Novelty Classes
These classes are new for 2020 and unique to our online show.
Headline Sponsor
We have devised them to represent the community which is involved each year in the “live” show.
The roots of the show were deep in the agricultural community and the farm walk video will allow us to visit the farms virtually which rear the stock you see each year at the show.
We have hoped to include something for everyone and the picture of a Co-op bag will allow veryone to use all their imagination to produce the winning entry !
CHAMPION OF SECTION is awarded to N3-2
Congratulations to Ben Spence and the Home Farmer team
“ The section judges agreed that Ben and the Home Farmer gave a great representation of all that Wensleydale can represent, animal welfare in stunning surroundings were the backdrop while Ben appeared to give a very informative and educational tour, taking nothing away for the other class winners in this section which was specifically designed to fit in with the unique online show, perhaps some of these classes may become Wensleydale show schedule staples in years to come”
(Judges Joe Willis of Richmondshire Today, Sam Bratley, WAS President and Kenton Foster WAS Chairman for section champion with classes judged by Jonathan Barker. Leyburn Co-op manager, Amanda Owen, the Yorkshire Shepherdess and Jackie Craft, Northern Farmer Sub Editor)
Joe Willis announcing the section champion:
We are very grateful to the Co-Op which has played a large part in the life of the dale by keeping people stocked up with essential items and playing their part in helping the keyworkers and vulnerable people to source essential supplies. The Co-Op has regularly been the main sponsor of the show and have this year generously agreed to sponsor Wensleydale show online.
This class will be awarded to the most unusual / spectacular / amusing / poignant photograph including a Co-Op bag which catches the judge`s imagination.
Inspired by the bale artwork produced for the Tour de Yorkshire we hope the whole family can be involved building and decorating their straw bale creation.
Here we are remaining true to our roots we would like entrants to include videos of their farming operations large or small, traditional or high tech, illustrating what you do on your farm – your ethos and ambitions, here is your chance to help us to showcase agriculture to our audience with a class which is new to the online show.
For the gardeners amongst us we have included in this video class, a tour of your garden – perhaps you have completed a lockdown project, tamed a wilderness, your flowers are blooming in abundance and you would like to share your triumphs with our viewers.
Our online show would certainly not have been dreamt of by our predecessors – many of you will have old photos or perhaps videos of Wensleydale Show , we would love you to share them with us and our viewers. How the vehicles have changed over the years, changes in livestock breeds and people`s dress, friends, relatives or famous visitors may be spotted. The show has had changes of venue but it has never been online before – this will be a historic occasion to mark as well.
We hope you are all going to have a bit if fun – some light hearted relief – preparing your exhibits. Here we have a class for your outtakes – so please capture them to keep us all smiling!
The Co-Op is pleased to announce they will be sponsoring the first ever Wensleydale Show Online.
Amanda Owen is a shepherdess, a mother to nine children, a passionate photographer
and Sunday Times bestselling author. Together with her husband Clive, Amanda lives a
life that has almost gone in today’s modern world, one ruled by the seasons and their
animals. Home is Ravenseat, a 2000-acre hill farm at the head of Swaledale, North
Yorkshire, one of the highest and most remote places in England.
In November 2018, the Owens became the stars of their very own Channel 5 TV series
‘Our Yorkshire Farm’, which became the channel’s highest rating factual show of the year
in the 8pm slot, attracting an average of 2.2 million viewers per week. The second series
aired in autumn 2019 with equally fantastic viewing figures, with a third series
commencing in July 2020, launching with 2.2 million viewers. Amanda has also appeared
regularly on Countrywise
(ITV) and The Dales (ITV).
Amanda’s first book The Yorkshire Shepherdess, offers a funny, heart-warming and
inspiring account of her transformation from Huddersfield townie to rural sheep farmer.
The national press and general public took Amanda to their hearts, the book enjoyed 5
weeks in the Sunday Times Top 10 bestsellers list. Amanda’s follow-up book, A Year In
The Life Of The Yorkshire Shepherdess, was another Sunday Times Bestseller. A third
book ‘The Adventures of the Yorkshire Shepherdess’, reached number 4 in the Sunday
Times Bestseller List.
Amanda is an ardent fan of Twitter and Instagram, regularly posting updates and images
of rural family farming life to her 135k followers.
Jackie Craft has worked at the Darlington & Stockton Times for nearly 20 years with responsibility for the farming and business pages, and more recently covers art news as well. She is also the current Content Editor of The Northern Farmer, the monthly farming magazine for the North.
Jackie says: “We are delighted to have been asked to judge this category at the online Wensleydale Show. In these unprecedented times, it is a pleasure to play a small part in supporting the farming community with this alternative show.”
In her free time, Jackie enjoys walking in the Yorkshire Dales with her son and (very lively) border collie, and is a keen birdwatcher.
Judge's Feedback