ASHLEY Kinvig has won the Supreme Award at the Southern Agricultural Show this afternoon at Great Meadow in Castletown.

His Holstein heifer, which won the top award at the Royal Show two years ago, was judged the best animal in the show which had what is believed to be the biggest crowd of visitors in the event’s 98 year history.

Glorious weather, with temperatures in the low 70s, attracted huge crowds to the show, causing massive traffic chaos. Vehicles took almost an hour to get to the car park from Cross Four Ways and it took 30 minutes from Castletown Corner.

The traffic congestion resulted in organisers postponing the big event of the day - the Grand Parade - by an hour, to allow visitors to reach the showground.

First reserve was the Texel ewe owned by Pip Kermode, with Howard Quayle’s Aberdeen Angus bull claiming second reserve and Pip Kermode’s limousin bull the third reserve spot.

“I have never seen a crowd as big as this at the Southern Show before,” said a spokesman for the event organisers, the Southern Agricultural Society. “We have been blessed with fantastic weather and the event just continues to grow year on year.

“We are looking at trying to ease traffic congestion, but everyone was very patient and it was only fair that we should delay the Grand Parade so that everyone could get here in time.”

The show continues again tomorrow (Sunday) with a huge variety of exhibits and trade stands for what is one of the great family days out of the year. Doors open tomorrow at 12 noon, finishing around 5pm.

Events tomorrow include the Young Farmers’ cookery competition, a display of vintage farm machinery in the main arena, a fun pet show run by the Friends of the MSPCA and a competition between young farmers to “pack a Peugeot”!