The 2023 National Fruit Show - 90th Anniversary Show
Below: After presenting Minette Batters with The Jon Jones award, The English Apple Man poses with the NFU President and NFS Hon Chair Sarah Calcutt. Both ladies are retiring from their prestigious roles, of which they have both enjoyed distinguished success. While The English Apple Man is planning to step down from the NFS Committee after many years of 'hands on' involvement.
In the second instalment of the 90th Anniversary National Fruit Show, pictures of NFU President Minette Batters touring the show with NFS President Catherine Paice, Hon Chair Sarah Calcutt and NFS CEO Sally Flanagan.
The English Apple Man reveals the full list of winners of this year's prizes.
Also a picture collection of some of the award presentations by NFS President Catherine Paice
While this NFS is the 90th anniversary, a quite remarkable event took place on the John Breach stand as John and his team celebrated their 55th appearance at the show - See picture at end of show report
Below: Minette Batters tours the show accompanied by (from the back) Catherine Paice, Annette Bardsley (Vice Chair NFS) Sarah Calcutt and Christine McDowell NFU Policy Advisor. Right What a Beauty!
Below left. Minette meets Ali Capper Chair of British Apples and Pears (BAPL) and right. Meeting Claire Seymour on 'Main Sponsor' NP Seymour Stand
Below: left. Minette meets Rob Storer of BASF and right. Minette with personnel from Show 'Main Sponsor' BASF
Below: President Catherine Paice joins Judges of The Cider Competition, sponsored by South East Farmer and 'took centre stage' this year.
Below: Minette with 'Main Sponsor Worldwide Fruit Ltd personnel on their stand
Below: Minette meets CEO Mike Hutchinson and personnel from 'Main Sponsor' HL Hutchinson and right. Addressing the NFS Conference
Below: Jonathan Blackman - Industry stalwart and Chairman of Fruit Show Judges and right. With over 20 years of experience as a Telegraph columnist, chef and food writer Xanthe Clay joined the Judges panel for the tastiest apple competition
While this NFS is the 90th anniversary, a quite remarkable event took place on the John Breach stand as John and his team celebrated their 55th appearance at the show!
Below John celebrating his 55th Show and son Peter celebrating his 44th Show
While The English Apple Man was well aware of John's long commitment to The National Fruit Show and as a Champion of support to growers with his creation of The British Independent Fruit Growers Association (BIFGA) It escaped my memory that "young Peter" is only 11 years behind his father's tenure as a committed 'Showman'
I should add that have known John since the 1970's when he supplied me with many apple trees for my fruit farm.
In last week's Journal I mentioned 2 new apples launched on The John Breach Stand - Canopy and Tonik
Below: left. Canopy and right. Tonik
Below: Some of the many prize winners
Below: left. Sarah Calcutt launches the prize giving and right. Competition Queen - Annette Bardsley
Below: left. Winner of Best in Show John Bray and right. Winner of Tastiest Apple - 'Cousin Simon Bray
Below: left. Clive Baxter won Tastiest Pear and right. Claygate Farms winner of The BONANZA Prize
Below: left. Nigel Kitney receives the prestigious 'Fruiterers Award' and right. Katie Langridge
Below: Darren Wallis collects the Cornwallis Cup for AC Goatham and right. Clive Maile receives the Best Apple Juice Prize on behalf of Bentleys
David Banfield and his family celebrate success at the NFS as a prize winner at the age of 90!
It takes great patience and expertise to produce winning entries in the Show Class Competition.
We marvel at David Banfield who is a serial winner and has created many entries for other growers as well.
David just loves the opportunity to demonstrate this unique craft.
This year David celebrated his 90th and this coincides nicely with the 90th National Fruit Show.
Below: President Catherine Paice, Alison Baldwin PR, Vice Chair Annette Bardsley, Chief Executive Sally Flanagan & Hon Chair Sarah Calcutt
Bonanza Prize 2023 - Sponsored by Apple Logistics
A day trip on the Thames for four people departing from Windsor Race Course Marina on a 43ft motor cruiser named Good Idea during the summer of 2024.
Lunch and refreshments will be provided on board followed by an evening meal in the marina restaurant.
