The Cumberland Show, Carlisle Racecourse Saturday 17th July

The Cumberland Show Carlisle Racecourse

Cow judging in the rain

Girls giving away freebies in the rain

Burnett’s Angela with hubby and pup

Carlisle Racecourse

Wet balls

Wet Cows

That’s the way to travel

Waiting to go into show ring

Soggy sign

Series ll Land rover called Shaun the sheep

Little dog running through the mud

Countryside Rangers (left) Geoff Fewkes and Tony Burns with Volunteer Eve Baker

First Prize winner

Range Rover at Carlisle Show demonstrating its capabilities

Land Rover at Carlisle Racecourse, nice smile for camera

Rains stops at Cumberland Show

Final selection

Cute little dog getting ready for dog show

Ice-cream anyone

Sitting in my Range Rover in a traffic queue

My Muddy boots

I was looking forward to going to the show this morning despite the heavy rain showers.  I arrived just after 9am, the new location at Carlisle Racecourse is more or less a straight road North from Hutton-in-the-Forest. The car parking area was already to starting to get very muddy and some cars were having difficulty driving in to park.

For the first couple of hours it was very heavy rain and very windy, most of the visitors were standing under the Grandstand trying to stay dry. The rain eased to occasional showers, at one point there were a couple of small pockets of blue sky and a hint the sun may come out – then it rained again.

I chatted with Cumbria County Council’s Countryside Rangers, Geoff and Tony, I was also thankful to be standing in their tent sheltering from the wind and the rain.

The best tent had to be Burnetts,  it was warm with hot coffee and delicious Cumberland Sausage Rolls.  The Countryside Rangers were roving, I spotted Geoff in Burnetts tent enjoying the hospitality. It was lovely to have a chat with Angela and meet her hubby and pooch ( see photo).

Land Rover were demonstrating the off-road capabilities of the Range Rover and taking passengers around a small course. As I watched the Range Rover go up a steep ramp I was thinking I hope I wouldn’t have to test the off-road capabilities of my Range Rover getting out of the car park later on!

The food hall underneath the grandstand had a good range of food on sale, fruit juices, organic meat, cheese, chillies, relish, olives, sweets, chocolates, beer, cakes etc., I bought a bottle of ginger wine, I haven’t seen this in years.

I noticed Rory Stewart had a tent at the show, his slogan is ‘working hard for Penrith and the Borders’ but the tent was still closed up at midday and there was no sign of him.

It was an interesting show, lots to see but heavy going in the rain and ploughing through the mud.