Show set to steam into record books
ORGANISERS of this weekend’s Vintage Agricultural Show at Les Paysans, St Peter’s, say history will be made with the largest number of steam engines ever gathered in Guernsey.
Organising team member Ron Le Cras said the last steam engine to come to Guernsey was more than 20 years ago for the West Show.
Five of them and one steam tractor will be on display or working today and tomorrow.
‘We’ve also grown some barley which we’ll be threshing with two large machines on both days and this will be the first time that two machines have worked together like this in Guernsey,’ he said. ‘The last threshing of any sort on the island was in the early 1980s.’
Some of the equipment arrived on the Commodore Clipper on Thursday, including a Foden steam tractor and two steam engines, which powered their way to the site where the West Show was last held in 1985. It took them about one-and-three-quarter hours to get there.
The weekend will feature a wealth of other entertainment including two teams of shire horses which will be giving ploughing demonstrations.
The event was held for the first time at Haye du Puits, Castel, last year and was well attended.
Mr Le Cras said the larger site this year had enabled them to introduce more things, including sheep racing.
There will be a static display of tractors, military vehicles and classic cars and plenty of children’s entertainment.
City Limits will be playing in the licensed beer tent this evening.
. The show is open between 11am and 11.45pm today and from 11am to 7pm tomorrow.
The site can be found on page 21 of the Perry’s Guide map ref E3 and E4.
