Penistone Show: Lifetime's involvement for secretary who has loved pigs since the 1960s

“It had stopped for a while and when it came back my father Frank Clegg became involved. Dad was showfield manager a position he held for about 40 years until Nicholas Hoyland took over about 20 years ago. There won’t be many shows that have had only two in the past 60 years.

“My mum Dorothy was tradestand secretary from when it started up again and my sister Jacqueline took over from her. Mum is now 89.

“My grandfather was a farmer at Hoylandswaine. My parents bought a smallholding at New Mill. When myself and my sister were little my grandad gave us a piglet each which we looked after, took to the market and from the money we made from them we bought a sheep each. That’s when my mum and dad got into having sheep. They already had cattle but then we went into breeding pedigree Bluefaced Leicesters. Mum also trained sheepdogs.

Elaine said that her daughter carries on the family tradition of commitment to Penistone Show and that the show is still very much an agricultural show that provides something for everyone.

“My daughter Jodie has been helping me for a long time and her partner James is involved in the show too, basically he’s had no option. If you are part of the family, you are part of the show.

“We’re in the middle of the town and it is where local people from both the town and the surrounding villages and countryside catch up with one another.

“We try to have things that are appealing for all ages from little tots upwards. We don’t have a big funfair area because it’s an agricultural show first and foremost.

Elaine said that in addition to the sections that she runs there are two other livestock sections that are also looking in good shape this year.

“Lee Dunkley has built up an excellent pig section. He did a brilliant job last year and there is a new goat section secretary this year, Sam Cutler. It’s great to have new people contributing and growing sections. Greater participation has always been something I have tried to encourage in the sheep and cattle classes.

“Last year I put in place a rare breeds class for the sheep because we were gradually getting bigger and bigger classes for the upland and lowland any other breeds and continental any other breeds. It went down really well and this year I’m getting quite a lot of different breeds including Hebridean, Shetland, Dorset, Lincoln Longwool and Balwen Welsh Mountain.

“Whitefaced Woodlands, known as the Penistone sheep, are a prominent breed with big classes, along with Suffolks and Texels. Last year I also introduced Blue Texels. We also have a good showing of Ryelands.

Elaine isn’t shy of coming up with new ideas, sometimes coming up with them having visited other shows.

“You have to look at other shows to see how things are for exhibitors elsewhere, looking at classes, layout, anything we can do to improve.

“Four years ago I introduced a tiny tots class in the young handlers competition from age 3-7. An adult has to be in the ring with them and it is really lovely to see. We also have competitions for 8-11 year olds and 12-16s.

“We run the young handlers classes first before the main sheep classes because I feel it’s a bit like when children are going on a car journey and they are asking are we there yet?

“All the young handlers receive a rosette and sweets. The winner of each class gets a little trophy they can keep, made by a local lady who is a potter. The overall winner gets a trophy.

Elaine has her stall set out for attracting more breeds of cattle to the show and has brought about another new competition in recent times.

“Our main classes are in the commercials, Limousins, Highlands and Herefords, with other strong any other continentals and any other natives. I was really pleased last year when we attracted our first Longhorns.

“After the Interbreed champion is announced we then bring the champion of every class into the ring, including dairy and beef pedigrees and the commercial champion and we have Penistone People’s Choice.

“It’s the competition you came up with at the Great Yorkshire Show Chris. We thought it was a great idea. We ask for three volunteers from the public to come into the ring to judge which cattle they like and decide their own champion.

“I have a hamper donated from Utterly Yorkshire in Denby Dale that sells all Yorkshire produce which goes to the winning owner and we give something to those who take part in the judging.

PANEL

Elaine pays tribute to her team.

“I have an amazing group of stewards many of whom have been with me more or less from day one.

“My cattle team includes daughter Jodie and her partner James. It is led by Alison Brook from Upper Denby as chief steward who has her own sheep; with Dean Wyatt, landlord of The George pub in Upper Denby, and teacher Richard Senior who is a beekeeper and sells his own honey.

“Faye Nicholson is chief sheep steward and has been heavily involved with young farmers club activities. Faye’s husband is an agricultural contractor. The team includes Charlotte Watts who is a nurse and has built up an accredited Suffolk flock; her mum Tracy, our biosecurity secretary who helps with all car parking for the livestock; Katie Senior who was also involved with young farmers, grew up with Jodie and has alpacas and a young lady called Ailsa, our latest recruit.