The award winning actor, Anthony Andrews gave his own five star review to Moreton Show after playing a leading role as one of the judges in a new equestrian competition.
Andrews and his wife, Georgina are equestrian experts who have competed and won at the highest levels and were the invited judges for Moreton Show’s first Supreme Champion Horse and Pony.
Andrews, one of our finest actors who won a Golden Globe and a Television BAFTA as Lord Sebastian Flyte in Brideshead Revisited in the 1980s, said: ‘I'm at Moreton Show because it's a spectacular show. It really does encompass everything that's wonderful about the countryside and there's so much going on.
‘Everywhere you look there's something more you want to see so it's one of those shows that you don't want to miss and to be asked to come and be part of the judging team was a real privilege.'
His wife, Georgina added: 'I think it's a wonderful show, lovely people and spectacular horses.'
On a day when the sun shone on a bumper crowd, the Supreme Horse Championship was won by Temple Ogue, a five year-old bay gelding owned by Mrs Kay Campbell from Maidenhead and ridden by Jayne Ross. The Supreme Champion Pony was Waxwing Penny Farthing, an eight year-old Palomino gelding owned by Mrs Katrina Kozersky from Hempton in Oxfordshire and ridden by Gabriella Kozersky.
Crowds flocked to see the livestock section, where the big winners were Richard Bartle and Paul Dawes from Kipperknowle Farm at Dinmore, Herefordshire. They won £1,000 and the prestigious new Selekt Three Shires Trophy, awarded for points accrued from showing at the Hanbury Show, Burwarton Show and Moreton Show.
Bartle and Dawes went on to make it a very lucrative day. They also had Moreton Show’s Supreme Champion in Dinmore Lionheart, a Limousin bull and the Reserve Supreme Champion in Westhide Zoe, a Shorthorn senior cow. Their names were also on the Toveys Trophy for Cattle Interbreed Pairs after Dinmore Lionheart was named champion alongside Ironstone Lavender, owned by Smiths of Bloxham Farms Ltd.
In the sheep section, the Supreme Interbreed Champion was a Southdown Ram owned by Basil Cooper from Aylesbury. The Reserve Champion Sheep was a Blue Texel owned by Sue Andrews from Stroud.
Lynne Parkes, the Livestock Secretary, confirmed that the Sheldon Bosley Knight Grand Parade of all the winning animals was the biggest in the show’s history. She added: ‘The Grand Parade really was a fantastic spectacle and I want to thank everyone for making it such a spectacular finale to the competitions. Everyone pulled out the stops to be involved.’
Traders reported good business throughout the day as crowd numbers swelled on the Batsford Estate showground on the edge of Moreton in Marsh.
There was competition among the trade stands too. Lodders Solicitors from Stratford were named as the best large trade stand. The trophy for the best small trade stand went for the second year running to Keyscape Garden Landscape Design and Construction from Pershore.
Brisk business was also done in the Cotswold Food Market, where the winners of the best trade stand were the Buckingham-based brewers of English gin and gin liqueurs, Foxdenton Estate Company Ltd.
There was a prize too for Bryony Meek, the Head Scorer who co-ordinates all the judging in the ever-popular Home & Garden Marquee. She was awarded the Chairman’s Trophy for ‘the most meritorious person’. Ros Allen, Home & Garden Chairman said: ‘Bryony is a busy teacher and mum who gives up her time to provide an essential role at Moreton Show.’
Steve Parkes, Moreton Show chairman said: ‘It was wonderful to see so many people enjoying themselves in the sunshine. We really appreciate how people support our show. The show was the culmination of a lot of hard work by the Moreton Show team and our terrific army of volunteers. Work has already started on Moreton Show 2018 and we look forward to seeing everyone next year.’
He added that Rob Peach and Alan Norledge, who both retired after this year’s show, had been given honorary life memberships to the show society in recognition of their tireless work in the livestock section.
Meanwhile, the work of the Moreton in Marsh and District Agricultural and Horse Show Society continues with the annual ploughing match on Saturday, October 28, hosted by Ken Brain at his farm near Broadway Tower.
