Saturday, September 05, 2009

Montgomeryshire's most impressive.

Impressive or what? These two magnificent examples of horseflesh took first and second in the 'decorated heavy horses' class at Llanfair Caereinion Show today. The Show itself is impressive as well. Grown to be the biggest summer show in Montgomeryshire. I've always had a special affection for Llanfair Show since the organisers honoured me some years ago by asking me to be President - performing the duties that Dr Tony Evans is doing in this photograph.

Competition is the basis of most of the activity at these local shows, and I've been much involved in it over the years. It all began with the 'onion from seed' classes. For three years in the early 80s, I was obsessed. Won three 'Best in show' cups with my Robinson's Improved. Then it was on to the Dahlia and Chrysanthemum classes, which meant our garden looked like a building site bedecked with various structures designed to protect the potential prize blooms from being ravaged by the weather, slugs and earwigs. Finally it was the flower arranging phase, where Mrs D and I really went head to head in public. It produced the unforgettable headline in the Montgomeryshire County Times 'Wife beats hubby in flower tent at Berriew Show'.
There was extra stiff competition on the field today - six politicians putting themselves about. There were what we can refer to as the three Llanfair Show 'regulars, Lib Dem AM Mick Bates and Ukip candidate, David Rowlands who both live near the town plus myself. And this year we had three extra. New MEP representing the BNP, Nick Griffin, who also lives nearby, Plaid candidate, Heledd Fychan (whom I didn't actually see) and Lib Dem MP, Lembit Opik, who is turning up everywhere at the moment. Anyone would think there was an election on the horizon!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ha, Grope-it Opik is obviously running scaed. Now I wonder why that could possibly be.......

Glyn Davies said...

Anon - To be fair, its entirely natural that he would want to strive to retain his position. Its only all of the other candidates are doing as well.

Anonymous said...

Oh come on Glyn, this is a man who's spent the x last number of years falling out of London nightclubs with infra dig women like the Cheeky Girls, and yet all of a sudden he's wanting to attend every agricultural show in sight. By your own admission, he's not attended the Llanfair show beofre.
Wjyu are you being so kind to him? His track record is well known in Mont

Anonymous said...

Ive seen Lembit at the RWAS several times. I don't live in Monthomery so can't talk about 'local' shows but Lembit IS involved in rural issues.

Anonymous said...

I know that what passes between a raffle ticket seller and her clients is sealed by the same secrecy as the confessional but it was very notable that Lembit was counting his pennies this year, perhaps in preparation for his up-coming redundancy, whereas Mick, I have to say, stumped up like a good 'un