The role of agricultural shows in providing a showcase for animals and food has been praised by European Union Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan.

If you know what the inside of a confessional box smells like, when the door clicks closed behind you, and if you often go to Sunday Mass, and if you are amongst the countless thousands of hopefuls who compete at the scores of agricultural shows annually, always with confidence and high hopes, stop reading this article now, and go to another page.