The Fatstock show And The Thief Takers

Even with the cold weather, it was clear there would still be a show on where sheep, cows and pigs would be presented and the best ones would win prizes.
It was the 104th show at Uppingham and the small market town was still a hive of activity and farmers from around the county and beyond would present their small stocks with fluffy,shiny coats and on their best behaviour!


Jane, Mark and myself had taken several months in preparing the animals to be shown.
We would brush them and handle them every day and get them used to different noises which they wouldn`t normally here and feed them good food, but the weather over the past few weeks had not been kind, but we were determined to get them ready and eventually the efforts put in would be rewarded then cruelly snatched away......

It was a bitterly cold morning and it had been snowing, and then it began again. Meanwhile the pigs didn`t mind this morning, they were cuddled up together in their straw beds, but soon it was time to get them ready, their coats gleeming, they were ready.

The last of the brushing and Bella would be ready, but we would continue with brushing  at the show as Highland Cows have very thick coats.

Well, Princess couldn`t wait to go!

At the show, brushes in hand and the young heffers were in fine fettal!

Other animals were also ready and hoping to win.

The shiny coats of the cows and bulls and white coats stood out proudly whilst the judge makes his way around the beasts before giving the ribbons of 1st,  2nd and 3rd.

And our two heffers came in a respectable 2nd as the best matching pair, Bella was quite overawed at the ribbon!

Whilst the Heffers came in 2nd, the Gloucester Old Spot Mark and Jane put in also came in 3rd.
But they too would be going home as it was not a farmers buying market today. 

And Jane was clearly very happy with the rosette for the matching pair, thats the heffers dear, not the other matching pair!


Sadly, the day turned sour as we returned back to the farm.
Finding all the gates open we new someone had been and left in a hurry........
Thieves had stolen handtools, lead and anything else they could get their hands on and sadly this is not an isolated incident and those so called people deserve to be hung by the short curlies then they would know what it is like to lose something that they need.
These good people are hard workers and have earned everything they own, they didn`t steal it and on numerous occassions have gone without to earn their living and provide for others and it saddens me that there are people willing to take from others whilst those who work hard and for little reward have it snatched away, I`m afraid my words are of little comfort to my friends but I only have contempt and strong unrepeatable words for those who show contempt.