Dogs of Airedale

Keighley Show #5

There were hundreds of dogs at Keighley Show, some entering the canine classes and many more just accompanying their owners around the showground. Here are a few of those I managed to capture with my camera. It was clearly a wonderful and exciting doggie experience, with lots of scent trails to follow and lots of other dogs to greet and sniff. They were all remarkably well-behaved. 

 

Heavy horses

Keighley Show #4

My favourite part of any agricultural show is seeing the heavy horses, so I was delighted to find quite a few on show in Keighley. Once an essential part of a farm and used for pulling ploughs and carts, nowadays they're mostly kept as pets and for show, though a few are still used as working horses. (It's not that long ago that the city of Bradford stopped keeping them. They used to use them to pull water carts to water the plant displays around the city centre, and some breweries used them as dray horses until fairly recently.) There are two native breeds - Shire horses and Scottish Clydesdales - and I'm not sure how you tell them apart. 

Perhaps my love for them is in my blood, as one of my great grandfathers was a horseman on a farm. 

The judges are very thorough, checking every aspect of their appearance and build, from the lush 'feathers' over their feet to their gait when trotting. 

 

Things that made me smile

Keighley Show #3

Agricultural shows are a warm mix of the serious, the competitive, the educational and the entertaining. These folks were sitting there in ridiculous hats, raising money for charity. For a small fee you could press the button and they'd change their fruit hats. If they all happened to don the same one at the same time, you won! What heroes, and how friendly they were. 

Seeing chaps together having a good natter always makes me smile. These days farming is a tough gig and anything that works against isolation and despair has to be a good thing. 

There's always a brass band and brass band music is usually very uplifting. I'd like to have shown you the two little girls, sitting at their mum's feet as she played. They had a 'babysitter' but preferred to be close to mum. Very cute but I don't like to show children's faces on here if I can avoid it. 

I was able to take a back view of these two, who'd managed to find a rogue patch of straw and were intent on dispersing it over everybody! 

Equally mischievous, this sheep was very determined to lick every last morsel of feed from the bag! (Don't worry, the farmer was close at hand to intervene if needed.) 

I was amused by these carved walking stick handles. Not the most polished that I've seen but I thought they had charm and lots of character. 

Sculptures outside the horticulture tent were rather funny. People do like to poke fun at 'the orange one', even over here! 

 

Sorting out the sheep from the cattle

Keighley Show #2

There were livestock classes, not nearly as many as at the bigger shows but still interesting. It's the only time I dare get close to farm animals. I certainly don't relish meeting them when I'm out walking, especially if there's no fence separating us! 

The shows are a chance for farmers to get together and chat, so you can often snap nice candid shots. 

I liked the very fluffy sheep. I think they're Valais Blacknose, usually kept as pets in the UK. 

I wasn't so sure about the bright yellow ones! I don't think they are naturally this colour but for some reason the farmers dye them. Quite striking, I suppose. 

Onto the cattle. There weren't that many and I kept well away from the big black bull, magnificent though he was. One of my great uncles used to own a dairy farm. I remember vividly visiting there as a child and being introduced to their huge bull, which had a massive ring through its nose. To a small child, it seemed terrifying. I was glad to escape to the farmhouse kitchen, with its comforting warmth from the Aga. I really loved my great aunt, an archetypal, large bosomed, soft featured farmer's wife, invariably in an apron and always baking. She had such a kind face and was usually smiling. 

I enjoy watching the highland cattle. I often wonder how they can see through all that hair. 

Equestrian events at Keighley Show

Keighley Show #1

It was a fine, dry day so I decided on a whim to go to Keighley Show, the annual agricultural show. As these things go, it's a relatively small affair but in many ways that makes it nicer, as you can get closer to the action and see more of it. 

When I arrived, there were show jumping classes in the main ring.  

Shetland ponies were being judged. I rather liked this one with the blonde mane. These little ponies all have the cutest fat tummies! 

In another ring, carriage driving classes were underway. 

The lady in the black hat and gloves (on the left below) is the judge. I rather like the tradition that the officials dress up for the occasion - and there's always a lot of countrywear about: checked shirts, moleskin trousers, fleece gilets. Me... I just wore my jeans and a top, not very 'country' or dressed up! 

Early autumn

Early autumn... Sunshine and showers, leaves beginning to yellow

and an abundance of berries on the hawthorn. I think the hot, dry summer has stressed the plants so they think they must produce lots of chances for future survival.

 

'Hibiscus Rising'

Sculptures in Leeds #5

Our final stop on our tour of Leeds sculptures was 'Hibiscus Rising' by Yinka Shonibare. Unveiled in 2023, it is a memorial to David Oluwale, a British-Nigerian man who at the time of his death was homeless and had mental health problems. He drowned in the River Aire in Leeds in 1969, after being chased and beaten by police, two of whom were subsequently convicted for their involvement in a sustained campaign of racial harassment and brutality. 

The brightly coloured sculpture of an hibiscus flower is decorated with batik patterns symbolising joy, healing and beauty. 

It's placed in a memorial garden in an area south of the river that is gradually being transformed into Aire Park. Old buildings are being demolished or repurposed and new office blocks are springing up. Our cities are constantly on the move! 

Andy Scott sculptures

Sculptures in Leeds #3 & #4

Our Leeds camera club outing then took us over to the Trinity Leeds shopping centre, which was opened in 2013 and holds some of the big name retail brands like M&S, Primark, Next and Boots. 

The centre has a large steel sculpture of a packhorse carrying a roll of cloth, 'Equus Altus' by Andy Scott (who also created Scotland's famous Kelpie horses' heads). I'm rather fond of this one. 

Outside the centre is 'The Briggate Minerva', also by Andy Scott. Minerva was the Roman goddess of commerce and weaving, making her a good choice for this city with its strong history of textile manufacture. She holds a length of cloth and some stars, and wears an owl mask. Owls are a Leeds city emblem. 

As it was a camera club outing, we were encouraged to try for a range of shots, both descriptive/record and more creative. 

 

Crag House Farm

After my walk round Yeadon Tarn, I decided I'd drive a little further to Crag House Farm. It's run by a Christian charity, 'Caring for Life', which supports vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Leeds, through residential homes, care in the community and therapeutic projects at the farm. The farm site has lovely grounds, a plant nursery and a rather good restaurant and shop, selling local produce including beef, lamb and eggs reared on the farm. 

It's a while since I last visited and the grounds have been extended beyond the original woodland garden and down into the fields beyond. 

The bog and pond areas were low in water, though the bullrushes were abundant, as was the fruit on the trees and hedgerows. This was the last week in August and I'm not sure apples are usually ripe by now. Autumn seems to be early, I suppose sparked by the dry summer. The trees are stressed and prompted to produce fruit to survive, perhaps? 

Just alongside the farm buildings, some of the workers were checking (counting?) sheep. I hope they slept well that night!