SCORCHIO! This was the only (slightly made-up) word to describe this year's Holmwood Village Produce Association's summer show weekend, writes Ros Treliving.
Right through from the erection of the marquees on Friday evening to the final pant of the dogs and parp of the band on Sunday afternoon, the hot sun prevailed.
On the Saturday morning of the summer show, the villagers of Holmwood turned out in force to set up their exhibits in the grand marquee. Oasis was watered, gooseberries were re-aligned, patchwork cushions were plumped, and photos were twizzled. "It's meant to be that way up", the exhibiting photographers insisted as they prepared for judging to commence.
As always, competition was stiff, and even the daring decision to crack open a new pack of doilies did not elevate my Victoria sponge to prizewinning heights (although I think all was probably lost on the presentation front when my top slid off my bottom on the way to the field).
The worthy winners in each class received a cash prize and those gaining most points in each division, or judged the best in show, were also presented with a trophy – upon which their names will be engraved.
At 1pm the show opened, with side shows and entertainment galore. With the temperature soaring well above a thousand degrees [well, 31.4c at nearby Mickleham] a brisk trade was carried out in the beer and Pimms tent, with the faces of the people manning the barbecue progressing from moderately flushed through to puce, beetroot, and finally lobster. It was only then that they were allowed to put down their tongs and retire to the shade of the bushes.
The audience of the Punch and Judy were pleased to be in a shady spot under a large oak tree, whilst the tug of war, which took place in the blazing sun, was pulled off in record quick time so people could once again dive for cover.
There was no let up from the heat on Sunday, with lashings of extra water and shade provided for Holmwood's most handsome hounds and prettiest bitches.
All the dogs were on their best behaviour, with the "tarts and vicars" best dressed dog class providing a particularly fascinating insight into the contents of the Harding-Rolls wardrobe.
Although not triumphant in that particular category, our very own BSA did win overall best in show with Barley, and executed a triumphant lap of the show ring with her cup held aloft. Once she'd wrestled her shirt back down off her head, she led a cheery al fresco songs of praise to round off the weekend, with a group of local musicians accompanying the assembled congregation.
As always, the whole show weekend provided a great community event – for once, without a single wellie boot in sight. Thanks to all who came and supported the show – hope to see you again next year on our 70th anniversary!
RESULTS
Cup prize winners Silver Cup – highest points in Division 1 A and B, Sarah Hornsey. Silver Cup – Division 1A, fruit and vegetables, Les White. Silver Cup – Division 1B, flowers, Sarah Hornsey. Silver Challenge Trophy – best exhibit, fruit and vegetables, Les White. Silver Challenge Trophy – best exhibit, flowers, Richard Paine. Womersley Cup – best specimen bloom, Sally Blunt. Kathleen Bray Rose Bowl – Judge's Choice of Best Rose Exhibit, Michael Blunt. Holmwood VPA Top Tray – Division 1A, Class 1, no award. Holmwood VPA Top Vase – Division 1B, Class 34, Sarah Hornsey. RHS Banksian Medal – highest points in Division 1A and 1B (last two years' winners not eligible), Sarah Hornsey. Myra Wainwright Trophy – best floral arrangement, Mary Scutt. WI Challenge Cup – highest points in Division V, home produce, Sarah Hornsey Trophy, best exhibit in Division III – photography, Mark Treliving McTigue Trophy – best exhibit in Division VI, handicrafts, Bob Christmas. Silver Challenge Cup – highest points in Division IV, children, Jazmin Griffin. Welton Cup – best children's exhibit, Rufus Mansfield. Stanford Cup – best pensioner's entry, John Sutton. Hilda Stannard Trophy for Endeavour – best non-trophy winner, Brenda Bartlett.
Vegetables. Garden News Top Tray – 2nd Sarah Hornsey. Mini collection of three vegetables, 1st Les White, 2nd John Thom, and 3rd, Sarah Hornsey.
Four tomatoes, Andrew Mansfield. Two cucumbers, Les White, 2nd Andrew Mansfield, 3rdGraham Greenough. Two lettuces,1st, Brenda Bartlett, 2nd Les White, 3rd David Lloyd. 12 broad beans, 1st John Thom, 2nd Sally Blunt, 3rd Nick Tanton. Four long pointed carrots, 2nd Sarah Hornsey. Four carrots (other than long-pointed) 1st Les White. One cabbage, 1st Les White, 2nd Sarah Hornsey. Three globe beets, 1st Brenda Bartlett, 2nd Sarah Hornsey, 3rd Victoria Harding-Rolls. 12 pods of green peas, 1st Les White, 2nd Sarah Hornsey, 3rd Brenda Bartlett. Four white potatoes, 1st John Thom, 2nd Sarah Hornsey, 3rd Les White. Four coloured potatoes, 1st Les White. Four onions – 8oz and under, on collars, 1st Les White, 2nd Bob Christmas, 3rd Crispin Harding-Rolls.
