25 per cent plus of the total Shetland population can clearly testify to.
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