The Royal Three Counties Show 2016

Last Saturday I was at the Royal Three Counties Show in Malvern as I was competing on behalf of Worcestershire Young Farmers in the junior cookery competition. This was my second year doing the junior cookery at the 3 counties after I placed second at county rally. I was making chocolate chip pancakes with caramelised bananas and a salted caramel sauce.

It seems to be a theme in young farmers that once you agree to do a certain competition one year, it seems to then become your competition for the remainder of the time you are in that age category. I have one year left as a junior so I guess I will be cooking again next year! I also took on the metal work this year and so I suppose I will be at the top of the list to do that again next year...

Anyways, I arrived at the Three Counties Showground on Saturday morning and lugged my bags and boxes of pots and pans to the young farmers tent. I wasn’t competing until 3pm but I wanted to have my stuff there so we weren’t running back and forth from the car... Having all my stuff ready meant we had a few hours to look around the show before I had to set up.

We went over to the main ring where there is pretty much something on all day. When we got there it was a ridden heavy horses competition. I am keen on horses myself and I think that heavy horses are particularly beautiful, even if they don't look like the easiest or most comfortable ride! It was lovely to watch, they were all turned out beautifully and were stunning to see.

Then we watched a beef cattle pairs class which I loved because one of the breeds being showcased was Belted Galloways (my absolute favourite breed!). They were gorgeous and I just wanted to take them home!

Then we stopped for lunch, there is a big focus on food at the show with loads of vendors and artisanal food tents. We settled for cornish pasties and my Mum had a halloumi, chicken and coleslaw wrap – we were all very pleased with our choices. I think that the show is a great place to showcase local products from food to wool and animals.

There are so many great things to do and see at the show, one highlight for me this year had to be the sheep show. There was a man set up on a stage with a bunch of British sheep and French etc. He really knew what he was talking about and you could tell he was very knowledgeable. But most of all, it was hilarious! The sheep danced! I was in absolute stitches. You can find their website here if you want to find out more.

After we had been for a wander, it was time for me to cook so I set up my board and signed in ready to compete. It was a very hot day so not the nicest weather to cook in, but I managed to get it all done and plated up. I placed 4th this year which I am pleased with but I think that my display could have been more obvious and this is where I lost the points. The theme was tomorrow's world and I went for the future of farming link but I think the judges were looking for a more space-related theme...

After I had cooked we went to watch The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery which was incredible to watch. There were teams of horses pulling 1 ½ tonne guns and they moved so gracefully and in such a synchronised manner. The riders were so in control and it was a brilliant display ending with the firing of the guns.

We had a great day at the show and I can’t wait to go back next year!

Just a sidenote: I am headed to Canada tomorrow for just over two weeks so may be inactive on my blog/social media, but never fear! When I get back there will be plenty of exciting photos and holiday posts! x

**I have not been sponsored or asked to write this blog post, all views and comments are my own. I am in no way affiliated with the brands aforementioned.

Update: Exams and Holidays

I’m coming into my third week of exams this week, I’ve done 17 exams so far which leaves me with only 7 more (24 in total!)... It’s been a long run up to them and they seem to be never ending, it’s fair to say I won’t be sad to see the end of them. GCSEs bring plenty of stress and difficulty with them, which I’m sure doesn’t hold a candle to that of A-Levels, but they also bring the longest summer I will ever have with no work or real responsibility.

I’ve got plenty of plans for the next few weeks starting with competing at the Royal Three Counties Show in Malvern then next Thursday I set off to Canada to see my Canadian family. It will hopefully be a nice, relaxing visit to wind down after a busy exam season.

After I get back I have got some work experience planned with my large animal vet which I am really looking forward to, and also some work experience with llamas and alpacas which I think will be really interesting and a lot of fun.

You can follow me on Twitter or Instagram (@woesofwellies) to keep up with my adventures over the summer, I will also be posting updates on my blog.

Schoffel Lyndon Fleece Gilet Review

I’ve had my Schoffel gilet for almost a year now, as I got it as a present for my sixteenth birthday last September, and I honestly don’t think there has been a week I have gone without wearing it. I thought I would share my views on it for anyone who is thinking about getting one or just wanted to have a nosy about what I think about the brand. 

I had wanted a Schoffel gilet for a while before my birthday but it was the kind of thing I couldn’t justify buying it myself so I was more than overjoyed to get one for my birthday. I had to have it in navy as I often joke that my wardrobe is ‚Fifty Shades of Navy‘ and anything else just wouldn’t go! We got mine from Philip Morris and Son and they were very helpful, especially as we had to exchange it for a different size. I would definitely deal with them again, you can find the link to my exact gilet here.

The gilet itself is made from Polartec® Thermal Pro® 200 weight fleece and is trimmed with Alcantara®, a suede-like material. The Lyndon gilet is for women and it has a drawcord at the back where you can cinch the waist in to give a more fitted look. It has also got two zipped pockets which are handy for keeping your phone (or other valuables) in on country pursuits . The gilet itself is warm and great for layering or wearing as a light jacket over a nice shirt or light jumper. I would say that it is true to size and you can always draw in the waist a bit.

I have really put my gilet to the test, on some cold days at the yard and on the hunting field, out shooting and at point to point events this year. It’s a great outdoor piece of clothing and you can dress it up too. I know a lot of people with one and I think all of my friends would say the same. 

I think that it is a timeless piece. It will never go out of style, especially paired with a pair of good wellies or some country boots. If any of you are thinking about getting one but are a bit undecided I say go for it. It is definitely one of my favourite pieces of clothing and I don’t know how I lived without it to be honest with you. The only thing is, once you have one you find yourself wanting more. Or the half zip fleece, or the full zip fleece, the whole range. They’re more addictive than a good pair of shoes! 

If you've got a Schoffel comment down below which colour it is!

**All Opinions are my own and are not influenced or sponsored by the brands