NORTHUMBERLAND County Show is to stage the Under-18 World Championship in Cumberland and Westmorland Wrestling on Bank Holiday Monday, May 26.

Paul Barber, chief wrestling steward, is “over the moon” that the show is to host the championship.

He said: “We’ve been working towards this for several years, and it’s a big coup for us. We are expecting more than 20 youngsters to enter, coming from the South Lakes, north Northumberland, and even from abroad.

“We also have competitions for under-11s and under-15s, plus under- 11, 12 and 13 stone, and all weights.

And we welcome any members of the public to have a go too!”

Last year’s Under-18 World Champion was Jack Brown, from Haydon Bridge, and although too old to compete in the competition this year, he will be fighting to win the men’s under-11 stone and 12 stone championships.

He first got involved at a country show when he was only ten. “Being tall, I found I could use my legs to advantage,” said Jack. “I won the world championship for under-15s when I was 14. I’ve gone from strength to strength since then.”

He puts his success down to the coaching he’s received at the Carlisle Academy for Cumberland and Westmorland Wrestling, where up to 40 youngsters train each week. Jack is a regular volunteer at Northumberland County Show, and this year will be helping out in the Equine Section from early in the morning until the wrestling starts at 1pm.

Jack’s dedication was rewarded by Tynedale Agricultural Society, which granted him an academic bursary to study at Oatridge College, Edinburgh.

He recently completed his studies and is looking forward to being an apprentice farrier in Peebles. “Without the funding scheme offered by Tynedale Agricultural Society, I could never have had these opportunities,” he said.

The origins of Cumberland Wrestling are uncertain, but many think the Viking invaders introduced it. Peter Hunter, who shares responsibility for the wrestling at the show, is a past world champion many times over.

“Variations of the sport are very popular in Scotland, Cornwall, France and Iceland, as well as other countries around the world,” he said.

“At the annual Grasmere Sports and Show in August, there is always a big French contingent.

“They’re identifiable by their knee-length shorts, in contrast to British wrestlers who wear the traditional long johns, embroidered vests and velvet ‘centre piece’ or trunks.”

There are now five academies across Cumbria and Northumberland, where men, women, boys and girls hone their skills.

The wrestling will be in the new castle arena at the show at Bywell, near Stocksfield.

Discounted advance tickets are available at north countyshow.co.uk.

There will be more than 300 trade stands, main arena events and nationallyrenowned agricultural livestock and equine sections.