One of the best things about the annual horticultural show in Rye is the ultra-friendly competitiveness.
The overall winner of the Tate Trophy and Banksian Medal together with other awards was Rye resident Pat Wightwick, who produced a stunning display of vegetables, flowers and home baking. But whilst Pat scored highly and won best entry in show with her perfect beetroot, other competitors also won dozens of first, second and third prizes.
It was particularly rewarding to see so many new entrants this year who did very well and are already determined to return in 2023 with more produce.
Considering the very difficult growing conditions we have experienced in Rye this summer we were absolutely delighted to see 270 super entries coming through the door on Saturday. Maybe there were fewer green veggies (cabbages and spinach) but the variety of squashes, tomatoes and unusual fruits more than made up for that.
There were also record-breaking numbers of cookery entries featuring cupcakes fit for the Queen, healthy muffins and the traditional tea loaf, amongst many others.
Big thanks go to the stewards, the administrative help and all those who helped set up and strip down the hall. We are also very grateful to the multitude of local sponsors and advertisers who support us financially and enable the schedule to be produced. Thanks also to the judges, especially in the cookery section, who had their work well and truly cut out this year. We must not forget the ladies of Landgate WI who did a fabulous job serving up refreshments on a rather warm day.
Lastly, we were delighted to welcome mayor of Rye, Andy Rivett, who presented the awards for the first time. Hopefully he’ll be back next year, along with everyone else who helped to make the 2022 show so successful.
RESULTS
| Best entry Fruit & Veg class (Tate Trophy) |
Pat Wightwick |
| Most place points in the horticultural classes (Banksian Medal) |
Pat Wightwick |
| Allotment holder with most points in horticultural classes (Turk Trophy) |
Pat Wightwick |
| Vegetables and fruit category | Pat Wightwick |
| Flowers, foliage and ornamental category | Pat Wightwick |
| Cookery category | Pat Wightwick |
| Photography category | Fiona Lepine |
| Handicraft category | Helena Hudd |
| Overall winner (Silver Bowl) | Pat Wightwick |
Image Credits: L Hall , @allotment28a .