THE weather was perfect, the animals and events outstanding, visitor numbers were up – and it was altogether a bonus year for Dunster Show last Friday (August 17).

There were an estimated 8,500 paying visitors and show members, with 500 more people on the gate than the previous year.

There were also 200 stalls, the largest number the show has ever had.

Horse and sheep entries were up, cattle entries a little lower because of TB – although actual numbers attending were as good as last year, said Rebecca Langdon, secretary of Dunster Show.

“There was a lot of local support and it was a great day out for the big farming community as well as holidaymakers,” she said.

The show is a celebration of rural life, with everything from horse riding events to cattle judging, grand parades of animals to all kinds of entertainment, trade stalls to craft and food.

Highlights included such events as the parade of cattle and sheep, entertainment on the village green, and youngsters aged four to 18 taking part in the young handler sheep classes.

As well as local people, Rebecca said some also came from all over to take part, particularly in the Horse of the Year qualifying classes, where entries were from as far afield as Yorkshire, Ireland and Scotland.

There were three new classes for these qualifiers, on top of nine other existing ones, and altogether there were 685 horse entries, 523 sheep entries and 45 for the fleece classes, as well as 168 entries for the cattle classes.

Full results and photos in tomorrow’s Free Press (August 24).