RECORD-breaking crowds enjoyed Ringwood and Ellingham Show at Lord Normanton's Somerley Park on Saturday (August 14).

The event is described by patron Lord Normanton as the "quintessentially traditional English country show".

Show society chairman Michael Lingham-Willgoss said the warm weather was perfect: Not so good that people headed for the beach and not so bad to put them off from going out altogether.

"The crowd varies from 8,000 to 12,000. I would think we could well be above that," he said.

A change in the layout of the showground brought the showjumping and other equestrian events closer to the centre of the action this year.

Pipers, huntsmen and clowns were part of a full programme in the main ring while heavy horse competitions in the second ring were as popular as ever.

At the other end of the scale donkeys, under the shade of a dense green tree, also proved a big attraction.

Children enjoyed getting up close to Jo Harwood's llamas from Mosterton near Beaminster.

Gary and Suzi Fatt from Bear Cross, Bournemouth were among the numerous members of Dorset Austin Seven Club who gave their diminutive motors an outing to Somerley.

Down by the River Avon the Bracken Company of Archers from Three Legged Cross were attracting would-be Robin Hoods with their offer of shooting six arrows for £1.

Club spokesman Ian McDonald said: "We've had a good response. It's been constant since nine o'clock."

In the arts and crafts tent New Forest Spinners and Weavers treadled their jennies at a fair lick, while Michael Tuck of Ringwood Carving Club kept visitors guessing with his latest creation.

"I would like someone to name it for me, then I could tell people what it was. It's an abstract. It's a bit of a talking point. It's walnut, at least that's what the bloke who gave it to me said it was," said Mr Tuck.

While he chiselled curvaceous holes into his large chunk of timber, fellow member Fiona Atkins was crafting a delicate boot just a couple of inches high.

For the second year the show has hosted a farmers' market organised by preserves specialist Janet Pook of Mrs Pook's Kitchen, Melcombe Bingham.

Other outstanding attractions included Geoff Knight's amazing walking stick collection, superb scarecrows, Charlie Harvey's third scale traction engine with Ransomes threshing machine and baler, plus thatching demonstrations by Chris Gaussen and Rob Ruddick of Fordingbridge.

Mr Lingham-Willgoss said: "We don't necessarily want to try and make the show bigger, but we try to make it better."

First published: August 16