Rural show world title

WOMEN TO FIGHT IT OUT IN FRONT OF THOUSANDS OF VISITORS

Environment Editor LADIES of a certain weight will fight it out for a world championship title at a Northumberland show at the weekend.

Tomorrow the Bellingham Show and Country Festival will stage the inaugural Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling world championship in the class for ladies under 10 stone.

The show has been given approval to host the event by the Cumberland and Westmorland Wrestling Association.

“The association is trying to encourage young people, and ladies, to take part in what is an old traditional sport,” said show secretary Kate Dickinson.

“There has been a resurgence of interest in wrestling from young people and especially girls.

“It is about the challenge of the skills and techniques of the sport. “

When it is claimed that wrestling may not be a particularly ladylike activity, organisers counter that by pointing out that the same was said of women’s football, which is now an established and high-profile sport.

The wrestling will also feature a ladies’ open class for competitors over 10 stone, three boys’ classes, three man’s weight classes and an open class.

Last year the show attracted 8,000 visitors and next year it will celebrate its 175th anniversary.

The poet Philip Larkin, who stayed in a holiday cottage in Haydon Bridge in Northumberland, wrote a poem, Show Saturday, describing the 1973 Bellingham show. Tomorrow’s event, running from 9am to 5pm, will also include live bands, horses, children’s activities, a food marquee, crafts, traders, a sheep show, traditional games, archery, a Northumbrian piping competition, clay pigeon shooting, vintage vehicles, a dog show, ridden and working hunters, fell racing and a quoits competition.

Traditional show classes will also include sections for honey and beekeeping, dressed walking sticks, handwriting and a humorous fridge magnet.

Adult admission is £7 and it’s £3 for children (aged three to 16).