By David Siddall

Last updated 12:00, Thursday, 02 October 2008

IN the equivalent of the Olympics in the world of traditional wrestling, Joe Thompson from Alston won the Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling world championship for the under 15s at Eskdale Show on Saturday.

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Under sunny, late summer skies and watched by a noisy crowd of supporters, he won a tough three-holds bout to get Kendal’s William Hayhurst (13) to the ground to lift the world cup.

Joe was presented with the cup by vice president Stan Roberts from Drigg, who remarked that his own name was “the first on the cup from 60 years’ earlier!”

Joe, 14, trains with Carlisle Academy.

This year’s president at the Eskdale Show was Wilson Boow from Gosforth who has been the stalwart organising the show’s hound trails for more than 25 years.

Show secretary Jenny Porter said: “Unlike several shows that were rained off, this season we were blessed with sunshine. It makes it so much easier to organise if you have good weather and happy showgoers.”

Mrs Porter added that the recent wet weather had meant the sunny weekend left many of the show’s judges busy doing last-minute hay-timing.

“Willy Tyson was too busy hay-timing, but fortunately Kevin Wrathall from Cockley Beck stepped into the breach to referee the judging of the sheep and sheep dogs.”

This year the champion Herdwick at the show was a ewe exhibited by Tony Hartley from Turner Hall, Seathwaite.

The winning Herdwick in the local Eskdale categories was shown by messrs Harrison from Brotherilkeld.

The prize for visitor to travel the furthest to the show was won by schoolboy Sam Galati from near Perth in Western Australia. Sam was over in the UK visiting his grandmother, Eleanor Graham from Egremont.

Top accolade in the industrial tents, the WI rose bowl, was shared this year with Vicki Duns from Cleator Moor and Mrs E McLaurin from Bootle having joint honours.

The senior fell race was won by Lee Amor from Cleator Moor, but 46-year-old Brian Thompson, from Egremont, was snapping at his heels to cross the line in second place. Tom Postlethwaite was third senior.

The junior fell race was won by Sam Denwood.