The 2022 G&S Show is bigger than ever – and alongside some exciting new attractions, there’s a return of a much-missed old favourite
The Grand Parade of Livestock returns to the Main Ring! Agriculture has always been the heart of the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show, and we are proud to announce that for the first time in over 15 years the Grand Parade of Livestock, sponsored by Woolley & Wallis, will return to the Gritchie Brewing Company Main Ring. At 15:00 watch as all of the days champions and prize-winning livestock parade around the ring – we promise it is a spectacle not to be missed.
The FUEL10K IMPS Motorcyle Display Team The world-famous motorcycle spectacular! The IMPS Motorcycle Display Team, sponsored by Fuel10k, will be performing their breathtaking dynamic display of skills in the Gritchie Brewing Company Main Ring at the 2022 Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show on Wednesday 17th August! From the sound of revving engines to the awe of a billowing fire jump and the suspense of a multiple motorcycle combination ‘cross-over’ routine, The Imps will have you mesmerised by an unmissable display of discipline and skill. Furthermore, you will be stunned to learn that the youngest performer in the youth motorcycle display team is only five years old! Display times – 11:50 and 15:40
NEW: The Lightning Bolts Army Parachute Display Team One of the world’s most experienced operational deployment teams – the Lightning Bolt Army Parachute Display Team, sponsored by Gavin Dixon Financial Solutions – will be jumping into the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show for the first time! They are a dynamic military freefall team – watch them fly into the ring with smoke and flags! Time: Look up at 12:30!
NEW: The Wool Village Last year we introduced sheep shearing demonstrations – and this year we step it up a bit and have an entire Wool Village, sponsored by Friars Moor Livestock Vets! “Wool is one of the oldest fibres known to mankind, and also one of the most beneficial.” (His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales). Wool is not only natural, it is renewable, biodegradable and lasts longer than artificial fibres. In the Wool Village you can watch sheep being shorn on a raised stage, learn all about wool itself, feel the wool’s texture and see the winners of the Fleece Competitions. The majority of sheep are shorn in the summer; this does not hurt the sheep and is required for their welfare – no one wants a woolly jumper in hot weather! The sheep are shorn by a ‘shearer’. A professional shearer is skilled and careful – one shearer can shear a sheep in less than 2 minutes! Read all about sheep shearing and the Wool Village in our interview with Matt Cradock, the local sheep farmer who is chairman of the sheep section at the show.
NEW: Bees & Honey Marquee We all now know that bees are essential to life on earth. The new Bees & Honey Marquee is in association with the North Dorset Beekeepers Association and will be filled with exciting demonstrations, hands-on activities and even a bee hive! The marquee also features competitions in all bee & honey related cookery and treats.
9th September 2022 St. Nicholas Church, Ashmore – 7pm Standard Tickets – £10 | Under 18s – £5 Book via website or QR code @caskietrio www.mayacaskie.com/caskietrio
9TH SEPT – ST NICHOLAS CHURCH, ASHMORE 10TH SEPT – ST ANDREW’S CHURCH, FONTMELL MAGNA STANDARD TICKETS – £10 | UNDER 18S – £5 BOOK VIA WEBSITE, QR CODE OR BUY TICKETS FROM FONTMELL MAGNA POST OFFICE WWW.THEDEKOONINGENSEMBLE.CO.UK @THEDEKOONINGENSEMBLE
Breeding from your mare is a step many owners consider – Sara Greenwood shares the pitfalls and her experienced tips to make it work
Poddy as a foal with her mum All images: Sara Greenwood
Your children have finally left home, and you are left with the lovely mare the whole family has enjoyed riding or competing. What do you do with her? For many, the first answer is ‘let’s breed from her!’ But this isn’t (or shouldn’t be) a snap decision and there’s a lot you need to think about. Consider why you are breeding from her – is it just because you don’t know what else to do with her? Or you want something to sell? Or perhaps you want something for the future? Also think about the practicalities – have you got the land and stabling required for more horses? Will you be foaling her or will you be sending her away to stud to foal? Finally, and perhaps this is the most important, consider her temperament. Her conformation. How is she put together, how sound is she? Will any of her bad points come through to the foal? Can you even tell when she is in season?
