Midges, Wind and Westmorland

I Hate Midges!  Really, what is the point of midges?  I'm sure the bats would find something else to eat if midges were eliminated. I hate them but they love me and take a jawful at every opportunity.  They've spoilt my evening (post work) visits with the boys all summer, they drive me mad, I have to wear a hood in the heat and I still get big itchy lumps on my face and neck that last days and days.

And I hate that they bother the boys so much, fortunately for them we get a lot of wind here during the day and that drives the midges away.  Mostly the wind drops by the evening but when it doesn't - I Hate the Wind! What's the point of wind?  it whips your hair across your face and you have to wear your stupid hoody...

Well if the secret of good blogging is little and often then that was the little.  The other thing I like in blogs is lots of photos, as I don't want any photos of midges or me in my hoody on the blog here are some of the Westmorland County Show where Andy and I were both novice stewards on Thursday.  Andy was ring steward and I was recording steward and it was a great day.

Andy practicing his alpaca mind control technique,

I can't say that out staring any of our boys has ever worked as well as this.

The ring steward caught in the act trying to steal a very nice white boy?
 

The public gallery was well attended throughout. In the middle of the ring Judges Liz Barlow and Shirley Bettinson

Commentator Robin Sandys-Clarke kept the public informed and entertained thoughout, and kept the recording steward giggling at the table with his anecdotes and asides.

This is the exciting line up of colour champions, the mud pools are indoors, the rain outside was torrential.

 The Judges don their wellies and find the deepest puddle in order to cogitate on their final decision, the Supreme Champion..

And the sash goes to the gorgeous Beck Brow Explorer, the Reserve Champion is Fallowfield Houghton King and about to receive a Judges Special Award is Brown Champion Barnacre Maketaten.  If she had been a he the ring steward would have stolen Maketaten like a shot.