The spell of warm weather in March followed by low temperatures just before the show put paid to many possible exhibits but we still had 353 entries, with some new exhibitors too. The KEH always looks great when full for a show but the sea of yellows in the spring is amazing. The flower judge commented on the high quality of the exhibits in general. He said that the quality was getting better each year. Richard Hilson, Jim Stockwell and Tim Richardson shared most of the ‘Firsts’ in the daffodil categories but there were plenty of other spring flowers. Ann Higgins won the Special Spring Show 2012 Daffodil class for a stem of ‘Rosemoor Gold’. Josie Hughes’ 3 tulips were judged best exhibit in the flower classes. Flo Whittaker’s pot packed with purple hyacinths was also a well-deserved best in show. A new category of ‘Mother and Child’ (two pot plants, one of which has been grown from a cutting of the other) only attracted two entries this year but Jim Stockwell’s towering prostanthera, with its similarly flowering ‘child’, was spectacular. Vegetables are always in short supply at this time of year but Tim Richardson managed to find enough to win the Jeeves cup, with 2 splendid leeks as best vegetable exhibit. There were 4 trugs of mixed produce on display (a Spring Show record?). Clare Wilson’s was judged the best.

Flower arrangements celebrating the Diamond Jubilee greeted visitors as they entered the hall. It was encouraging to see an increase in entries for floral art, with newcomer Julie Hewitt’s interpretation of ‘Spring is Sprung’ complete with springs attracting a lot of attention, as did the bold red and black of her ‘Flamenco Dancer’. Fewer entries than usual for the annual photography section but Jocasta Fearn’s delightful photo of a child feeding turkeys contributed to the award to her of the Photographic cup. The handicraft sections provided mother and daughter Firsts for Pat Whetstone and Debbie Anscombe with a knitted jacket and a patchwork bag respectively.

As befits a village show there were plenty of delicious-looking entries for the cookery classes, with 14 Victoria sponges – another record? The aroma of the bread entries was gorgeous, Margaret Carter’s loaf being best cookery exhibit. Still little challenge Tom Hughes’s supremacy in the wine and liqueur classes! Children’s classes are attracting more entries and their scarecrows hanging at the front of the hall caused much amusement. David Adams – with a plate of decorated Easter biscuits – was the first to win the new Junior cup for a junior not winning a first prize in this or a previous show. Emily Sutlow managed 3 first prizes while Cerys Fruin’s photograph of a winter scene was superb.

All the exhibitors are to be congratulated on the high quality of their entries and the effort that went into them. But it wouldn’t be a Show without the visitors either – so everyone’s a winner!
Rosemary Humphreys

A list of all the cup and award winners is below.

Daffodil Society Bronze Medal & Certificate - Richard Hilson
The Fisk Cup - Richard Hilson
The Jeeves Cup - Tim Richardson
The Evelyn Drew Floral Art Cup - Pat Pickworth
The George Murrell Photographic Cup - Jocasta Fearn
The Lea Cup - Jim Stockwell
The Kieron James Toys Shield (Junior 10 & Under) - Cerys Fruin
The Heart And Soul and Perriwinkle Shield (Junior 11 –15) - Emily Sutlow
The Daffodil Cup - Helen Dunlop
The Dawson Cup - Tom Hughes
The LHS Junior cup - David Adams

Best In Show:
Vegetable - Tim Richardson
Pot Plant - Flo Whittaker
Flower - Josie Hughes
Cookery - Margaret Carter
Handicraft - Pat Whetstone

Trug Class:
1st - Clare Wilson
2nd - Gill Jones
3rd - Jocasta Fearn