Delightful weather and record entries made the Oxfordshire County Show at Chipping Norton 75 years ago one of the most successful events ever.

The Journal of 1936 reported: “With cattle entries totalling 386 – a record for the show – sheep totalling 109, young shires 28 and hunters 75, the two-day event had a most successful basis, while the goat classes, first introduced to the show about three years ago, showed a promising entry of 48.

“The entry of pigs totalled 152 against 107 last year, and among these classes Berkshires, Wessex Saddlebacks and Middle and Large Whites were predominant.

“The butter, egg and poultry classes were also well up to standard, while the rabbit section consisted of some 30 classes, most of which were well supported.

“The growing interest in mice breeding was shown by the support given to this section.

“The judges were generally very enthusiastic about the standard of the entries.

“Mr H W Bishop, the judge of the Hampshire Downs, stated that the lambs were well grown and showed great quality, being the type that is aimed at. The pig classes were spoken of favourably by the judges, the champion boar, shown by Mr Leslie K Osmond, of Grimsby, being an exceptionally fine animal of good quality. A special prize for the hunter brood mare, the property of a tenant farmer farming within 12 miles of Chipping Norton or within the Heythrop Hunt country, was won by Messrs John V Rose and Sons, Showell farm, Chipping Norton, with a bay mare, Ballyvoodock.”