BITTER weather, international cricket and a change of venue heralded problems for a popular agricultural show over the weekend.

Attendance figures at Durham County Show, which had been held at Lambton Park near Chester le Street for nigh on 50 years, were down as it went ahead at a temporary home at the Northern Area playing fields in Washington.

The annual event usually attracts crowds of some 20,000, but show secretary Mrs Christine Duke of Staindrop said Saturday's figure was two-thirds down on that, although Sunday was better. She felt the new venue, coupled with autumnal weather and visitors getting caught up in traffic attending an international cricket match near the old venue, had all played a part in keeping people away.

Splitting the cattle and sheep judging over the two days also caused disgruntlement. One Teesdale farmer who had taken cattle and sheep to show on Saturday, was cross that he had to return on Sunday to show his sheep and dairy cattle.

"It has cost me £40 in petrol to get here, and another £40 tomorrow, if I come," he told the D&S Times. "It's just not on in these hard-up days for farming."

But those who did turn out for the show witnessed some fine quality stock, said cattle steward Mr Alan Gregg. "The quality is very good this year, with some superb entries on the Sunday," he added.

The winner of the supreme dairy champion title was Mr Edward Moffit and Son of Peepy Farm, Stocksfield. His Holstein, Altagen Bellwood Lily, was shown by herd manager Mr Philip Oliver and his wife Maureen.

One of the 70-year-old Hunday herd at Peepy Farm, the cow is part of a new show team which is coming good this year. Different animals from the herd have won cups in Yorkshire and Northumberland. The herd is 200-strong and will be increased to 400 by Christmas.

"We have two herds and we are bringing them into one," said Mr Oliver.

Bellwood Lily, a second calf cow, was classified as very good as a two-year-old. Her milk yield was over 9,000kg as a heifer. She peaked at 55kg a day in this lactation and has a projected yield of 12,800kg.

Mr Oliver is hoping for more success for Mr Moffitt at Sedgefield Show in three weeks' time, with yet a different beast from the show team.

Only one point behind was reserve Mr Robert Acey and Mrs Gill Barker's Jersey cow, Dream. The result was a reversal of last year's fortunes, when the Jersey took the supreme title.

"I did not think she would do it again this time," said Mrs Barker, of Ripon. "She is just getting a bit too old, but she has done well."

She congratulated Mr Oliver on his team's win.

The supreme champion in the beef cattle section was Carthorpe Premier, a 16-month-old Limousin bull belonging to Mr George Robinson of Bedale. It was champion and intermediate breed champion at Malton and will be shown at Ryedale in two weeks.

Mr Graham Hunt of Gainford took the overall sheep champion title again with a two-shear Texel tup which was supreme champion at Lanchester, champion at the North Yorkshire County Show and fourth at last week's Great Yorkshire. Its father, a Texel aged ram, was supreme champion at Durham last year.

The tup will be shown at the Cleveland tomorrow. It will also appear at Wolsingham, Bowes, Eggleston, Brough and Appleby before being sold at a dispersal sale in Carlisle in November. Mr Hunt, who is area manager for Pyes-Frankland Feeds in Staindrop, is giving up his flock of 40 Texels, which he keeps on rented land, due to other work commitments.

Next year's Durham County Show is likely to be held at yet another venue, which the organisers hope will become its permanent home. If all goes to plan the event will move to Herrington, three miles from its old Chester le Street site. The land has been used for opencast mining and is presently being reclaimed.

For a full results service, see this week's Darlington & Stockton Times.