WINNERS at Oswestry Show have spoken of their delight after a triumphant event celebrating for agriculture in the area.
Thousands of people crammed into the Showground at Park Hall for the 2024 show, with plenty of varied stalls, stands and plenty to do for all ages.
Andrew Jones, from Llanymynech, is one of the most recognisable faces at the show, winning trophies and awards year after year, and added to his haul by taking home Best in Show in both fruit and veg and flowers.
READ MORE: Thousands flock to Oswestry Show as chairman says it's 'one of the best in country'
He admitted that he faced tough competition at this year's event.
“I’m very happy with this year’s haul,” he said.
“It was good because there was a bit more competition.
“We’ve been asking for some of the lads to come down but they certainly did this year.
“I picked up two Best in Shows, for my flowers and my runner beans, and lots of other entries and wins.
“I’ve been coming since 1992 – it’s great for everyone.”
Another stalwart, in her own words, winner on the day was Oswestry's Sylvia Williams who picked up a first prize for Best Use of Colour in a table arrangement.
She said: “I’m so proud and thrilled with the award.
“I think it is fair to say that I am a stalwart of the horticultural tent.
“It means so much to me to be here – I was at the tent until 1am on Saturday getting everything ready.
“I do think that we keep our show going because it means people have somewhere to go and I’m really happy and proud that people have come.”
Another winner was Susan Thomas, from nearby Wrexham, whose family has been coming to the show for 50 years, as she won Heavy Horse Ridden on her horse Sontley Queen Elizabeth.
She said: “We’ve been coming for years.
“My dad, Jaz Roberts, has been coming for 50 years and I must have been for all of my 26 years.
“It’s a show we enjoy coming to – we get to see so many people and our trailer is like a mini party.”
Another staple of the show is the Whittington and Oswestry Young Farmers Club tent, and this year was no different as secretary and vice-chairman Edwards Sands explained.
He said: “The theme was our 80-year anniversary and it was great to see so many people and we had so many entries in the competition.
“We had two children’s competitions – eight and older and seven and younger, plus an open age one that created shoebox scenes of the club in years gone by.
“We announced it on social media and had a great response.
“We think the children of former members all came and took part.
“We’re always delighted to support the show and it’s a big part of our year.”
Show president Nigel Wittingham was delighted with how the show had gone, particularly after wet weather blighted last year's event.
“It is a lot drier than it was last year,” he said.
“You couldn’t get anything more different – from memory, I don’t think there’s ever been a show as bad as that for weather.
“We are so proud that the show was jam-packed so early on and I have never seen the showground look so good, to be honest.
“It’s so tidy and I have to give the credit for that to David Kempster who has worked hard over the last months to get everything right.
“It’s so important to have a chairman like that – you’ve got to have a kingpin.
“He has a long connection to the show, including his father, and he is very much supported by Whittington Young Farmers Club who he’s grown up with and it’s a continuation.
“I hope that it’s a show the town can be proud of – we do this as a way of advertising agriculture and it’s all done for nothing without volunteers.
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“I’ve been involved in things like this since I was 14 and then went on the council and my first chairman was Tom Steadman.
“I’ve been busy with it ever since – this is more than just a day in my calendar.
“It’s putting something back to the community, we work hard to do it and we get supported by the general public and we really thank them for that.”
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