I really do hate to criticise show organisers as I know the enormous amount of hard work that goes into them. They do it in their spare time and without their dedication we wouldn't have any shows. But in my monthly piece in GN I've appealed to the show organisers and schedule makers to show a bit of imagination when they're deciding on what classes to include.
For instance, if the cauliflower class hasn't been well supported for several years then ditch it.......people can always enter them into the AOV (any other veg class) if they wanted to. And try to include classes that might get newcomers entering. At Sutton Bonington we have a class for tomatoes/runner beans and round beetroot (2 of each). As most people grow these it has always been well supported and a full bench is always a better spectacle for the viewing public.
And how about reducing the quantity needed. 5 carrots is ok at National level but is totally inappropriate for a village show. And after a few year of dwindling entries in the parsnip and long carrot classes we reduced from 3 to 2 and got quite a few more entries as a result. Obviously getting a matching pair is a lot easier than matching 3.
Finally, a schedule popped through the door last week for a show I entered for the first time last year. It's quite a large, prestigious show and was certainly a step up in class for me. But I had a few of my entries stolen from the tent as I was loading my car at the end of the show. I mentioned it to the organisers and then sent them an email thanking them for a marvellous show but asking if they might do something to stop further thefts from happening in future. I never received a reply and fellow exhibitors have told me they have suffered similarly in the past.
They, like myself, shall not be bothering in future which is a great shame.
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