A Strange Day Out

Kendal Show Day (or to give it it's full title The Westmorland County Show).

We usually take the show cattle down at night, get them settled and James stays overnight with them. We get up about 5am and try to get away by 7 - 7.30. Final washing and brushing and maybe time for a bacon bun before the judging starts. A hectic few hours as we move through the classes, and a break for lunch. I try to make a bit of an effort for Kendal, and we sit by the cattle on bales and upturned buckets eating Egg and Bacon Pie, Chewy Fruit Slice and other regular favourites. If we're unlucky and are not involved in the Interbreed classes we may get a chance to visit one or two nearby trade stands (while one of us stays with cattle). Then it's time to get ready for the Grand Parade (and the inevitable wait for a long horse competition to finish) before loading up and joining the queue to get out onto the main road. If we're lucky we'll only be an hour late starting milking.

But today was different. We started on the picnic food last night. We all slept in our own beds. We got up a the normal time. Had a reasonably leisurely breakfast and left home about 10 am. We parked in the livestock car park (full of estate cars with dog cages in the back). We walked past the vast cattle tent - no cattle, just a few dogs and owners. The main cattle ring had become a picnic area. Dog classes were taking place in the smaller rings. We wandered up and down the rows of trade stands, looking at machinery, cars, crafts, hats (well, that was me). We went to the Presidents Reception for drinks. We bought a sit down meal in the Members Tent. We looked at more stands and displays. Then we got in the car and came home.

FMD = ban on cattle movements = a strange day out.