Six shallots, 1st Sarah Hornsey, 2nd Bob Christmas. A marrow – not exceeding 12", 1st Les White. Four courgettes, 1st Les White, 3rd Sarah Hornsey. Six salad onions in a bunch, 1st Les White, 2nd Bob Christmas. Three garlic bulbs, 1st Sarah Hornsey, 2nd Sally Blunt, 3rd Andrew Mansfield. Any other vegetable, John Thom, 2nd Brenda Bartlett, 3rd Victoria Harding-Rolls. Collection of six herbs, 1st Sally Blunt, 2nd Sarah Hornsey, 3rd Pat Goldhawk. Dish of one dozen raspberries, 1st Martin Thomas, 2nd Les White. Dish of one dozen dessert gooseberries, 1st Nick Tanton, 2nd Les White, 3rd David Lloyd. Dish of blackcurrants on strings, 1st Richard Paine, 2nd Debs Mansfield, 3rd Les White. Three sticks of rhubarb, 1st Les White, 2nd Sally Blunt, 3rd Mary Lindon. Any other fruit, Debs Mansfield , 2nd David Lloyd, 3rd Les White. The largest gooseberry, Nicki Tanton.
Flowers. Garden News Top Vase, 1st Sarah Hornsey, 2nd John Thom, 3rd Brenda Bartlett. Jug of sweet peas, 1st Richard Paine, 2nd Brenda Bartlett, 3rd Sarah Hornsey. 12 sweet peas, 1st Richard Paine, 2nd Brenda Bartlett, 3rd Sally Blunt. Cycle of the rose, 1st Abigail Verge, 2nd Harlod Herbert, 3rd Nikki Edwards. Collection of roses 1st Michael Blunt, 2nd John Thom, 3rd Mary Lindon. Six pansies, own foliage, V. Philips, 2nd John Thom. Six French marigolds, 1st Sarah Hornsey, 2nd Mary Lindon . Six calendulas 1st Sarah Hornsey, 2nd Chris Bartlett. Three stems of pelargoniums (geraniums) 1st Sarah Hornsey, 2nd Martin Thomas, 3rd Sally Blunt. Six dahlias, 1st Sarah Hornsey, 2nd Martin Thomas 3rd V. Phillips. Five carnations or pinks, 1st Sarah Hornsey Three clematis florets, no foliage, on damp sand, 1st Brenda Bartlett 2nd V. Phillips, 3rd Martin Thomas. Six fuschia blooms on damp sand, 1st Martin Thomas, 2nd Sarah Hornsey, 3rd Harold Herbert. One specimen bloom (any kind) Sally Blunt Sarah Jackson Chris Bartlett. One specimen Stem (any kind), 1st Sarah Hornsey, 2nd Chris Bartlett. Collection of perennials, four kinds, 1st Sarah Hornsey, 2nd John Thom. Collection of annuals or bi-annuals (four kinds) 1st Sarah Hornsey. Three branches of flowering shrubs (three varieties), 1st Mary Lindon, 2nd Joan Lampen, 3rd John Thom. Collection of mixed flowers (at least six kinds), 1st Sarah Hornsey, 2nd John Thom, 3rd Debs Mansfield. An African violet 1st Sarah Hornsey. An orchid, 1st Brenda Bartlett, 2nd Martin Thomas. Any other flowering pot plant, 1st Sarah Hornsey, 2nd Brenda Bartlett. A foliage pot plant, 1st Sarah Hornsey. A fuchsia, pot grown, 1st Sarah Hornsey. A hanging container, 1st Sarah Hornsey 2nd Brenda Bartlett. A planted patio container, 1st Sarah Hornsey, 2nd Chris Bartlett.
Floral arrangements. "On the Seashore" – using foliage and flowers, 1st Ray White, 2nd Eileen Daulman. "Riotous Basket" – flowers and foliage in a basket, 1st Sally Blunt, 2nd Mary Scutt, Eileen Daulman. "A Pink Circle" – an all-round arrangement using pink flowers and foliage, 1st Eileen Daulman, 2nd Mary Scutt. "A scent of summer" – a miniature arrangement using scented flowers, 2nd Abigail Verge, 3rd Mary Scutt. Men Only – "The Orient" – using flowers and foliage, 1st Ray White, 2nd John Daulman.
Photography. Monochrome. 1st Mark Treliving, 2nd Sian Reed, 3rd Abigail Verge. Set of three photographs on a theme, 1st Mark Treliving, 2nd Sian Reed. A colour photo – "view from a window", 1st Stephen Verge, 2nd Abigail Verge, 3rd Alice Verge. "Faster, higher, stronger", 1st Alice Verge, 2nd Sally Blunt, 3rd Mark Treliving. Any other subject. 1st Abigail Verge, 2nd Maureen Collinge, 3rd Robert Cowan.