Lucy on Poddy, Simon on Poddy’s first foal and Sara on her second foal.
No doubt one of the reasons you ever considered breeding from your mare was that you watched a stallion parade and saw a beautiful one. But just like the mare you need to consider his temperament and conformation too. Have you seen any of his progeny? What has he done in his life?
Poddy’s last foal and Sara’s ‘superstar’ Aussi, ridden by Lucy Greenwood
Now – are you going to send her to the stud for natural covering, or will your mare stay at home for artificial insemination? Or perhaps you might consider embryo transfer. Each has advantages and disadvantages, and all need to be researched and considered to work out which is the best option for you and your mare.
Poddy team chasing with Sara Greenwood
The family dynasty Having read all that, you may be thinking HELP! So many questions to be answered. I started breeding horses about 40 years ago using a friend’s Thoroughbred mare – who had already had a few foals. I took her to Skippy (a well-known Irish Draught), but before he was famous! All went well and lovely Poddy was the result. I loved the foal so much that my mare went back to Skippy. Sadly, this was without a happy ending – we had a dead foal. However, Poddy was the start of a dynasty. As a four-year-old she had a foal by National Trust (a Thoroughbred) while I was pregnant. Some years later, having been a wonderful hunter, competition horse and great for leading the children’s ponies from, she had two more foals.They weren’t all successful but the last one, from Relief Pitcher, was my superstar, who took both daughters to BE Intermediate and retired as the family’s hunter.
Sara’s second breeding mare Bally Too with Lucy Greenwood
Since then I have bred five foals with another mare. We lost one to a lightning strike, one was beautiful and enjoyed dressage so I sold him, one is utterly non-competitive but moves beautifully and is a lovely hack, another is tricky but talented and my last one, by a Connemara, is a star – anyone can ride her.
Bally Too’s (and Sara’s )last foal, Tinka
Choosing the match Having started with Skippy the Irish Draught, I put his offspring Poddy to three Thoroughbred stallions – National Trust, Past Glories and Relief Pitcher. With the second mare I bred from I deliberately went for the power and movement of the Warmblood, which is what the mare lacked. This was not such a success due to their temperaments – although we still love them, we have to find the right job for them. Lastly we opted for the Connemara, which definitely produced the best all-rounder. I would have loved to have used Relief Pitcher again, but he had just died and Thoroughbreds only used natural covering then. This year we are trying to get one of the Warmblood mares in foal to an Irish Draught but sadly it’s not currently happening (watch this space for future breeding programme!). My conclusion? Breeding is not all happy and easy, but we have so many happy memories. It can be very expensive unless you do everything yourself, and a good vet is the most important thing.
Great skin is rarely about what you put on it, says nutritional therapist Karen Geary – instead try looking at what you’re eating
I am writing this on the hottest day of the year so far – and across the UK I know as much skin as possible is being exposed. We often think that the best way to get great-looking skin is with a tan or with expensive skin creams. It is true that vitamin D from the sun is a health essential – but as we all know, too much sun can cause long term damage. The truth is that looking at what we eat is by far the best way to keep skin looking great.
Vitamin C Foods containing vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, berries, peppers and greens of any type, are mildly protective from the harsh exposure of the sun – vitamin C is a powerful anti-oxidant.
Carotenoids These are recognisable by the red, orange and yellow pigments. Find them in vegetables such as carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, red and yellow peppers, as well as wild-caught salmon. You will have probably heard of lycopene, a special type of carotenoid found in tomatoes and red cabbage. Carotenoids promote healthy skin cells and they act as a type of anti-oxidant.
Polyphenols There are more than 8,000 different classifications of polyphenol, including ones you will probably have heard of such as flavonoids and ellagic acids. They are considered a lifespan essential, given their wide-ranging properties. Polyphenols are mainly found in the dark-coloured plants; think purple berries, pomegranate, purple grapes (and red wine!), dark green leafy veg, very dark high quality chocolate, coffee (yes!) and also in herbs. Herbs are extremely powerful, and by weight they pack a massive dose of nutrients in themselves – peppermint, oregano, star anise, sage, rosemary and thyme are all high in polyphenols. From a skin point of view, polyphenols protect against too much sun exposure, as they are free radical scavengers. They also increase circulation.
