A SHOW FOR ALL
A SHOW FOR ALL
SEASONS
A MIX of a little sunshine and a lot of showers didnt dampen the spirits of visitors to the Royal Bath and West Show and judging by the number of pushchairs to be seen, people were intent on making it a family day out.
Local schools had plenty of input to the show through competitions and exhibitions. The Schools Food and Farming Challenge was won by Sturminster Newton High School. Its pupils rose to the task of adapting and improving the school farm to provide a learning centre for local primary schools and to providing facilities for additional GNVQ agricultural and child care courses for its own students. In the Farm Safety Pavilion, posters by other youngsters colourfully brought home the need for safety on the farm.
In the Village Green area the little girls of East Coker Primary School made a very pretty sight country dancing, while in the sky above, wing-walkers and pilots of the Utterly Butterly Barnstormers planes performed daring feats.
A last minute cancellation allowed Pauline Adams, who farms with her husband in Watford Village, Northants, to obtain stand space at the show for a rather unusual product – Velvet Energy. Three members of Bath Rugby Club soon sought her out to buy the capsules which are made from crushed and freeze-dried deer velvet, harvested in New Zealand under strict veterinary supervision. Pauline, who has the only UK licence to import this natural health product, explained that it was very popular with athletes who use it to increase their stamina and fitness. Hamish Carter the world champion triathlete takes it as does the NZ Olympic swimming team and the All Blacks she says, and she has a copy of the report of a "double blind" trial in NZ proving its efficacy,
She discovered the benefits of deer velvet while in NZ studying the beef industry on a Nuffield Scholarship. In pain and feeling rather stiff from a recent total hip replacement, she started a course of the capsules on a recommendation. Two months later she was bungee-jumping from Victoria Falls Bridge and race riding in point-to-points.
"I was sceptical until I took it myself but it does reduce pain from swollen joints and people take it for so many things it seems to be a wonder cure-all."
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The Royal Bath and West show seems
to attract a wide public and as
Tessa Gates found, there was something
for everyone to enjoy