Two-year-old girl wins prize at Melton's Fatstock Show
A two-year-old girl was the youngest winner at this year’s annual Fatstock Show and Sale at Melton Mowbray.
The family of little Annie Skinner were very proud to see her win a highly commended rosette for her delicious Christmas cupcakes on Saturday.
There was quite a range in ages of entrants in the home produce competition, which was held in the Exhibition Hall at the town livestock market.
Octogenarian Ratcliffe-on-the-Wreake farmer, Major Brocksopp, won the chutney class with a perfect mark of 100 – this also gained him the trophy for best exhibit in the home produce section.
Some of the best cattle, sheep and pigs in the country were being exhibited in the livestock categories of the show, which is organised by the Melton and Belvoir Agricultural Society (MBAS).
The Champion Beast this year was a British Blue X Heifer from C&G Davies, of Gaddesby, which sold for £5,000 to the Bell Hotel at Winslow.
Young Stockperson Champion Beast Challenge Cup was judged to be a Limousin X Steer entered by J Ketley, of Colchester, and it sold for £4,350.
The cowhide from last year’s record-breaking Champion Beast was donated by Philip Menday, of the Bell Hotel, Winslow, and sold for £3,650, with all proceeds going to farming charities.
Back in the Exhibition Hall, Clawson Farm won both the Stilton and the Best Midlands Cheese classes.
The Walkers Charnwood bakery had an incredible day, winning three of the pork pie classes and the speciality pie section.
Dickinson and Morris won the two remaining pork pie classes.
Pork pie judge, Rita Wells, said: “The standard of pies has improved over the years and for the first time ever I had a perfect pie.”
This honour went to Walkers Charnwood bakery for their large hoop raised pie.
The Exton-based Farmer Lou Farm Shop triumphed in both the pork sausage and speciality pork sausage classes, while Winterton’s butchers, of Mountsorrel, won the best speciality non-pork sausage section.
The home baking section produced a wide array of cakes, pastry and preserves.
A charity auction of produce in the Exhibition Hall, and a further auction at the Society dinner, raised a total of £6,660.
This will be shared between the Melton Mayor’s charities, Pepper's – A Safe Place and Melton Mencap, and the MBAS president’s charity.