Collagen Three-quarters of the dry weight of skin consists of collagen and it’s pretty much everywhere in the body. It keeps skin firm and plump-looking, but unfortunately the body prioritises collagen going to other cells before it gets to hair, skin, and nails! It drops naturally as we age, and collagen has become popular as a supplement. You can get collagen naturally from bone broth – never waste the bones from your Sunday roast, boil them for a few hours with some cider vinegar, herbs and seasoning. Once cooled, you get that gelatinous goodness (skim the fat off the top if you like), and use as a soup base or freeze for later. You can also get collagen from liver and tough cuts of meat when they are cooked very slowly. If you do this, always buy high quality, such as grass-fed with no other additives. If you prefer marine collagen supplements, be extremely wary of how these are produced and research well.
Water I shouldn’t need to say this, but water is 50 to 70 per cent of your body weight. The answer to ‘how much is the right amount to drink’ is complicated, however. It depends on what you eat, how much you weigh, your exercise levels etc. Rule of thumb – check your wee! Your urine should be pale yellow to colourless. If it’s darker, then get drinking.
Operation Elder is designed to reassure local communities says Sgt Jane Moore
With an influx of traffic and visitors to the North Dorset area leading up to and during the Great Dorset Steam Fair, the local Neighbourhood Policing Teams, Rural Crime Team and our Citizens in Policing team will be holding a number of opportunities for the local community to come and speak to us. Operation Elder is Dorset Police’s response for ‘community reassurance and a high visibility presence’ in the area and villages around the site of the Great Dorset Steam Fair. You will be able to raise any concerns, ask any questions or just come and meet the team! They will be held twice daily from 20th to 28th August 2022 at various locations. You can find more information about each location below or online at https://www.dorset.police.uk/neighbourhood-policing/north-dorset-rural/ (we use the What3Words app to indicate precise locations). We look forward to seeing you!
Summer really has begun! If you have decided to avoid airport stress and spend some time in the garden reading (or indeed to brave Heathrow) then I have some excellent summer reading picked out for you, and all are £2 off the marked price. Please do visit the shop or website for a broader selection. Wayne
The Island of Missing Trees – Elif Shafak A tale of love and division moves between post-colonial Cyprus and London, exploring themes of generational trauma and belonging. Shafak tells the moving story of Kostas and Defne Kazantzakis, young lovers in a painfully divided post-colonial Cyprus – one Greek and Christian, the other Turkish and Muslim – and the emotional price they continue to pay after moving to England. A beautiful novel made ferocious by its uncompromising empathy.
Silverview – John Le Carré Julian Lawndsley has renounced his high-flying job in the City for a simpler life running a bookshop in a small English seaside town. A Polish émigré shows up at his door with a lot of knowledge about Julian’s family history. The great spy novelist’s final full-length book is a precision-tooled cat and mouse chase from a bookshop in East Anglia to the old eastern bloc. Crisp prose, the heady sense of an inside track on a shadowy world … all his usual pleasures are here.
The Women of Troy – Pat Barker In the sequel to her retelling of the Iliad, The Silence of the Girls (told from the perspective of captured queen Briseis), Barker moves on from war to its aftermath. Clearly and simply told, with no obscurities of vocabulary or allusion, this novel sometimes reads like a children’s version of the legend of Troy. But its conclusions are definitely for adults – merciless, stripped of consoling beauty, impressively bleak.
“The really frightening thing was the speed at which the fire took hold. It engulfed the field of corn so quickly, despite the efforts of fellow farmers and fire crews to stop it.”
When Graham Birch’s crops went up in flames, help swiftly came from neighbouring farmers as well as the eight fire appliances who attended from the surrounding area. “One of our neighbouring farmers, Mark Tory, set up a Whats App group for us, so we can help each other out. All the local farms are on it, and they all came running to help, creating a fire break. Typically, they will bring a tractor, cultivator, and a water tank to try and create a fire break to prevent it from spreading to other farms and areas. The fire brigade were brilliant at getting things under control and had several engines at the scene. It was an amazing piece of teamwork. We got the fire controlled within about 30 minutes, but it took two hours to put out.”
