CONISBROUGH SHOW Sunny day, but poor crowd
Capital horse classes.
Some good racing.
The 17th annual show of the Conisbrough agricultural Society promises, we fear, to be also the last. The committee of the Society embarked on this year’s efforts with a certain amount of fear and trembling, and it seems that the apprehensions were, to a large extent, justified.
For several years past this fixture is suffered somewhat severe discouragement from the weather, which has always contrived to be as cold as charity when the Conisbrough agricultural enthusiasts set out their stalls, and has aggravated the indifference of the public. But Saturday was a perfect day, bright and genial without being oppressive. The venue of the show and sports had been removed from Park road, which is rather inaccessible, to a field which had been offered gratis by Mr WW Norwood, the Northcliffe field, off Elm Green Lane, within a few minutes walk of the railway station, and altogether centrally situated.
There was no counter attractions in the neighbourhood, and everything favoured a big success. Something less than £40 was taken and the gate, and although the society has an excellent subscription list, when one considers the limited nature of the agricultural interest, it will do well to clear expenses as a result of Saturday’s effort. There appears to be a marked decline in interest in the sort of thing which society had to offer the public on Saturday, and yet an attractive programme was presented.
The entries both for the show and sports were down, unfortunately, but with that what was placed on show was worth seeing. The quality of the exhibits in the horse classes was as good as anything, Mr Joseph Child, a familiar face at these gatherings, has previously encountered at Conisbrough and he has judged at pretty nearly all the shows held there. The cart horse class was the best feature of the show, and Mr Barber’s mare from Brinsworth, which won this class, was probably the best exhibit in the show. An interesting feature of this class was the appearance of Mr Caleb Kilner’s huge dapple grey, a local product, which migrated to Wilsic Hall, and was bought only a few months ago for 72 guineas. However it did not catch the judges eye and was placed fourth in its class. The most distinguished out was Mr Jack Haldenny´s Drewton Masher, formerly the property of the late Mr Atkinson Jowett of Oldcoates. The horse won the driving in single harness prize at Conisbrough last year, when it obtained honours all over the country; and at Conisbrough on Saturday it carried off its fourth first of the season. The spectacular horse events, such as the horse jumping, the tilting and musical chairs, were much appreciated, but here again the deficiency in entries was marked.
The sports
One of the most interesting features on the rather attenuated sports programme was the three-mile steeplechaser, which takes the place of the team race. A dozen competitors were found to contest this gruelling event. The run was from the showground by the Church to Hilltop, from thence by the turnpike to the brickworks and back into the village, around the castle by the Godfrey Walker Park, along Low road and Doncaster Road, Doubling back to the showground by way of the Station Hotel. Two Swinton men, Hobson and Crooks, covered the distance in good style, Hobson coming in first in 24 min 25 seconds.
There was a comparatively poor entry for the cycling, and the Ivanhoe Clubman and matters pretty much their own way, the most noteworthy performance established by Pickett and Neal. An excellent grass dry can be marked out, but it would have been materially improved by judicious rolling. There was only one spill all the afternoon, and that was not a serious one. The first 3 got home in the half mile bicycle final, but the fourth man swerved in at the winning post and came to grief, bringing Mr T Coy, the NCT judge, and other officials down with him in his fall. There was a general laugh, and no damage was done.
The Swinton men uniformly well in the foot running, but there was no competitor of outstanding ability. The sprint was won in very good style by Mr Williamson of Hallamshire, will do the distance in 9.5 seconds from the 9 ½ mark.
It should be mentioned that Mr Norwood, who has taken a deep interest in the promotion of the show and sports, since the institution of the movement, lent the field gratis. It was an excellent field, well-suited in every way to the requirements of the show committee.