Last week the 89th National Fruit Show was held at The Kent Event Centre. The 'biggest and best' show ever was graced with the presence of HRH The Countess of Wessex.
In this week's Journal the English Apple Man publishes pictures of some of the prize winners receiving their trophies and a full list of all prize-winners with the individual prizes they won.
The English Apple Man also highlights a V.I.P. "Brian Tompsett, who quietly goes about his business as Chairman of Judges with the support of his wife Norma who is Competition Manager. These two stalwarts ensure the Apple and Pear Competition Class maintains the long history of what is the centrepiece of the National Fruit Show.
Annually The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers present the Fruit Culture Award to an outstanding individual
Below: Chairman of Judges Brian Tompsett receives the Fruit Culture Award from WCF Under Warden Dr. Christopher Bishop accompanied by Norma
'The Fruit Culture Award' - In recognition of a substantial contribution to the fruit industry through communication skills or the transfer of technology e.g., fruit manager, lecturer, advisor or consultant.
Brian and Norma's life featured in The English Apple Man's "People Profiles" a few years ago. To read click on A Growing Partnership
NATIONAL FRUIT SHOW 2022 - PRIZEWINNERS
The National Fruit Show winners for 2022 have been announced on day two of the show, Thursday 3 November at the Kent County Showground.
Sarah Calcutt, Executive Chair of the National Fruit show comments. We were delighted to have received 95 entries from 22 growers. The National Fruit Show is the best showcase for British apples and pears when they are at their absolute peak having just been harvested. The judges have reported that the taste, colour and size of the apples has all been excellent and the very good growing conditions have produced a real depth and range of flavours. In short this is one of the very best tasting harvests that British growers have produced and we would encourage shoppers to look out for and buy British apples and pears in the supermarkets now and to help support British growers."
The English Apple Man Comments
It takes great patience and expertise to produce winning entries in the Show Class Competition. Over many years Annette Bardsley has excelled with many winning exhibits. Annette leant the skills from her mother-in-law Betty Bardsley, who was an outstanding competitor. We marvel at David Banfield who is a serial winner and creates entries for other growers as well. David just loves the opportunity to demonstrate this unique craft. Next year David will be 90 and this coincides with the 90th National Fruit Show.
It is good to see young exhibitors making their mark. Katie Langridge and Charnee Butcher are establishing themselves as serial winners.
Prizegiving by President Theresa Wickham supported by Exec Chair Sarah Calcutt
Below: Richard Edmed with Theresa Wickham and Sarah Calcutt
Name CLIVE & RICHARD EDMED
1 Alfred Shread Cup for Bramley in Class 1
2 The Twyman Prize for Bramley presented by Agrii
19 The Cornwallis Cup for Cameo
20 The Avalon Fresh Ltd prize for Cameo
52 NFU South East Award for the Best Exhibit of Apples or Pears in the Show
53 The Roderic Sarson Memorial Trophy for the Best All Round Exhibit of Apples
55 Podger Norton Trophy for the Best Exhibit of Culinary Apples
58 Fruiterers Company Medal for the best exhibit of Culinary Apples
60 Fyffes Salver for the Best Exhibit of Bramley
69 Dan Wuille Cup for best colour and skin quality for the variety in the culinary Apple Classes
Name BARDSLEY HORTICULTURE LTD
3 Squire Salver for Bramley in Class 2
4 The Avalon Fresh Ltd Prize for Bramley
Name CLAYGATE FARMS
9 Vernon Hayes (Seeds) Challenge Cup for Cox's Orange Pippin or any Cox Sport
10 Bayer CropScience Prize for Cox's Orange Pippin or any Sport of Cox
Below: left Theresa Wickham present Annette Bardsley and right' Claygate farms with their awards
Below: Katie Langridge - Mallions receives her awards from Theresa Wickham
Name MALLIONS
5 Dufaylite Developments Cup for Culinary Apples
6 The Wealden AM Prize for AOV Culinary Apple
7 The Systhane Cup for Cox's Orange Pippin or Any Sport of Cox
8 The Landseer Ltd Prize for Cox's Orange Pippin or any Sport of Cox
15 Pask Cornish & Smart Cup for Gala or any Sport
16 The Greencell Prize for Gala or any Sport
17 Foreman Salver for Russets
18 The Fruit Grower Prize for Russets
21 WASP Bin Trophy for Braeburn or any Sport
22 Worldwide Fruit Prize for Braeburn or Any Sport
23 George Harlow Cup for Any other Variety Dessert Apple
24 Invicta Petroleum Shield for Any other Variety of Dessert Apple
25 New Spitalfields Market Prize for Any Other Variety Dessert Apple
61 UKF Fertilisers Cup for the Best Cox's O P or any Sport in Classes 4,5, 18