Graham owns Hedge End Farm in Winterborne Stickland, and he was reflecting on the past week’s events when he experienced a terrifying wildfire on his land. “There’s a lot of flint in our soil, and it is possible the combine harvester hit a flint, with a spark from the flint caused the fire. Everything is so dry at the moment, and our crops are super dry. Within moments the fire took hold. My farm manager had smoke inhalation and had to go to Dorchester Hospital.”
All that remains of the fire at Hedge End Farm in Winterborne Stickland is a large area of scorched earth. Image: Rachael Rowe
These dry conditions prompted Dorset and Wilshire Fire and Rescue Service to issue a Red Fire severity alert last week. They are asking the public to not have bonfires or barbecues during this alert period. A red alert means that, should a wildfire be experienced, it could spread quickly and easily due to the dry conditions. The risk is most significant on large areas of open land, such as heathlands, fields and even cliffsides. In fact, the statistics make grim reading. Area Manager Marc House said: “From 1st – 10th August this year, DWFRS have attended 180 fires in the open. During the same period last year, the service dealt with only 34 incidents of this nature. That is an increase of over 429%.” Last year there were no agricultural open fires, but in 2022 there have been 23, mostly in fields of standing crops. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Services are asking the public to be vigilant. Marc continues: “Farmland is very vulnerable. They are harvesting, and it’s a rural community. They need to get the crops in, and we want to support our farming community. Farmers can do a lot to help themselves such as cleaning out chaff and dust from machinery and also using spotters.”
So how can we all help? Hopefully, people are getting the message about disposable barbecues, but as the recent fire at Studland Heath shows, they still feature heavily in open wildfires. Marc House adds: “People should avoid campfires, barbecues and bonfires. Cigarette ends will ignite a hedgerow. Litter should also be disposed of safely. Glass reflects the light and ignites material. If there is a fire, people need to get to a safe place and call 999.”
Graham thinks basic good judgment plays a part in preventing fires. “It’s not necessarily about legislation, but people having the sense to not use a disposable barbecue or a sky lantern. If you smoke, put the butt out properly. People need to use their common sense.”
Finally, think again if you think an odd rain shower is sufficient to reduce the risk. Everything is still very dry. As Graham reflects: “We need a LOT of rain.”
Farmer, agronomist, chairman of the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show, and fan of Magnums, Giles Simpson shares the soundtrack of his life with Laura Hitchcock
Giles Simpson: Image Courtenay Hitchcock
Giles Simpson, the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show chairman, is a farmer and an agronomist – when he’s not lost in To Do lists and committee meetings. He received a good job offer straight from college and then moved to an even better job a few years later. Ten years after graduating from Sparsholt College, he finally decided it was time for his gap year – and spent nine months in Australia: ‘I worked for six months of it, and then just enjoyed the rest. I’d recommend it to everybody. Just go away; Australia, New Zealand, Canada … anywhere, just go away. Even if it’s only for two or three months. Everyone within the agricultural industry should just do it.’ On his return from Australia, Giles was offered a job at local firm Pearce Seeds LLP, a seed and agronomy company based near Sherborne. He has been with them for 21 years this year. It was his job that got him involved with the G&S Show: ‘I worked alongside Mike Simpson (no relation, and sadly no longer with us) for three years. He was very heavily involved with the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show, a past chairman and president. He was the one who got me involved. He basically just told me I had to do the livestock car park, actually. Then he told me I had to start at 5.30am. I did that for ten years, probably. Four years ago the then chairman Richard Curtis asked me to be his vice chairman, which meant no more livestock car parking! And then in 2022 I became chairman.’
