Hurst’s 111th horticultural show was a bumper one – with the most visitors and the most entries in its competition classes for at least 12 years.
The team created a great afternoon of competition for cooking, art, photography, fruit, vegetables and flowers, along with local craft stalls and relaxation listening to the Earley Music Centre Jazz Band at Hurst Village Hall.
Frank Whittaker, show secretary, said: “Last year was good – we thought it couldn’t be bettered. But this year we’ve exceeded everything we did a year ago.
“We’ve had fabulous comments from so many visitors who said they love coming to the show because it’s really friendly and non-commercial, a real feeling of a traditional English village event.”
A particular joy, he says, are the entrants in the children and young people’s classes. “When they go in and find their medals for first, second or third places their face light up, some of them punching the air with excitement.
“Then they wear their medals round the show for the rest of the afternoon.”
Show visitors were able to meet the Hurst alpacas and also admire the scarecrow competition entries.
There were more craft stalls than ever. Among them were craftspeople selling handmade metal products and painted signs, jewellery incorporating the paint remnants of artist Sarah Goring’s palette, Hurst honey, Clive Winson’s woodcraft and also silver jewellery.
