‘PEOPLE are still keen to carry on’, according to the Camelford Show secretary, as this year’s show was hounded by rain, with people having to wade through mud.

The 111th Camelford Show took place on Wednesday, August 9, with the torrential weather the night before and into the early morning not putting people off. However, thick mud, damp tents and rainy showers made the event look a little similar to Glastonbury Festival — wellies and raincoats were definitely needed.

With fantastic volunteers helping people onto the showground, pushing cars through the watery grass and sludge, people were able to trudge through the grounds and meet many local businesses and organisations, and watch their favourite agriculture classes unfold.

However, with a few cancellations and entries being turned away due to the weather and condition of the site, this year’s Camelford Show has not gone completely to plan for new secretary, Victoria Wells, who had taken over the role from long-serving secretary, Anne Hayne.

She told the Post: “Apart from the downpour, everything seems to be going alright. But the weather has affected the show — the traffic coming out, people are having to be pushed into a car space — but people are still keen to carry on, obviously.”

She added: “It’s been good so far, the entries are up this year, which is great. However, today has been ruined for a lot of people because of the weather.

“The weather was absolutely awful this morning — torrential! There was about an hour of it from 9am until 10am, just awful.”

Victoria told the Post that all sections prior to the show day were up, with horse entries surprisingly up by 37, as well as sheep entries. Due to the conditions, the showjumping ring was cancelled, as were the working hunter rings, and all horse transport was stopped after the horrendous downpour.

Victoria said: “It was a health and safety risk to allow the jumping to go ahead and we are sure people understand our decision, as it is their safety we are looking after at the end of the day.”

She explained that the cattle and sheep exhibitors seemed ‘unfazed by it all’, and carried on with the show after the rain cleared, and that the Shetland pony and new miniature horse classes were all well attended.

Taking the baton from 2016 president, Michael Bromell, this year’s 2017 show president was Jonathan Holt, who ran a veterinary practice in Camelford for 25 years. He has spent the last 25 years attending Camelford Show, spending much of that time on duty as the honorary veterinary surgeon.

Mr Holt said: “It was only last year when I was vice-president, that I fully appreciated the enormous amount of work that so many of the committee put in to set up the showground, run everything on the day and then set to take everything down again. Most of them have more than full time occupations, running their own farms. Without their hard work, the show would not happen.”

Despite rain clouds overhead, the children’s games and activities were still underway, and tents were brimming with local business and Camelford traditions, such as the Young Farmers’ Club, horticulture and handicraft, poultry and more — not to mention the wonderful smell of pasties, homemade fudge and cakes from the food tent, and the beer tent had plenty of local ales and drinks on offer.

There was an equine demonstration in the main ring, the town council’s tent was thriving with upcoming plans for the town, and people were given the opportunity to scout businesses and take a look at the vast collection of vintage vehicles on display.

Town mayor, Rob Rotchell was feeling positive about the day, despite the dreary weather. He told the Post: “This is one of the best bits so far — as long as the weather holds!

“We’ve got a free bus that’s coming in from the town, so hopefully a lot of people will come on that. A lot of people have told us that they’ll probably wait for the rain to subside and then come along to the show on the bus.”

At this year’s show, Camelford Town Council launched a survey for some important town matters, with ‘several themes’ at the centre of the town council tent, including the Enfield Park Play Area, the skatepark and Churchfield car park. The survey was launched via Survey Monkey, and is hoped that many local people will contribute to the survey to determine the future of the town.

The council received around 15 comments and votes from young people about the proposed improved play area at Enfield Park, and the skatepark designs received 14 comments and votes.

Meanwhile, the car park surveys were available from the town council tent and were handed out to people as they came and went, with 37 being completed and returned by the end of the day. The neighbourhood development plan survey was completed by 12 people.

To complete a Churchfield car park survey, visit www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/BTGVZ7Y, and for the neighbourhood development plan survey, go to www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/B5NBPLZ. Both surveys can be accessed by visiting www.camelford-tc.gov.uk/surveys-we-need-your-input.

Both the car park and neighbourhood development plan surveys are due to be distributed to all households in the Camelford parish within the next two weeks. They can be returned to the town council offices above Parkway Insurance or Co-Op and Cornwall Hospice Care shop.

Amanda Musgrave, administrative assistant for the town council, said of the show: “Camelford Town Council were delighted with the number of people who visited us, despite the challenging weather. It was great to hear all the comments from the children about the new proposed skatepark and improvements to Enfield Park.”

With people wrapped up warm and rosettes being handed out to worthy local winners, this year’s show really illustrated people making the best out of a typical Cornish summer, and Camelford’s true optimism.See this week's Post for the show reports and results.