A POPULAR agricultural show made a welcome return to South Cumbria last weekend following two years of cancellations.

Visitors from far and wide flocked to West Park to enjoy the Millom and Broughton Agricultural Society’s annual Show - and this time the weather held off to make the 125th show a success.

In 2007 the show did not go ahead due to the foot and mouth outbreak and bad weather and last year organisers decided to cancel because the ground was waterlogged.

Rachel Jopson, the show’s secretary said it was ‘great’ to get the show back up and running. She said: “It all went very well and the weather stayed reasonably fine. We had a good turn out.

“It was a really good show. A lot of people there were very happy that the show was on and we had a good turn out in most of the classes.”

Shire mare, Brows Marie, stole the limelight and was awarded the ultimate accolade and crowned supreme champion of the show.

The 13-year-old’s owners Glenys and John Dodd, of Dalton-in-Furness, put her achievement down to her ‘unblemished legs’ despite her age and her past experience at shows.

“She is quite used to showing so she knows what she should do,” said Mrs Dodd. “We’ve been reserves twice before but never won. We are very pleased.”

The pair walked away with an array of awards including champion heavy horse.

Delighted exhibitor Andrew Butcher scooped three wins on the day including the supreme champion sheep with his three-year-old Texel ewe.

He said the prize ewe had done ‘very well’ at shows this year and had picked up numerous champion awards.

Mr Butcher, of Ulverston, said he was ‘over the moon’ with his show success last Saturday (August 29) as he also won the best sheep bred by an exhibitor and the champion Texel.

He believed that Texels were becoming stronger competitiors. He said: “Going back ten or 15 years ago Suffolks dominated most shows with their power and strength but Texels seem to be getting stronger and stronger now.”

He added that he was ‘really glad’ the show had gone ahead this year.

Alongside the cattle, sheep, poultry and horses, visitors enjoyed a variety of craft, industrial and horticultural marquees while sporting highlights of the day included fell running, Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling and the Furness dog agility display team, which was back by popular demand.