There was disappointment last week for the farming community with the news of the cancellation of the island’s two major agricultural shows.

’It was a massive, massive blow when we made the final decision,’ says Carol Kennaugh, secretary of the Royal Manx Agricultural Society.

Although the last weekend in July and the middle of August seem a long way away, and we hope we will be emerging from lockdown by then, there was too much uncertainty to allow the organisers to commit to those dates for the shows.

Carol explains: ’We looked at every option including an alternative date and doing a one-day show - none of it was feasible because no one knew what would be happening.’

She goes on: ’There were a lot of contributory factors. The main one was over expense. Even on a good year we are happy just to break even and, after the disastrous year we had last year [when the Royal was reduced to one day because of the weather], we couldn’t afford to run a half-hearted show this year.

’And whilst we knew that people would have been looking forward to it, would we really have had the public confidence for people to come out - would we have had the footfall?’

It was a similar story for the Southern Agricultural Show, as secretary Sarah Comish agreed: ’There is a huge amount of preparation and expense as the show proceeds over the next couple of months.’

Sarah and Carol worked closely over the cancellation of the shows and the announcement to the media was made jointly.

Sarah said: ’We were so disappointed. The last time the Southern was cancelled was during the foot and mouth and Jan Cook was secretary then so I’ve never dealt with a cancellation before.’

As well as the uncertainty about how the current pandemic will affect our lives over the next few months, there were also a number of practical problems such as printers and rosette suppliers being closed. And then there was the issue of getting judges over from the UK for many of the classes.

They were also mindful of the fact that, not only will many people be emerging from lockdown with a greatly reduced disposable income, many businesses may have to close including some who have taken trade stands at the shows in the past.

Carol said: ’We will ride this out: the show will survive but we’re mindful that many businesses won’t.’

As they have worked through the long list of people they had to inform about the cancellation Sarah said: ’Everybody had been really supportive. Nobody’s complained about it: everybody’s been really lovely and ready to rebook for next year, including the judges.’

Vicky Sloane Masson and her husband Neil Masson’s Holstein cow, Cairbre Glauco Rolls, took the Supreme Champion award at last year’s Royal Show.

Vicky said: ’It was very sad news. In the back of our minds we were thinking: "At least there’ll be something to look forward to".

’We start fairly early [getting stock ready for the shows]. I had my eye out on a couple of cows in early March and we had a few calves on halters already.’

Now everyone is looking forward to the prime stock show at the end of the year.

Sarah says: ’We are hoping we will still be able to hold the Prime Stock show. Last year we joined forces for the first time, with a joint committee consisting of members of the Royal and the Southern societies and Carol and myself worked together to do the administration and it was brilliant.’

Like the Royal, the Southern Show has also had to put up with its share of bad weather in the last few years so it’s understandable that Sarah has a special wish for the two days at the end of July this year when the show would have been held: ’I want a storm those days - if it’s going to be sunny I’ll cry!’

For Carol and Sarah it will then be on to 2021. Sarah said: ’We will be concentrating on hopefully creating two wonderful agricultural shows for next year.’

But Carol had just a touch of irony to add to that when she mentioned the date for next year’s Royal Manx: ’It’s Friday the 13th.

’I’m not superstitious, not at all but you really couldn’t make it up...’