Next out of the summer was to our 'home event' at Dumfries Show, so no stupid o'clock early rises for this one, just a leisurely 6.30am rise!
The manager had spent the whole of the previous day preparing seven sheep for the event. There was supposed to have been eight, but when I asked - I was told 'Don't ask'! I think it was something to do with a sh***y backside (the lamb's, not the manager's, just to be clear!)
On the way through town we picked up the manager's daughter and her partner Sandy who, although he had no idea about it at this point, was to be asked to help out with the showing.
'Asked'?
Press-ganged more like!
Which is somewhat ironic as he had just left a career in the Press two days before for pastures new!
There were over 100 Ryelands and Coloured Ryelands entered on the day so a busy day for judges Leah and Jack Turner, so I bagged myself a good ringside seat:
As judging of the two sections overlapped a wee bit, there was lots of to-ing and fro-ing and shouts of 'Can you help me out here', 'Can you take this one in?' 'Can anyone one help Pat out?' - and that's when Sandy got put into a white coat to help out our good friend Pat. Here he is in his show-ring debut, with Pat behind giving him words of encouragement, least I think they were!
Apparently there were two unusual features of the show - one was that the manager's other half came to the show (just about the only one he goes to in the year) and the other was that, for Dumfries, it was nice weather!
To prove it, here's a picture of Lucy wearing shades (and not concentrating of the judging!):
And here's me under those rare blue skies:
At the end of all the judging the manager and Lucy were well pleased to say the least with their prizes and here's a picture of their cheesy grins after winning the top two prizes in the Ryelands:
And here's one of Lucy gesticulating at the photographer after winning with Whisper, the coloured ewe lamb!
Honestly, I don't why he was getting a hard time - he was very nice to me and even took me back to the pen for a wee nap when I got a bit tired:
Winners have to go forward into the interbreed and it was funny to see all the handlers suddenly get embarrassed and tongued tied when being interviewed by the commentator! Here's the manager and also Coloured Ryeland champion owner Chris Smyth being interviewed:
Interbreed over (unsurprisingly no prizes here!) it was time for ice cream and a look round the rest of the show before finally packing up and heading for home with the day's prizes
And seeing as he took so many pictures on the day, here's a few more of the snaps taken by the Other Half:
Next up - Halifax!
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