The 59th Crondall Flower Show was bigger than ever spilling over 3 venues the Village Hall., the Old Gym and the All Saints Church.
Below is a verbatim report from the one and only Helen Baker, who with tireless enthusiasm and a great team makes this annual event such a success.
Crondall Flower, Produce and Craft Show 2023
The 59th Crondall Show was held on Saturday, 29 July 2023. Many thanks to Spire Clare Park Hospital for their continued sponsorship; to the Croft Café, who remained open through the afternoon to refresh our visitors, and also made a financial donation to the Show; to our other advertisers, Foster and Heanes, Ace Children’s Services, and LT Running; and to the Village Stores for both selling programmes and taking in entries for us. You are all essential to the continued success of our village show, and we are very grateful for your support.
We received 663 entries from 168 entrants - the latter, a 20% increase on last year; we love seeing so many people participate in our wonderful show. Congratulations to all our winners, especially as the overall standard of the entries seemed much higher this year. A particular shout out goes to the 23 quilts which filled the Old Gym (our largest class by a long way). In the Village Hall, we saw a 34% increase in our floral entries, including a great display of dahlias, and our domestic judges tasted their way through 15 Victoria sponges, and 15 cheese scones! Our floral arrangement entries were exhibited in All Saints’, as part of the Festival of English Gardens, and complemented the Church Flower Ladies’ beautiful arrangements very well. Children’s and Junior entries were of a very high standard – particular congratulations to Jack Bretton, Beatrix Webb and the Crondall School allotment as winners in the inaugural junior gardener’s (flowers, vegetables and fruit) category.
Thankfully, the Show was rather less eventful than last year. Once again, the Chairman proved she is incapable of reading the programme and had one of her exhibits disqualified. We also apologise to the grandmother who accidently got entered as a junior – we hope seeing your name on a junior photography prize card at least makes you feel young at heart!
Next year’s show will be held on 28 July 2024, and is our 60th anniversary. We would like to mark this event in some way, and are looking for any old programmes, photos, other items, and memories, of earlier shows. If you can contribute in any way, please contact any member of the Committee, or email us on CrondallShow@gmail.com. In addition, if you have any comments on this year’s show, or suggestions for next year, please contact us. We are holding a washup meeting in the Autumn and will look at all suggestions then.
Finally, a big thank you to all our entrants, visitors, judges, volunteers for around 40 other roles, and our super hardworking Show Committee – it wouldn’t happen without you all.
Helen Baker
Chairman
Cup Winners
Sanders Cup | Best Rose Exhibit | Sue White |
Barber Cup | Best Sweet Pea Exhibit | Mary Harris |
Stephens Cup | Best Dahlia exhibit | Pippa Wilkinson |
Ivil Cup | Best aggregate of points for Flowers | Helen Baker |
Low Cup | Best aggregate of points for Vegetables and Fruit | Marion and Steve Cook |
Cummins Cup | Best aggregate of points for Flowers, Vegetables and Fruit | Marion and Steve Cook |
Steward Cup | Best Collection of Vegetables | Marion and Steve Cook |
Green Cup | Best Family Collection of Produce | Mary Harris |
Rowley Cup | Best Floral exhibit | Ann Ings |
Wood Cup | Best aggregate of points in Floral Section (excluding winner of the Rowley Cup) | Elizabeth Lloyd |
Gomme Cup | Best Art exhibit | Elizabeth Lloyd |
Lloyd Cup | Best Junior Art exhibit | Elsa Baldry |
Sinclair-Brown Cup | Best Photography exhibit | Sally Retief |
Clegg Cup | Best Junior Photography exhibit | Amber Retief |
Thomas Cup | Best Sloe Gin | Steve Cook |
Hamerton Cup | Best Junior Cake | Elsa Baldry |
Clare Park Cup | Best Men’s Cake | Tim Murray |
Clogstoun Cup | Best aggregate of points in Domestic Section | Vicky Assael |
Spire Healthcare Cup | Best Handicraft exhibit | Mary Harris |
Knitting Cup | Best Knitted exhibit | Helen Cain |
Ted Towndrow Cup | Best Children’s exhibit | Liliana Best |
Children A | Best aggregate of points, Children under 5 | Charlie Oliver Florence Hind |
Children B | Best aggregate of points, Children 5-7 | Thomas Bartley |
Children C | Best aggregate of points, Children 8-11 | Elsa Baldry |
Junior Cup | Best aggregate of points in Children’s Section | Thomas Bartley |