Children under 16: A colour photo – "Friends", 1st Lydia Reed, 2nd Alexia Beale. A photo taken on Holmwood Common – "dusk" – 1st David Gilbert, 2nd Sally Blunt.
Children under five:
Children under five. Best dressed teddy, 1st Heidi Mbabele. Picture of a tree, Charlotte Worral', 2nd Grace Pearson, 3rd Ethan Smith. A decorated flowerpot, 1st Heidi Mbabele. Children five to eight.Best dressed teddy. 1st Rufus Mansfield, 2nd Jack Griffin, 3rd Lydia Reed. Picture of a tree, 1st Lydia Reed, 2nd Jack Griffin, 3rd Theo Mbabele. A decorated flowerpot, 1st Rufus Mansfield, 2nd Jack Griffin, 3rd Emily Buttle.
Children 9-12. Three banana muffins, 1st Jazmin Griffin. An illustrated poem, 1st Madeline Brown, 2nd Jazmin Griffin. A string of summer bunting, 1st Jazmin Griffin.
Teenagers aged 13 to 16 years. An illustrated poem, 1st Alexia Beale. A string of summer bunting, 1st Alexia Beale.
All children up to 16 years. Colouring – 5 to 8 years, Holly Bell Alexia Beale and Jazmin Griffin.
Jams, etc. Home produce – open to all. Jar of jelly, 1st Kate Fryer, 2nd Sally Blunt. Jar of raspberry jam, 1st Sarah Hornsey, 2nd Edward Blunt. Jar of strawberry jam, 1st Kate Fryer, 2nd Sarah Hornsey, 3rd Ruth Paine. Jar of marmalade, 1st Sue Tanton, 2nd Sarah Hornsey, 3rd Sally Blunt.Jar of any other jam, 1st Liz Buttle, 2nd Sarah Hornsey. Jar of lemon curd, 1st Christine Thom, 2nd Sarah Hornsey. Jar of chutney, 1st Sally Blunt, 2nd Liz Buttle. Six chickens' eggs – large fowl or bantam, 1st Lorraine High, 2nd Mary Lindon, 3rd Brenda Bartlett. Six eggs, other than chickens'. 1st Alexia Beale.
Cakes, etc, home produce – open to all A Victoria sponge, 1st Sarah Hornsey, 2nd Stephen Edwards, 3rd Debs Mansfield. Six cheese scones, 1st Sarah Hornsey, 2nd Sylvia Melchonie, 3rd Rachel Verge. A light fruit cake – 7" or 8" cake tin, 1st Alice Verge, 2nd Sarah Hornsey, 3rd Debs Mansfield. A seeded brown loaf, 1st Stephen Verge, 2nd Sarah Hornsey, 3rd Sally Blunt. Three vegetable pasties, using homemade shortcrust pastry, 1st Sally Blunt, 2nd Liz Buttle, 3rd Sarah Hornsey. Traditional Bakewell tart, 1st Ruth Paine, 2nd Sarah Hornsey, 3rd Christine Cantello. Raspberry and amareti crunch cake – recipe from show schedule, 1st Sarah Hornsey, 2nd Tammy Barnes, 3rd Liz Buttle. Jam biscuit sandwiches, 1st Liz Buttle, 2nd Kate Fryer, 3rd Abigail Verge. Men only: Fruit upside-down cake, 1st Chris Bartlett, 2nd Stephen Verge, 3rd Daniel Gilbert. A jug of lemonade, 1st Sarah Hornsey, 2nd Debs Mansfleld, 3rd Chris Bartlett. A fruit-flavoured spirit, 1st Sarah Hornsey, 2nd Ruth Paine, 3rd Mary Scutt. A bottle of any other home-made wine, 1st Bob Christmas. A jug of elderflower cordial, ready for drinking, 1st Chris Bartlett, 2nd Liz Buttle, 3rd Debs Mansfield.
Handicrafts – open to all.A cushion, 1st Mary Scutt. A piece of cross stitch, 2nd Kimberley Oakley. A hand-knitted garment 1st P. Christmas. 2nd Mary Scut. A sewn garment, 1st Harriet Fryer. A knitted toy. Any other toy, 1st Des Scutt. A piece of patchwork, 1st Christine Cantello. 2nd Tammy Barnes. A piece of embroidery, Pauline Sutton. A painting or drawing of a rural scene, 1st Liz Buttle, 2nd Anne Greenough. Any other painting or drawing – any medium, 1st Anne Greenough, 2nd Maureen Collinge, 3rd Alice Verge. Woodwork, 1st Bob Christmas, 2nd Des Scutt, 3rd John Sutton. Any other craft, 1st Mary Lindon, 2nd Pauline Sutton, 3rd Alice Verge. Pensioner's entry – any craft, 1st John Sutton, 2nd Mary Lindon
Special classes. One gallon bucket of compost, 1st Les White, 2nd Mark Treliving, 3rd David Lloyd. Most fragrant exhibit, 3rd Andrew Mansfield.
