-Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
Alva Clarke, parish manager, Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Westmoreland with the 'Champion Parish' trophy.
Damion Mitchell, Staff Reporter
THE JAMAICA Agricultural Society (JAS) Westmoreland, created history at the 51st Denbigh Agri-Industrial Show on the weekend, as overall champion for the fourteenth consecutive year.
Each year, the parish that earns the most points in agricultural competitions as well for the variety and quality of produce on display in their respective pavilions, is declared overall champion.
"It is a very good feeling to be the winner again," Owen Dobson, the Westmoreland JAS President told The Gleaner. Although, Westmoreland excelled in competitions such as horticulture, project work display and craft, they were ranked seventh for their pavilion's produce display.
St. Ann emerged first and Clarendon second, while St. James was third, losing its four-year winning streak.
Mr. Dobson, who also led the parish to victory as overall champion last year, said the attainment was the result of the "solid foundation" laid by his forerunners. Clarendon was declared first runner up to the overall champion and St. James second.
But, despite Clarendon's attainment, there was gloom in their pavilion throughout the show as they mourned the passing of beekeeper, KC Farquharson, 30.
Farquharson, the operator of KC's Bee Keeping Enterprise, died in a traffic accident in Negril, Westmoreland while returning from a delivery trip, two weeks ago. She has been participating in the Denbigh Show for the past four years.
In tribute to her, two of her siblings displayed her products at the Clarendon pavilion throughout the three-day show. And, beside the products was a framed picture of Farquharson, the 2002 recipient of the International American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA) Agri-Business award.
