![]() ![]() It was a big occasion for the family and if they came back with a few ribbons or returned empty-handed it was still a good day. In the 1970s and 1980s the Lemon family had 4500 crossbred breeding ewes including Border Leicester, Coopworth and Dorset Down studs, but only a dozen sheep are carried now for dairy staff.Since first competing on a pony as a 10-year-old in the 1960s, the glow of being involved in A&P shows has never dimmed.Īs a family they would head off to the local show in the a2 Bedford truck with a pony in a horse float in tow and a truck-load of Border Leicester sheep. I do this because I enjoy the camaraderie, meeting and talking to people from one end of this country to the other and it’s just my way of doing something different." "To me, I’ve accepted it on behalf of all the volunteers that run A&P Shows. The royal thread was extended this month on His Majesty’s birthday and coronation, with Mr Lemon awarded the Queen’s Service Medal for services to the agriculture and pastoral industry. This year she asked him and wife Barbara to meet her when she returned to the city for a fact-finding wool study and to unveil a plaque at the showgrounds. They are not the only members of the Royal Family he has rubbed shoulders with.īecause of his involvement with the Royal Agricultural Society (RAS) he met Princess Anne, first in Calgary during an international conference as she was the president of the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth and two years later when it was held in Christchurch. The royal couple were welcome to return any time, he said. Holy moley, when they were there for our 150th anniversary they brought them in." At the same time it does help our crowd when he’s there. ![]() "Certainly I believe Camilla will support him, she’s very good in that role. Mr Lemon said the King was a people’s person, an agriculturist and had the diplomacy for the role. Charles looked around at him and said ‘Oh, lad, I’d hate to eat your profits’." "We came away from the dog trials and were walking out to unveil a plaque and this guy leaned out of his hot dog stand and said ‘Sir, sir can I offer you a hot dog’. "He was busy having a look around and just happened to glance forward and went, ‘oh god I nearly put my foot in it’ after walking around a horse deposit," he recalled. They were heading across the arena to the dog trials when he bore witness to the King’s quick humour. He was great to talk to and very astute and very knowledgeable."Īfter handing out the award for the supreme animal in the show, the then Duchess of Cornwall peeled off for a rest in the office and was happy chatting with the administration staff while he made his way to see some of the attractions. "He looked at me and says what? He couldn’t believe we were milking that many cows. The then Prince Charles inquired about how many cows they were milking and was astounded to hear the herd at that stage was 750 cows. It was a busy time for him as the family had just completed a dairy conversion at their Mid Canterbury farm, Leylands, and were in their first season milking. He found them easy company to be with because of their genuine interest in farming. The Prince of Wales was joined by his second wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, now Queen Camilla, during the show’s 150th anniversary in 2012.Īs show president, Mr Lemon had the honour of hosting the dignitaries for a few hours. The Lauriston farmer still chuckles at a quick quip made by the as-yet-uncrowned king on a visit to the Canterbury A&P Show. In Richard Lemon’s book King Charles will make a great ruler. ![]()
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