The 2009 Sanday Show was blessed by a day of wonderful weather – this being completely a-typical. We made the most of it and the day was happy and relaxed.
Blue skies and seaside clouds
Mr L had forgotten to book the day off and therefore had to take the alternative action of starting work at 6am in order to finish at 1p m. I delivered lunch to his desk so that we were able to go out immediately after work.
As always, we made the fowl our first stop – disappointed this year by a low number of entries. Mr L liked the ones with the feathery feet but we had to agree to disagree, as I really feel uncomfortable with anything that appears to me to be “extreme breeding”.
Immediately next to the birds we found the dog ring – a bit of a treat this, as in previous years we had completely missed the dog classes. We stopped to watch a couple of classes then moved on.
Dog judging
We paid our entry fee (£2 including the evening Dance and supper) and made it our business to see what was happening in the sheep pens…
Gill's Sheep did well
Where SpinningGill had collected a few prizes…
Some of Fenella's sheep
And so had Fenella.
I grabbed a few gratuitous sheep shots while I was at it.
Hebridean
How do ewe do?
The bum shot
I love this shot - it seems to portray a wonderful combination of strength and care in the way that the men hold the sheep
We hung around for a while, watching and passing the time of day with the other onlookers, but I was eager to see my true favourites.
Good with a little horseradish...
Looking back through the photographs it became apparent just how much of the day is about line-ups.
The Show is small but perfectly formed and offers everything an Agricultural Show should.
Fancying a change from the straight and narrow, we popped across the field to watch some circular equine activity.
Little ones
Middle-sized ones (very Thelwell)
and grown-up ones
The weather remained amazingly good.
See, we even had a bouncy castle! Look at those fluffy white clouds and brilliant blue sky
I tried to get some action shots taken.
Western style
I was successful in part but also managed to grab a few half horses, back ends… front ends…
It was now 2 pm, time to go in to the hall to see what was happening in the Industrial Show.
Alistair Carmichael was saying his few words in opening the Show as we entered the hall. We were right at the rear but I could see even from there that I had gained a First in the photographic section. Up on the stage at the front of the hall I could see a red ticket on my Crab photo (Class: Animals). How exciting!
Crabs at Scuthvie Bay. First prize in "Animals"
A ripple of applause greeted the opening of the Show and we set off clockwise, past the flowers,
Floral abundance
and the veg,
Onions and Brassicas
Tatties
heading in the direction of Handcrafts. . .
… where we were startled to find that both my felt pieces had been successful. However, a quick examination revealed that the prizes didn’t count – there was no competition! What a shame. Hopefully there will be more entries next year.
Nuno Felt scarf
Needle felt collage
I had entered a Nuno scarf, made in haste earlier in the week, and a scrap of needle felt that had been sitting in the Craft room for 2 years. Talk about luck.
Then Mr L noticed the Greetings Cards, pointing out that I had taken First and Second with my two entries.
How?
The Greetings card class
Prize winners
Bear in mind that I didn’t make any cards for the Show.
We had rifled through my stock box and selected two of the very few remaining in there after similar selections were made last year and the year before. Seriously – the dregs.
This will remain a mystery but, like the felt, file it under “dumb luck”.
Next along the bench was the important one – the handspun skeins class that we had asked for. Marja took both Second and Third prizes. But look what I did!
Skeins
2ply Shetland Tweed
I’m allowed to be proud, aren’t I?
Next up was “Any other crafts” where SpinningGill took First and Second with her saddlery (Head Collars) before coming to the truly serious business of the afternoon…
Item Knitted from Handspun Yarn.
SpinningGill took Second with her socks and Third with her Jacob waistcoat. She’ll hate this photo, I think, but she’s allowed to look windswept and interesting after a day on the show field with sheep and horses.
Gill's handspun knitting
The star of the day, Sanday Spinners-wise was Marja. Not only did her fabulous jacket take First Prize here but just look at the cluster of yellow Special Prize tickets that she was awarded! Brava, Marja!
Marja's handspun show-stopper
But what a shame that I managed to take such a poor photograph. This one is better, but further away
Two handspun winners
You can just about see my two also rans in this shot 
A quick scurry around the knitting revealed that I had gained more success than in previous years and had totted up a few prizes – the best being a First in the scarf class, with my Fernfrost.
Winning scarves
I even got special comments! That’s Gill’s handspun scarf that matches her 2nd prize socks – itself gaining a Third.
My two hat entries failed to please the judge, but I managed second and third places in both the shawl and the Any Item From 100 g classes.
Something to aim for next year
I'm pleased that the socks did well
Fernfost scarf
Pink Swallowtail shawl
4ply merino Girasole circular shawl
Laeticia socks in Yarn Yard "Toddy"
I think that was a pretty impressive performance between us. The Sanday Spinners have talent!
Rivolo Scarf in Yarn Yard "Lochan"
But the success hadn’t yet come to an end. It was almost time to go back onto the field for the best part of the Show, but there was still a little time remaining in which to admire the photographic and baking classes. We scurried up on to the stage and around the photo displays.
I had indeed gained a First for my crab, but also for one of my Boat(s) photos and for one of my Digitally Enhanced images. Two entries in “Sanday Show” were successful and a Third place in “Sanday View” topped off the day’s personal haul.
The photos did quite well this year
First Prize "Digitally Enhanced" - Poppies on the beach at Carsethorne
Gill, however, was doing rather well out on the field in the meantime.
My favourite part of the whole day is when the Champions are judged and then go head to head for the Champion of the Yard. The best of the cattle classes meets the best sheep and the best horse and even the best of the fowl. The judge then has the unenviable task of identifying the best of all the best. And our very own SpinningGill was in the ring with Shanty !
Judging the Champion of the Yard
And the sun was still shining!
Shanty, best horse in show 2009
Sadly, Shanty didn’t win, but she certainly had her moment of glory.
This is the wee chappie who stole the trophy:
The Best
Well, I don’t know about anybody else but I’d had enough sun by then and was more than ready to go home. At 4pm I dutifully collected my entries and went home for my tea.
It was a lovely, happy day, with success piled upon pleasure and everybody did so well. And the sun shone.
On Saturday when I was out and about several people congratulated me on having done so well at the Show. What they knew, and I didn’t, was that I had won a Special Prize for most points in the Handcrafts section (the felt, skeins, cards, and photos). I probably should have gone to the Dance for the prize-giving but the sun had given me a terrible headache and I was tucked up early in my bed. I’ll go next year – when I get most points in the knitting section. LOL. Now, there is something to aim for!
Shall I let you in on a little secret? What I really desire most of all, is a red card in the Shawl class. Wouldn’t that be something to write about?
