Page 49 - Simply Vegetables Winter 2022/23

Class 17 – Leeks – 1st Niall Currie – RMG (Ronnie Gill Bred)
Grace – winning trug at Harrogate
first time and won the Master Gardener class with a pot plant, cut flowers, veg and fruit. The cut flowers were a sweet pea called “Margaret’s Blue” which had been cultivated by Jim Thompson in honour of Margaret Henderson who we sadly lost in 2015. Ian also achieved a red ticket for his purple podded peas, French beans other than green and the small, fruited Tomatoes with Minoprio, a 2nd in the collection of 15 points and under veg and a 3rd in the four plates of potatoes. Jim Pearson won the lettuce class, achieved 2nd in the Swedes class and a sixth place in the Carrot Championships.
Having led the team at
the National Champion
with his red tickets, Niall
was followed by Ian
Stocks winning the JBA
Potatoes Amour potato
class and Ian Simpson
winning the JBA Potatoes
Sherine Potato class and coming 2nd with his Turners Spring Peas.
John Currie came 2nd to Niall with his Large Exhibition onions and Jim Pearson achieved a 2nd with his Cauliflower, large shallots and a 3rd in both the Millennium Class and Peas.
Our thanks also go to Jim Mercer for Judging at the National Championships for the first time. Well done, Jim.
Meanwhile on the Malvern local show,
John Currie’s winnig Shallots at Stanley
One week later a long journey further down the country was next for the National Championships in Malvern which we saw Niall Currie win an amazing five first’s! Niall firstly retained his three titles from 2021
by winning the large Exhibition Onions,
the 1kg to 1.5Kg Onions and the Blanch Leeks (also winning best in show for his leeks). Added to this hoard, Niall won 1st for his 6 Veg Collection and for his Peas. What a fabulous result. Niall also achieved a 3rd for his pickling shallots and won the Banksian medal. For your information, the Banksian Medal is awarded to the exhibitor winning the most prize
money (excluding Class
1 and Class 2). Any
exhibitor who has won
the Banksian Medal in the
previous two years is not
eligible to win this medal
on the next occasion.
Ian Stock’s 1st at Stanley
Jim Pearson achieved a 2nd with his globe beetroot and a 4th for his collection of six veg (3 of each) whilst Ian Simpson won the small fruited tomato class with a nice set of Minoprio tomatoes.
At Malvern, for an extra bit of fun, Jim Pearson and Ian Simpson ventured to “the dark side” and entered their broad bean pods along in the giant veg marquee and to their delight they are now both Guinness World Record holders with Jim having won with the heaviest broad bean at 184g and Ian with the longest broad bean at 396mm (measured straight, not along the curve).
Jim Pearson and Ian Simpson ventured to “the dark side” and entered their broad bean pods along in the giant veg marquee
I’m sure there’s a few other good broad bean growers in the Scottish Branch who would be up to challenge this next time.
Finally, and back to our original stalwarts, with a venture to the Gun Inn. Once again there were tickets awarded, with
Ian Stocks getting a 3rd for his leeks and John Currie a 5th for his two dressed onions. What
a way to finish south of the border, well, what can I say? A
hearty congratulations to all our venturing exhibitors ... and did I mention that Ian Stocks won a few tatties classes Alistair Gray?
Well done all, it’s great to be back travelling again and meeting up with friends, that’s the best thing about showing and visiting all these competitions throughout the NVS.
Ian Stock’s winning mini collection at Stanley
Ian Stocks 1st White Potatoes
Class 24 – JBA Amour – 1st Ian Stocks
Simply Vegetables 49