And so to Giles’ choices for the eight tracks he’d want on his own Dorset island:
Little Lies Fleetwood Mac I’d been given a cassette when I was about 17 or 18, and I just remember driving home from harvest late at night. This was always playing. I’d open the sunroof, drop the windows and put it on full blast. It was just the best thing, driving home singing away to yourself where no one can hear you. It’s got some great lyrics, of course, but for me it’s just a really good tune to sing along to late at night. Every time I hear it I’m that teenager driving home late after harvest.
Holding Back the Years Simply Red Mick Hucknall is unreal – so recognisable. Even now, at whatever age he is (He’s 62. You’re welcome. – Ed.), his voice is just the same. I watched him performing live on TV recently, and it was brilliant. And Holding back the years is a classic. A group of us travelled up from college to Crystal Palace in the late 80s for one of his concerts. It was such a good concert, and a great night.
All Of Me John Legend I had to add this one in, it was the first dance at our wedding! But I did have to ask Mary what it was. I could remember the song, I could! But I couldn‘t remember who sang it. She had to tell me …
A Sky Full of Stars Coldplay Yeah… (long happy pause) Stars is just… Chris Martin is unreal. This song always makes me stop. Coldplay are brilliant. AND he’s local! Went to school in Sherborne. He’s a fantastic writer. We were meant to see them during covid, but obviously it was cancelled. Then Mary was going to buy tickets to see them at the O2 for my Christmas present, but it clashed with the show, so I told her I’d better not.
In the Air Tonight Phil Collins Just … always Phil Collins. All through school I listened to Phil Collins. This is another one that it doesn’t matter how many times you hear it, you can put it on the radio and it never gets old. It’s when you watch him doing it, too – to play the drums the way he does and sing the way he does … When you watch him performing this one, he comes in just singing quietly, then moves and sits at the drums and lets it build. Amazing. This song in particular always reminds me of a cool evening, lots of stars … and I have no idea why.
Money For Nothing Dire Straits This is my first Young Farmer’s Area Weekend when I was 16. We left for Newquay at 9 o’clock on the Friday morning, and the whole way down the driver played Dire Straits, over and over again. There were four or five of us in the car, and we just listened over and over, and this always reminds me of that. It could have been anyone of those songs, you know? Walk of Life, Brothers in Arms, Ride Across the River … any one. It always reminds me of my first Area weekend in Newquay.
I am a Cider Drinker The Wurzels This is Young Farmers again! And what amazes me is that, even now, all the 16 and 17 year olds still know all the words! Last time I saw them live was probably five years ago, and I couldn’t believe that there were young teenage farmers at the front, singing all the words! The Wurzels have been about for donkey’s years. And this song still makes me laugh even now. They were characters, absolute characters.
American Pie Don McLean This is college, pretty much whenever we were in the bar (I was there quite regularly …)! I was Student Association chairman, and my vice chairman was absolutely mad on Don McLean. I It would get played nearly every night, everyone would be on chairs or standing up, all singing together. It’s a long song, eight or nine minutes, but we never used to last that long! But it always reminds me of the college bar at Sparsholt, and all of us singing it together.
The little comforts My book would be Call of the Wild by Jack London. I don’t read a lot (probably not since I was at school). But I remember reading White Fang and Call of the Wild, and I went back and looked at them when I was choosing this. It’s about a dog stolen from California and sold as a sled dog in Alaska. Through the book he becomes ever more wild, forced to fight to survive. By the end, he sheds the shallow veneer of civilisation and relies on his primitive instinct and experience to emerge as a leader in the wild. It always makes me think about how close we are to being right back there in nature. And that our animals are still wild at heart. Dogs are pack animals, people forget that. It really riles me when you see badly behaved dogs. And it’s not the dog, it’s always the owner. I did have to think about this one. I spoke to Mary about it and she said: “Well, you can’t pick Farmers Weekly and you can’t pick Classic Tractor.” I’d be quite happy with Classic Tractor on my desert island, to be honest. According to Mary I look at it hundreds of times a month… And my luxury item? A big freezer (with a magical power source, obviously), and a supply of Magnums. It’s a very badly kept secret that I’m a bit of a fan of a Magnum Classic (my customers and friends even send me pictures of them, asking me ‘have you had one yet today?’). Mary will probably kill me …
