Three Counties Show 2009

DAREDEVIL bike rider Matt Coulter – who wowed the crowds at this weekend’s Three Counties Show – lives by a simple motto. “Life is an adventure,” he said.

“I like showing people how much fun and adventure is out there.”

Australian-born Coulter, also known as the Kangaroo Kid, has been racing bikes since he was 17 and riding since childhood. But did not get hooked on stunt riding until 1988.

“I always loved to show off,” he said.

“I liked making up stunts and trying new tricks so I started doing a few at the shows. I was showing off and getting paid for it.

“For a while I had a girlfriend who would do what she called ‘girl stunts’.

We’d go to the show and she’d be on the bike in this leotard. The farmers’ wives weren’t that impressed. The farmers loved it.”

At this year’s show Coulter’s adrenalinpumping display of stunts included jumping over a line of Morgan cars, as well as finding willing volunteers to sit on his quad bike while he performs crowd-pleasing wheelies.

THE opening day of the Three Counties Show almost turned into an episode of the Paddy and Rory show.

Comedians Paddy McGuinness and Rory McGrath took the Malvern showground by storm when they turned up to record the first programme for their new TV series Rory and Paddy’s Great British Adventure on Britain’s rural eccentricities.

As well as learning how to shear sheep – both with electric clippers and old-fashioned hand shears – the pair entered a yard of ale contest and joined in a barn dance.

Mr McGrath said: “I filmed near Worcester a few years ago at the Whittington Tump.

“I have never been to Great Malvern before but it’s a lovely, lovely town. We had a very pleasant evening here last night.”

Mr McGrath joked that he was having a fun time and enjoyed seeing the ‘angora sheep’.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had such excitement in an angora ring and it’s amazing how many different breeds of sheep there are in England,” he said.

The pair were taught by Three Counties sheep shearing committee member Stephen Lloyd.

Show press and PR manager Sharon Gilbert reported “a healthy attendance” on the first of the show’s three days.

“Advance ticket sales were up this year, which is unusual for this event, and with the weather forecast promising for the weekend we hope for a good final total,” she said.

Although livestock numbers have yet to fully recover from last year, when they were decimated by bluetongue, 2009 has seen big increases in the pig and alpaca sections and there were 1,600 cattle, sheep, pigs and goats on the showground on the first day.

A DELICATE BALANCING ACT

THE organisation that represents Worcestershire and Herefordshire’s leading landowners and country businesses faces “a delicate balancing act” over the next 18 months, its national vicepresident warned at the Three Counties Show.

Harry Cotterell, who farms at Garnons, near Hereford, told the breakfast meeting of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) it must be prepared for a change of government during that time.

“This means we must create a good impression with the Opposition, because it looks as if it could be forming a future government, but we must also continue to connect with the current administration because its policies will inevitably have an influence in the future,” said Mr Cotterell.

“This will be a very delicate balancing act and it is the first time we have faced such a situation since 1996 when it appeared the Labour party would be voted into power.

TRACTOR BOYS’ RECORD BID

NEVER mind changing a tyre, the lads from West Midlands Vintage Tractor and Engine Club re-built a complete tractor from scratch in under 14 minutes at the Three Counties Show.

Tractor re-building is becoming a new sport among farm machinery enthusiasts and the team of six from the WMVTEC were giving displays throughout the three-day show.

“Our current record is 13 minutes 15 seconds,” said club treasurer Richard Belwood from Powick, “but we hope to break that by Sunday night.”

The team is faced with a 1952 Ferguson TE20 tractor – fondly known as “the little grey Fergie”

– dismantled into 25 pieces. The challenge was to put it back together again as quickly as possible, start the vehicle up and drive it around.”

The world record for a full rebuild is 10 minutes.

REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL

IT’S not all doom and gloom in the farming industry was the upbeat message from show president Michael Brinton opening the Three Counties Show at Malvern.

“Worldwide demand for food is predicted to increase substantially over the coming decades, as the large-population countries such as China and India develop and grow their economies and can afford more sophisticated foodstuffs,”

he said.

“We enjoy a climate which is conducive to efficient food production and have the knowledge in that area and the marketing skills to take advantage of this increased demand.”

Mr Brinton said that the demise of the Royal Show – next month’s event is likely to be the last – should not be an indicator of the future fortunes of the Three Counties Show. “The TCS is here to stay and will continue to grow and develop,” he said.

DOGS JUMP THROUGH FIRE

RESCUE dogs were jumping through fire and walking backwards at the Three Counties Show.

The Paws for Thought dog display team, having performed at Crufts and on Britain’s Got Talent in recent years, returned to the annual agricultural show yesterday to showcase some impressive tricks. Man’s best friend took part in unusual agility routines, jumped through hoops of fire and walked backwards.