Big Birds and Old Tractors

After the disappointment of no rosettes for us, we wandered back off to main arena, and it was time for the Falconry exhibition. Good looking bloke with the gift of the gab, good looking girl who don’t say owt and good looking raptors = can’t go wrong. So he came out first with his Harris Hawks, entertaining birds and happy to do his bidding. He got people up close and personal with these.

Next came the Peregrine Falcon. Naught little bird , this one, as he just wanted to fly about and didn’t really want to do as he was told. Anyway I nipped off to the ladies, and when I returned Mick was all misty eyed and informed me that I had missed the best bit. Young bloke got Bodie( falcon) into a high stoop and then he plummeted to the ground and just stopped short to get his prey. Apparently it was breath taking. Anyway as this Peregrine Falcon, had been generally time-wasting and messing about, it put a bit of a delay on the Golden Eagle flying. The young chap asked the compere if he had time and she replied "Yes, quick get on wi’it."

TOO LATE, he had just got the big Russian Eagle on his hand, ready to re-enter the arena, but from the other side making a sneaky entrance at quite a determined pace was the VINTAGE TRACTORS. ! oh come one !. The only people interested in these is VINTAGE FARMERS.

Mick did spot his fave – one that he had driven as a boy. And old grey thing. Anyway tractors is tractors. They all look much the same to me and to everyone else apparently. Most folks started wandering away or talking to their neighbour, or going to get a beer, or going to get some grub, anything but watch these old tractors chug and grunt their way around the arena. A lot of us looked longingly at the big Russian eagle, and she looked longingly back at us. We never saw her fly, as the old vintage tractors, after doing 2 laps around the arena, then all lined up in t’middle and just sat there chugging away.After about 10 mins they all rattled off out again, and people started returning to the side of the arena. Ooooh whats next,.

The Airdale Beagles !!!! The oldest bloodline pack of hunting beagles in the country. We were treated to half of them, they all raced into the arena, yowling and howling . a few stopped to have a pee up the corner of the bale we were sitting on. One even got high enough to splash Mick, but I didn’t say owt, and neither must you. Not sure when they had last had a walk, as most were voiding themselves in the arena( it was the Childrens Races next !). The Hunt Master looked fine and dandy in his regalia, and he knew all of them by name. Children and adults were invited to go and mingle with them. However, I decided against it, when I saw the Hunt Masters assistant pull her hands back a couple of times and shake them, and inspect them. I reckon she had a few teeth marks there. Great looking hounds, all so very pretty and feminine looking.

ASfter a while they all departed.and next up was Childrens Races. Hee heee, what a lot of cheating went on.Skipping races turned into running races with the odd skip here and there. Excited kids throwing themselves all over the ground( remember that the Beagles had just beeen in !!!!) . Sack races were good, but one disgruntled little chap, slapped his sack on the floor a couple of times, a sweet little girl fell over after trying to run in her sack. All the time the guy judging them was shouting “ bring skippin’ ropes back” “ bring them theeer sacks back “

THEN our hearts started pounding, when over the tannoy came “ all you lot sitting on bales around arena, if you bring ‘em in closer, whilst kids finish races, and make a smaller arena. Then we can get ready for t’ terrier racing “ ………