Horse racing is also an option should dates coincide. The race course is next door to the Marina
NATIONAL FRUIT SHOW 2023 - PRIZEWINNERS
Name Bardsley Horticulture Ltd
1 Alfred Shread Cup for Bramley in Class 1
2 The Twyman Prize for Bramley presented by Agrii
3 Squire Salver for Bramley in Class 2
4 The Avalon Fresh Ltd Prize for Bramley
72 Podger Norton Trophy for the Best Exhibit of Culinary Apples
75*
Fruiterers Company Medal for the Best Exhibit of Dessert Apples
77 Fyffes Salver for the Best Exhibit of Bramley
89 John Acock Memorial Rosebowl for exhibitor with most points in culinary classes
Name AC Goatham & Son
19 Cornwallis Cup for Cameo
21 WASP Bin Trophy for Braeburn or any Sport
25 Invicta Petroleum Shield for Any Other Variety Dessert Apple
Name J L Baxter & Son
31 East Kent Packers Cup for Concorde Pears
33 Segro Salver for Any Other Variety Pear
73 Bayer Rose Bowl for the Best Exhibit of Pears
76 Fruiterers Company Medal for the Best Exhibit of Pears
Name B Piper & Partners
29 AMG Trophy for Conference Pears
83
Cantagrians Cup for the Best Exhibit from an ex-student of Hadlow, KFI or KHI
Name Katie Langridge
5 Dufaylite Developments Cup for Culinary Apples
6 The Wealden AM Prize for AOV Culinary Apples
42 Arthur Goatham Memorial Trophy for Bramley Exhibitor under 40
Name Mallions
7 The Systhane Cup for Cox's Orange Pippin or Any Sport of Cox
8 The Landseer Ltd Prize for Cox's Orange Pippin or any Sport of Cox
15 Pask Cornish & Smart Cup for Gala or any Sport
86 Dan Wuille Cup for best colour and skin quality for the variety in the culinary Apple Classes
Name Claygate Farms Ltd
9 Vernon Hayes (Seeds) Challenge Cup for Cox's Orange Pippin or any Cox Sport
10
The Wealden AM Prize for Cox's Orange Pippin or any Cox Sport
78 UKF Fertilisers Cup for the Best Cox's O P or Any Sport in Classes 4,5,18
Name A J Bray
13 Fuller Water Systems Trophy for Jazz
14 Worldwide Fruit Prize for Jazz
35 Henshall Rose Bowl for Dessert Apples, Novice Class
69 NFU South East for the Best Exhibit of Apples or Pears in the Show
70 Roderick Sarson Memorial Trophy for the Best All Round Exhibit of Apples
71 Stokes Bomford Rose Bowl for the Best Exhibit of Dessert Apples
74 Fruiterers Company Medal for the Best Exhibit of Dessert Apples
82 Fiennes Cornwallis Trophy for the Exhibitor gaining the highest no. of points in all Classes
85 W Bruce Challenge Cup for the Best Exhibit of Dessert Apples excluding Cox & Sports in Class 20
Name Plumford Farm
17 Foreman Salver for Russets: Egremont or St Edmunds
81 John Thwaites Bowl for highest no. of points in all classes to Kent Exhibitor, North of the M20
Name D J & V L Knight
23
George Harlow Cup for Any Other Variety Dessert Apple
80 Winch Memorial Challenge Cup for the highest no. of points for Weald of Kent exhibits in all Classes
Name Clive & Richard Edmed
27 Ernest White Cup for Comice Pears
Name Isobell Barrett
39 Western International Market Shield for Dessert Apples, Exhibitor Aged Under 40
40 The Sue Daly Novice Trophy
44 The David Burd Memorial Trophy for the entrant gaining most points in Classes 18/19/20/21 (total)
Name Banfield
88 BIFGA Prize
91 The J R Breach Prize Best Entry of Nuvar Cheerfull Gold-Stardance - Cabaret
Name Windmill Hill Fruits Ltd
56 Berry Gardens Prize for Strawberries - Everbearers
Name New Forest Fruit
57 Joan Buttfield Trophy for Best overall entry of Strawberries
Name Kelsey Farms
58 F Edmed & Sons Prize for Raspberries
59 CPM Ltd Trophy for Best Overall Entry of Raspberries
Name Clock House Farms
60 The East Malling Trust Prize for Blackberries
61 The Bloomfields Cup for best overall entry of Blackberries
Name T R Tame & Son
65 Bennett Opie Ltd prize for Walnuts
Name Stockbridge Nutteries
63 The Rural Planning Practice AOV Cobnuts
54b John Bardsley Tankard for Best Entry of Cobnuts
Name Bentley's Castle Fruit Farm
92 The Four Jays Group Trophy for best blended apple juice
93 The A&P Hill (Fruit) Trophy best single variety apple juice
94 The Crown Trophy best blended juice (two or more types of juice)
Name Dowdings
66 The Engage Agro Trophy - Best Traditional Cider - Sweet Still
Name Dudda's
67 The Engage Agro Trophy - Best Mixed Blend Cider - Apricot
Name: Double Vision
68 The Engage Agro Trophy - Best Pear/Perry - Fine Kent Perry
Name: Turners
69 South East Farmer Trophy --Best Sparkling Cider - Fine Cider
Winner: Clock House Farm Ltd
HEAVIEST PEAR COMPETITION
Winner: L Stevens & Son
1st Prize presented by The Fruit Grower
Name & Variety Simon Bray- - Jazz
2 Runners Up: 2nd J K & V L Knight, 3rd Clock House Farms Ltd
Name & Variety Claygate Farms Ltd - Concorde
2 Runners Up 2nd Bardsley Horticulture Ltd, 3rd Clive & Richard Edmed
Winner - BASF
Winner - N.P. Seymour
Name: Biddenden Vineyards
Claygate Farms Ltd
Best in Show Jazz AJ Bray 98.5 points
Best Bramley Bardsley Horticulture Ltd 96.5 points
Best Gala Mallions 97.25 points
Best Cox Claygate Farm 97.25 points
Best Braeburn AC Goatham & Son 98 points
Best Pear J L Baxter - Concorde 96 points
That is all for this week, next week more from The National Fruit Show including latest machinery!
Take care
The English Apple Man