Another bumper year for Countryside Live

Organisers declared it one of the best yet with 12,215 visitors through the gates – second only to last year's record of 12,689.

The rural extravaganza, which celebrated its 12th birthday, is particularly aimed at families, but also features some of the finest cattle and sheep in the country, and some fast and furious equestrian events.

Bill Cowling, show director, said: "This year was certainly one of the best, if not the best ever. It is a mark of the stature of Countryside Live that so many of the livestock winners will go on to achieve further success on the winter fatstock show circuit.

"As soon as the gates opened, there was a steady flow of people coming in, and the atmosphere's been tremendous. It's very much a fun event, but it is also a wonderful showcase of the farming industry."

A packed programme of events included lots of favourites along with new features including mountain bike displays, pony rides, and the exciting North Show cross equine competition, which saw success for several local competitors.

Lilia Schaible, 13, from Darlington, won the 80cm class on Knock Boy Lad, her eight year-old Connemara pony. "He went brilliantly. I'm so proud of him," she said.

Shauna Carman, 14, from Langley Moor, Durham, riding 17-year-old Dude, another Connemara, won the 90cm class. Last year, the pair won the 70cm class and were runners-up in the 80cm.

Shauna and Georgia Garnett, 13, from Stockton, on Gloria, and Rachel Proudley, nine, from Stokesley, on Painted Lady, then went on to win the new Junior Inter Team Relay competition, riding as the Darlington-based Alan Scott Team.

Georgia said: "There was a lot of competition, lots of teams taking part, so we did really well and are very proud."

The Jack Thomas Watson Horse Sales Team from Newcastle won the senior Inter Team Relay event, after one rider was drafted in at the last minute.

Kaylie Ritson, 26, of Morpeth, and Samantha McNicholas, 26, of Darlington, persuaded friend Hollie Davison, 23, of Durham, to join them in the final after a team mate was forced to pull out at the last minute.

Samantha, who also picked up the 70cm senior title, said: “We hoped we would do well, but you can never expect it at an event like this.”

It was a case of third time lucky for Knaresborough rider Grace Addyman, 24, who took the trophy in the Northern Show Cross senior 90cm section on her 15-year-old Irish sports horse, King. “I was really surprised and really delighted. It's certainly third time lucky for me. He’s got a really long stride and jumped a clear round,” she said.

Anna Aldred, of Darlington, took the 80cm title.

Graham and Tina Fletcher selected Lara Gorse, 12, from Loughborough, as their potential Young Showjumper of the Future. She won through against dozens of competitors and ten finalists.

Elsewhere, Keith and Gill Robson, from Hurworth, were celebrating after their American Show Racer took the supreme pigeon title for the second year running.

Their 18-month-old dark chequer cock won the overall best Fancy pigeon title _ its eleventh title in as many shows.

Mr Robson said: "It's just one of those pigeons. He started winning titles when he was six months old and he's just carried on.

"He looks after himself well. Birds usually need a break between shows, but I could show this one every day of the week and he'd keep winning awards."

Thomas Gardiner, of Durham, took the Best Fancy Flying Pigeon title with his three-year-old black West of England Tumbler. He won in 2012, but lost out to the Robson's last year.

THE supreme sheep championship title stayed in Yorkshire when the Clough family were victorious.

Ian and Shelley Clough of Stape, Pickering, and young sons Jake and Max, took the overall title with a pair of seven-month-old Dutch Texel ewe lambs, weighing a combined weight of 92kgs, which also took the Continental title. onee of them also won the single butchers' lamb championship.

"I can't believe it," said Mrs Clough." In the past, we have always been near, but this is the first time we won the title."

The family have 100 pedigree Dutch Texel ewes and exhibit at a few local shows each year, including the Great Yorkshire and Ryedale.

In the young handlers' sheep section Max, 12, was second and Jake, nine, was fourth in the nine to 14 year category.

The reserve supreme and Continental titles went to James and Gillian Whiteford, from Brampton, Cumbria, with another pair of Dutch Texels.

PHIL and Sharon Sellers returned to their winning ways when they took their fifth supreme beef championship at Countryside Live at the weekend.

The couple from Lincoln took the title with More Of That, a 15-month-old 604kg Limousin-sired heifer bought at Carlisle in the spring and where she was due to return to compete at Agri Expo at the Borderway Mart on October 31.

Mrs Sellers said: "We've won four times with heifers, all of which were in the 600kgs range. We used to breed cattle, but diversified into catering, which has been very successful and is our main business."

They buy about 11 calves a year – mostly from Brecon, Carlisle or Penrith – and rear them to show.

More of That was also champion Limousin-sired heifer and overall heifer champion before taking the supreme title. She was also champion at Lincolnshire show and champion heifer at Pateley Bridge.

The Sellers also took the baby beef championship with Miss Chief, a seven-month-old first cross Limousin by Bailea BMW out of a British Blue, which was on her first outing and which was also going to Agri Expo.

The Alford family from Cullompton, Devon, were reserve supreme with the 562kg British Blue-sired Pokerhontus. It was the 17-month-old's show debut and was also champion heifer served by a British Blue and reserve champion heifer. The Alfords bought her in the spring from Gordon Carroll at Huntley. The family was also runner-up to the Sellers in the baby beef heifer class with the British Limousin-sired nine-month-old Pokerlicious.

The winner of the 2014 born baby beef steer calf class was Slack and Richardson, of Newby, Penrith, with the January-born Sparticus, which has a British Limousin sire and dam

The Stephenson family from Bordley Green Farm, Bordley, Skipton, were in the limelight when they took three titles with Bordley Pot Black their 17-month-old home-bred steer sired by their Limousin stock bull and out of a British Blue cow.

Weighing 608kgs, he has won three championships at local shows this year and was reserve champion at Westmoreland. At the weekend, he was champion beast, Yorkshire-bred, owned and shown; champion exhibitor bred beast, and was reserve overall steer.

The overall champion steer was from Berwyn Hughes, Ceredigion, Wales, with 18-month-old Tomi Gun, sired by a British Blue out of a British Limousin. He was also champion steer sired by a British Blue.

JA Stoney & Son, of Pateley Bridge, was reserve in the champion heifer class served by any other breed with their 15-month-old home bred Strawberry Blonde, sired by a British Blonde out of a British Limousin cross.

The Beef Young Handler competition was won by show regular Luke Wilkinson, 13, from Leyburn with a six-month-old Limousin cross.

The couple last appeared at Countryside Live in 2005 and have since had a young family – Jack and twin daughters, Abbie and Jessica – and have been concentrating on the farm business. "The last two months have been hectic," said Mr Whiteford. "We sell 250 shearling rams a year."

The Native sheep title went to Anthony and Emma Thompson for the sixth year running.

The couple, who farm at Foulridge, Colne, Lancashire, also took the reserve native title – all with April-born pairs of Suffolk cross Beltex weighing a combined 96kg.

The champion sheep young handler was Richard Lancaster, 14, from Clitheroe. He has shown since he was three years-old and has his own sheep on the family farm – 25 Beltex ewes and 15 Swaledales. The champion in the eight years and under section was Harvey Heath, aged seven, from Ashbourne.