Proud farmers present their livestock at Cartmel Show

Cartmel Agricultural Society was formed in 1872 following a meeting at the Cavendish Arms in Cartmel and has run the annual show ever since then. 

The event returned after a two-year absence due to the pandemic. 

Judges went round assessing the sheep, cattle and horses. Hundreds of livestock were displayed with their coats freshly trimmed for the audience to enjoy.The horses waiting to canter round the field in front of the judges

Cartmel Young Farmers were particularly pleased to be there and were fundraising through wet sponge throwing. Next to the stocks, they had the Leyland 245 tractor that they pushed 15 miles to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. 

Cartmel Young Farmers fundraised through wet sponge throwing

Dot Gibbons, who organised the tractor push and was co-ordinating fundraising for Young Farmers said: "We come to Cartmel Show every year just so that we can try and get new members, raise money for the club, and get young people involved with young farmers."

Laughing, she said that she was sure 'the group hated me' after the tractor push, saying it was 'very difficult.' 

Some of the sheep in the pun waiting to be judged

Farmer James Guy and his friend Charlie Easton brought a Massey Ferguson 135 and a 399 to the show. James said that Cartmel Show 'breaks up the year' in the busy summer season.

James Guy (left) and Charlie Easton (right) in front of a Massey Ferguson tractor

Dave Marwood from ADJ, a tractor contractors from Grange, said: "We've been asked to put on a demonstration and to bring all our gear and to show it off. 

"The show brings the community together, it puts Cartmel on the map and just brings people back out again from COVID. It gives people an understanding of what their local farmers do." 

Dave Marwood and his co-workers from ADJ

Local businesses also played a role at Cartmel Show. Bowness Bay Brewing was supplying alcohol to the punters at the show.

Anna Martin said: "We got asked to support the show by bringing a bar along-keep everybody happy. 

"The weather's fine, it's a bit breezy but we've sold quite a few already."

The company has already had a busy summer, supplying beer for Cartmel Races. 

Anna Martin and team from Bowness Bay Brewing