At the magnificent Cartmel Show on August 2, I was amazed to see the cartwheeling young acrobat lead in the ‘Cartmel Circus’ entry for the last equine event in the main ring - the fancy dress opportunity for mainly young riders.

The troupe was followed by the Mermaid, a Troll, the Wizard of Oz and others equally colourful – a wonderful pantomime on horseback with gaily-girt jockeys, testament to hours of careful preparation.

I live in Heathfield (East Sussex) which, for 70 years, has hosted the largest one-day agricultural show in England but it doesn't have a fancy-dress competition.

You can imagine how my chest swelled when the winner of the Cartmel Mounted Fancy Dress event was announced as Little Bo-Peep, my eight year old grand-daughter Olivia McMullen, from New Hutton, holding a shepherd’s crook astride her beloved white Tinkerbelle. The pony was uncannily transformed to a sheep thanks to cushion stuffing glued to a mattress cover, simple but convincing.

So many children won prizes in so many categories that their commitment will surely be lifelong to rural pursuits, horse-riding especially. Cumbrians can be justifiably proud of their many country shows.

Tim Williams

Heathfield, East Sussex