AN ASSOCIATION with one of Ryedale's favourite shows is to be honoured next month when Ernest Lunn takes over the presidency of Rosedale Show.

Mr Lunn has been a regular judge of dairy cattle and an exhibitor at the century-plus show since 1948.

A dairy farmer at The Hollies, at Wilton, for more than 40 years, he moved to the area with his family after they left their native Marsden in West Yorkshire to take over The Bay Horse Inn at Green Hammerton.

He runs a herd of 70 Friesian-Holstein dairy cattle on his 200-acre farm where all but 50 acres of the land is in grass.

While many villages have seen a sharp decline in farming in recent years, Wilton still has seven farms, says Mr Lunn. "But the number of cattle has dropped from around 600," he adds.

In the past, farmers had to employ people from outside Wilton. "As many as ten used to come into the village each day, but today there are only three full-time farmworkers."

His other interests include being chairman of Allerston and Wilton parish council and being involved with the village hall and parish church, where he is a member of choir.

Rosedale Show is being held on Saturday, August 17, although, in common with most other agricultural shows, it will not have livestock classes because of foot and mouth disease restrictions.

Updated: 09:29 Thursday, August 01, 2002