THIS year’s Royal Three Counties Show may have suffered a mixed bag of weather during the three day extravaganza at its Malvern showground over the weekend but can still be considered to be another success.

The show opened well with sun and good crowds on the Friday, but tickets sales were predictably hit on Saturday because of weather forecasts of likely thunderstorms, although advance sales were reported to be up by 30 per cent.

Ken Nottage, chief executive of the Three Counties Agricultural Society, said the heavy storm predictions had slightly handicapped their hopes of a bumper crowd for Saturday.

He said: ”In the event these storms didn’t happen and although the heavier rain earlier in the day gave way to drizzle during the rest of the day, it was no means bad weather, but by then people had made their minds up.

"Still the sun came out on Sunday and allowed us to make up ground.”

Saturday’s rains failed to dampen the spirits of all who were there - show entrants, trade-stand holders, and visitors alike, with the latter making the most of some special offers at a number of stands.

Business was reportedly good among the agricultural machinery retailers with one of the firms represented having sold seven major items on the show’s first day - and that had been the company’s target for the whole show!

Someone who didn’t mind the rain was Birmingham University student Henrietta Horsley-Gubbins. She swopped her studies for the show ring at the weekend and gave the rest of her rivals in the Working Hunter Ponies classes a lesson in the equine ring.

The 19-year-old from Ombersley, who was riding her eight-year-old Connemara pony, Ella’s Melody, clearly impressed the judges as her mount was selected as Champion Working Hunter Pony after initially winning the class for 153cms working hunter ponies.

Her success, which she says is her best result this year, means the pairing have now qualified for the Horse of the Year Show. Among her prizes on the day was a special one of a thermal imaging camera to help check on her horses’ well-being.

Henrietta has just completed her first year studying Business Management and says her aim is to gain international selection.

She has several other horses stabled at her parent’s farm on the outskirts of Ombersley.

Other local winners in the show’s equine championships included -

Appaloosa - Champion was Desired Edition, a five-year-old gelding owned by Miss Megan Share of Kidderminster.

Breeding Ponies - Supreme Champion was Ecclesbourne Byron Bay, a two-year-old colt owned by Alan Charlesworth of Droitwich, who also won the Hacks In-hand title with Stanley Grange Eclipse.

Champion in Hand Coloured Horse or Pony - Champion Reserve was a seven-year-old skewbald mare, Lansmoor Lucy Locket, owned by Miss Sarah Horton of Bromsgrove.

Haflinger - Champion Reserve - Oxnead Haven owned by Miss Amanda Nelson of Halesowen.

Heavy Horse Cart Harness - Best turned out - Fifield Admiral owned by Mrs F Bottomer of Upton Warren, near Bromsgrove, who was also second in the Shire Horse Breed gelding, three years old or over, with the same horse.

Welsh Mountain Ponies (Section A) - Champion Reserve was A-Penhwnllys Fleur de Mon owned by the Illeybrook Stud, Wychbold, nr Droitwich.

Elsewhere in the show a number of top prizes were picked up by local breeders in the Livestock section.

These included -

CATTLE 

Devon - Champion Male was Stonegrove Perfection, a one year old bull owned by Stonegrove Livestock of Shrawley, near Stourport, who also had the Champion Female with Stonegrove Hatton 14th, a two-year-old heifer.

Highland - Champion Reserve was Capleadh Dubh of Grafton, a three year old heifer owned by the Grafton Fold at Temple Grafton, Alcester.

SHEEP

Lleyn - Special Champion Reserve - a shearling ewe owned by King and Gunn of Stoke Prior, Bromsgrove.

Oxford Down - Champion - a yearling ram owned by MC Hackling of Shrawley, near Stourpourt, who also won the Best Open Pairs Championship.

Shropshire - Champion - a shearling ram own by Stonegrove Livestock of Shrawley, near Stourport.

Zwartbles - Champion Male and Breed Champion Reserve - a shearling ram and Champion Reserve Female - a shearling ewe owned by Clay Farm Partnership, Clows Top, near Kidderminster.

Jacob - Breed Champion Reserve and Champion Female Reserve - owned by Kay Carpenter of Stourport-on-Severn.

Lincoln Longwool - Breed Champion - owned by Steve and Chris Higgins of Marlbrook, Bromsgrove.

Three Counties Fleece - Natural coloured (inc Jacob, Hardwick and Black Welsh Mountain, or any other natural colour - owned by Mr and Mrs D and G Partridge of Webheath, Redditch.

PIGS

Middle White - Champion Female owned by Mrs Clare Hitchman of Beoley, Redditch.

There was also a second prize for a local business in the Cheese and Dairy Produce section which went to Churchfields Farmhouse Ice Cream of Droitwich for their salted caramel ice cream in the dairy ice cream of any flavour.

One particular first for the Royal Three Counties this year was the appearance of a small flock of Ouessant sheep - the smallest sheep in the world, which originate from the tiny windswept granite island of the same name 12 miles off Brittany in France.

However, to get to the show they had a much shorter distance to travel, being owned by Bethan Davies of Bromsgrove.

She said she bought some three years ago to clear an overgrown paddock for her horses.

“They will eat anything,” said Miss Davies, “but they are still very rare in this country and I am hoping to get the breed better known.”

She is the registrar of the breed society, which was formed in 2005, and still has only 80 members across the entire UK.

Finally several awards were made during the show to agricultural workers for their long service. These included a silver medal and bar for 88-year-old Gerald Frith who has completed 56 years service at Hagley Hall.