Young competitors urged to put lockdown skills to the test at the Nottinghamshire County Show

David Pick, who is a member of the team putting on this year’s Nottinghamshire County Show, says the feeling of pride he got from taking part in his first show as a child has never left him, despite the years and many subsequent shows having come and gone since.

The 64-year-old has been an ever-present at the county show, which takes place on May 14 at the Newark Showground, and will be helping to co-ordinate fellow volunteers from Newark Rugby Club who will be guiding drivers entering the car park on the day.

But he says he says his other highlight will be visiting the rural skills section of the show and seeing the competitors’ efforts in 50 different competitions, including cake baking, growing vegetables, egg production, woodworking and painting.

Classes are open for adults and children alike and David is hoping that anybody who took up baking, drawing and looking after chickens during lockdown will take part to showcase the best rural skills in the county.

Among the classes are competitions for hen and duck eggs, best carrot cake, a platinum jubilee-themed decorated cake and a painting of a wooded landscape.

He said: “Alongside the livestock, the rural skills section is very much at the heart of the county show, because it brings people from all over the region together to show off their produce, which is what it’s all about.

“It always brings back so many memories for me, way back to the first time I attended the show at the age of seven. I was so proud to be taking part, which is why it would be great to see children taking part this year with their own produce or projects.

“So many people took up new hobbies to keep themselves occupied as well as keeping chicken and ducks, so it would be lovely to see that reflected in the county show this year.”

David is also sponsoring two classes in the livestock section of the show in memory of George Story, a nationally renowned sheep breeder and local farmer who invited him to help him prepare his sheep for the county show all those years ago.

David said: “George was like a father to me, he took me under his wing and taught me all about preparing sheep for the show, including training them to walk with a halter so they could enter the Show rings and behave whilst being judged.

“As I was only 7 years old, I was probably more of a hindrance than a help that year, but it started what was probably a love affair with showing sheep which lasted for well over 15 years.

“We’re sponsoring two classes in the any other native breed section because George bred Hampshire Down Sheep and if any are entered in the show, that’s where they will they appear.”

For more information of the different classes at the rural skills section of the Nottinghamshire County Show, visit www.nottinghamshirecountyshow.com.