The 12th Earls Barton Rally & Country Fayre 2009 show layout had been tweaked a little by the organisers compared to last year’s event, and it has to be said, didn’t meet with universal approval. However, the fine weather conditions helped and the demise of the Holcott rally probably helped the public attendance, although the exhibitor numbers seemed roughly level pegged with 2008. The Saturday auction always draws a crowd, however, and with around 800 lots, is quite a big affair.

After last year when several tractor exhibitors got bogged down in the back stubble field, tractor camping had been moved to the lower end, and the military vehicle section including the boisterous Sabre Squadron took over this end of the field. Their Saturday night disco and karaoke, however, was quite enjoyable, and they do put on a good display of a field camp, alongside other groups and individuals.

The tractor lines and working compound, consisting of two threshing drums, a Garvie and a Tullos, plus a Bamford corn mill and a small saw, all tractor-driven, were then placed up the field towards the gate. Alongside, the tug-of-war championships provided entertainment of a different sort on Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday, the traditional ploughing match took place in the bottom half of the field.

Across the central aisle, the stationary engine boys were perhaps the most unhappy, and those facing down the field perhaps had a point, but the vast majority facing each other on what has hard bumpy ground weren’t really too badly off, except perhaps from the smoke of the steamers drifting across them in the wind. However, everybody has two choices whether to stay and enjoy a FREE weekend away or take their grievance away home.

Back up in the main grass fields, an influx of miniature steam occupied the stationary engines’ traditional pitch leading down to the fair, parts of which had decamped from Lincoln the week before. I had hoped to see more full-size steam because of Holcott not being on, but their was little change. The area for commercials didn’t seem quite as large as before as the area previously used for the miniature steam was used as an overflow by around 10-12 units.

Bygone and model displays were moved back from their traditional site facing the last of the trade to the hedgerow which sort of squared off the field and I felt that we didn’t suffer from reduced visitors as it all sort of flowed around the edge of the field. This move had allowed extra trade stands to attend this year, and there was the usual excellent mix of stalls as always.

Entertainment in the main ring followed existing formulae of the Solent Eagles Motorcycle Display Team, The Mighty Smith strong man display, but I missed the duck shepherding display. The Voltini Side Show really needed to be positioned closer to the fair and beer tent, and I don’t think they took a single buck either day, and wisely packed up and left on Sunday night. The Northamptonshire Film Archive showed their three short films each day, including Laurel and Hardy’s The Ghost Ship, Keystone Cops and an archive film of the inception and use of Wicksteed Park.

The cars and motorcycles had their wide-ranging display lines facing the side of the ring, and included a wide variety of machines. There were fewer rare pre-war cars on display it seemed, but post-war sports cars were very much to the fore. The Toyota Estima Owners Club helped fill the gaps with their annual gathering, and at least attended the parade, whereas other exhibitors once parked didn’t want to risk extricating themselves from quite tight lines. Maybe its time to think about parking back-to-back in this section?

There was a large craft marquee with some models and the beer tent was also quite spacious, but soon filled up on Saturday night at least for Doctor Busker and his plaque of Dorset Rats. The early entertainment was quite enjoyable, but I left early before the entertainment moved on to the more adult section. Cock-a-doodle-doo is only a taster!