Autumn Show 2026
Autumn Show Report, Saturday September 2026
Last year we started this report with the words “This (2025) summer has been one of the hottest and driest on record and accordingly has been a major challenge for gardeners, not helped by the hosepipe ban that came in late July. As a result vegetables, fruit and flowers have either matured early or not at all.” We did not think that we would be saying exactly the same this year when the hot, dry weather has been even worse!
As last year we circulated a plea to all members to submit entries for the Show, even though they might not be up to standard and members responded magnificently again. Although the overall number of entries was a little down on last year, there were more entrants than usual with a number of first time exhibitors. A very big thanks to all members and others who exhibited despite the difficult conditions
There were entries in all but one of the vegetable and fruit classes. Alan Woodward won 3 of the cups in the vegetable classes with a fine and comprehensive display over a very wide range of entries. Sally Strang won the cup for the best entry in the class for 6 kinds of vegetables and the trophy for the best entry in the tomato classes went to Jim May with a winning exhibit of 5 Standard sized tomatoes.
The flower entries provided a colourful display including some tall Grasses, attractive selections of Foliage and colourful Dahlias Dianne Cockburn won the Parker Rose Bowl for the best single rose and Chris Impey the trophy for the most points in the flower classes
Entries in the domestic classes included some excellent Coffee and Walnut cakes, Date and Chocolate loaf cakes, Cheese biscuits and Flapjacks. Liz Manson won the Rose Bowl for the most points in the domestic classes.
We were particularly pleased to have a selection of Junior entries with colourfully decorated cupcakes and attractive paintings of wildlife scenes, a butterfly and the lifecycle of butterflies. Tobias Shamel won the cup for the under 7s and Peter Rogers the cup for the over 7s.
Entries in the photography classes were well up covering topics that included Reflections, Pathways & Avenues, Enjoying the Summer, Steps and Staircases, Piers & Jetties and Cats and Dogs. The overall winner was Chris Scruby and Best in Show was won by Oliver Rogers with an atmospheric photograph of a staircase in a darkened tunnel leading up past a figure to a blaze of light at the top.
Our thanks to all those who entered and made an early start on Saturday morning in order to display their exhibits before the judging started at 10.30am. We are also grateful to our external judges who take great care and consideration in their judging. The individual comments they make on the domestic and photography classes are greatly appreciated.
We try to make the Show a friendly and attractive event for anyone who would like to take part. There are 63 classes covering a wide range of exhibits. You do not need to be an expert or grow vegetables, fruit or flowers specifically for show purposes. There are excellent chances of winning a 1st, 2nd or 3rd prize in each class, even if you are entering for the first time, and just taking part is rewarding. We would like to see more of what you grow normally in your garden, and for those who are not gardeners or do not have a garden the cooking and photography classes provide an opportunity to take part. In particular, we would like to encourage even more young people to enter the Junior classes. This is village event which we would encourage everyone to support as part of a thriving Cumnor community.
We are grateful to everybody who helped make this another very enjoyable and successful afternoon, including exhibitors, judges, helpers and all those who came to the Show.
AUTUMN SHOW PRINCIPAL WINNERS
The Tony Wickson Memorial Cup for the best Spring Sown onion – Alan Woodward
The Jack Wickson Memorial Cup for the best entry in Class 1 (mixed vegetables) – Sally Strang
The Street Trophy for the best entry in Classes 2 and 3 (tomatoes) – Jim May
The Drury Memorial Shield for the most points in the root vegetable classes – Alan Woodward
The Harry Charlton Cup for the most points in Classes 1 – 34 (vegetables and fruit) – Alan Woodward
The Parker Rose Bowl for the best exhibit in class 43 (single rose) – Dianne Cockburn
The A L Webb Memorial Tray for the most points in Classes 35 to 49 (flowers) – Chris Impey
The Rose Bowl for the most points in the domestic classes – Liz Manson
The Hawtin Trophy for the most points in the junior classes age under 7– Tobias Shamel
The Hawtin Trophy for the most points in the junior classes age 7– 10 – Peter Rogers
The Parker Trophy for the most points in the photographic classes – Chris Scruby
The Parker Trophy for the best photograph – Oliver Rogers