63 Winch Memorial Challenge Cup for the highest no. of points for Weald of Kent Exhibits in all classes
65 Fiennes Cornwallis Trophy for the Exhibitor gaining the highest number of points in all Classes
73 The John Acock Memorial Rosebowl for exhibitor with most points in culinary classes
Name G CHARLTON & SONS
11 A R Pillar Challenge Cup for Rubens
12 The Avalon Fresh Ltd Prize for Rubens
Name CLOCK HOUSE FARM LTD
13 Fuller Water Systems Trophy for Jazz
14 Worldwide Fruit Prize for Jazz
54 Stokes Bomford Rose Bowl for the Best Exhibit of Dessert Apples
57 Fruiterers Company Medal for the Best Exhibit of Dessert Apples
71 R Mitchell Challenge Cup for the best exhibit of any dessert apple introduced in the UK after 2000
85 The East Malling Trust Prize for Blackberries
85A The Bloomfields for the best overall entry of Blackberries
Below: left G Charlton & Sons receive their award and right Robert Pascal Clockhouse Farm with their award
Name BRIAN PIPER PARTNERSHIP
26 The Ernest White Cup for Comice Pears
27 The Richard Hochfeld Ltd Prize for Comice Pears
28 AMG Trophy for Conference Pears
29 The Azets Ltd Prize for Conference Pears
66 The Cantagrians Cup for the Best Exhibit by an ex student of KFI or KHI
Name BANFIELDS
30 East Kent Packers Cup for Concorde Pears
31 The MFSS Prize for Concorde Pears
56 Bayer Rose Bowl for the Best Exhibit of Pears
59 The Fruiterers Company Medal for the Best Exhibit of Pears
Below: left Brian Pipier farms and right David Bandfield receive their awards from Theresa Wickham
Name J L BAXTER & SON
32 Segro Salver for Any Other Variety of Pear
33 NFU Canterbury/Sittingbourne Prize for Any Other Variety of Pear
Name STARKEY'S FRUIT LTD
34 Henshall Rose Bowl for Dessert Apples, Novice Class
35 F P Matthews Prize for Dessert Apples, Novice Class
62 John Henshall Salver for the best Exhibit of any dessert apple grown in UK outside Kent
Below: left Clive Baxter and right Suzannah Starkey receive their awards from Theresa Wickham
Name ELVERTON FARMS LTD
36 Horticultural Containers Wine Goblets for Pears, Novice Class
37 The Richard Hochfeld Prize for Pears, Novice Class
64 John Thwaites Bowl for highest number of points in all classes to Kent Exhibitor North of the M20
72 BIFGA Prize for the Exhibitor gaining most points entered by a BIFGA member
Name CHARNEE BUTCHER
38 The Western International Market Shield for Dessert Apples, Exhibitor under the age of 40
39 The Sue Daly Novice Trophy
40 The Haynes Agricultural (Kent) Ltd Prize for Dessert Apples, Exhibitor under the age of 40
68 W Bruce Challenge Cup for the Best Exhibit of Dessert Apples excluding Cox & Sports in Class 20
Name KATIE LANGRIDGE
41 A C Goatham & Son Memorial Trophy for Bramley Exhibitor under 40
42 A C Goatham & Son Prize for Bramley Exhibitor under 40
70 The David Burd Memorial Trophy for the entrant gaining most points in Class 18/19/20/21 (total)
Name BRAISEWORTH ORCHARDS
75 Agrovista Regional Champions Cup - Grower with most points from the Eastern CountiesN
Name A C GOATHAM & SON
67 JP Fruit Distributors Cup for the Best Cox's OP or Any Sport in Class 20
Name DERRICK MAY (FARMS) LTD
77 The J R Breach Prize for the Best Entry of TM Nuvar Variety - Misty Rose
SOFT FRUIT CLASSES
Name NEW FOREST FRUIT COMPANY
81 BerryGardens Prize for Strawberries
82 The Joan Buttfield Trophy for the Best Overall entry of Strawberries
Name J MYATT & CO
83 F Edmed & Sons Prize for Raspberries
84 CPM Ltd Trophy for Best Overall Entry of Raspberries
WALNUTS
Name BRICE WALNUTS
89 The Bennett Opie Prize for Walnuts
Name G J Cobnut Products
50 The MFSS Prize for Kentish Cobnuts
51 The MFSS Prize for AOV Cobnuts
88 The John Bardsley Tankard for Best Entry of Cobnuts
APPLE JUICE COMPETITION
Name FOUR ELMS FRUIT FARM
91 Four Jays Trophy for Class 40 Blended Apple Juice
92 Hill Fresh Fruit Ltd
94 Graham Amos Trophy for the Best All Round Entry of Apple Juice
Name YORKSHIRE WOLDS
93 The Crown Trophy for Class 42 Blended Juice
The tastiest apple and pear competition resulted in Robert Pascal Clockhouse Farms taking the apple award with Jazz and Richard Edmed taking the tastiest pear with Comice
Below: left; Robert Pascal receives the tastiest Apple Award and right. Richard Edmed receives the tastiest Pear Award
Below: Tasting panel and support team
Farewell Madam President
This year's show marks the retirement of our President Theresa Wickham who during her three-year tenure has used her long experience as a fruit grower and the last 30 years involved as a marketing expert, in support of Exec. Chair Sarah Calcutt and the Marden Fruit Show team. We will sadly miss her wise counsel.
Below: left to right: joint Vice Chair Annette Bardsley, joint Vice Chair Estera Amez, President Theresa Wickham and Exec. Chair Sarah Calcutt
That is all for this week, but more to come from The National Fruit Show next week
Take care
The English Apple Man