The Show must go on

We're back to the Ballymoney Agricultural Show for a couple of posts.  I shot 2 films fairly quickly that morning before the energy levels started to drop and I was looking forward to seeing the results.  But overall I was disappointed with what I managed to capture and as yet can't quite put my finger on the reason.  Probably not any one thing in particular, more likely a combination of things (including my ineptitude).  It was, unusually for here, full sun which I don't think helped.  Compounded by the fact that the people showing the animals had white-than-white topcoats on - everything was either bleached out or in strong shadow.  The Canon 50mm ltm I had on the front of the M6 didn't seem to cope too well with the conditions.  

This girl was very proud of her prize-winning Charolais bull - and rightly so.  He was quite the boy.  I'm not au fait with the art of showing animals but here in the prize-winners enclosure she spent a long time getting him in the right position, walking him around and around until she was happy with how he was standing for the official photographer (not me).  They all had a long-handled crook device, with a sharp pointed end and hook - it reminded me of one of those things they had when I was at primary school to open high windows with - they used to hook it round a metal ring attached to the window to pull it open/push it shut.  In this context, they used it to prod the gap in the hooves of the animals, which caused them enough discomfort to move their legs back in order, obviously, to get them standing properly.  The handlers were brave enough at times, I thought - this fellow let out a few bellows when he was being prodded.  But she obviously knew what she was doing.  On HP5+ printed on MG Classic paper.  Yep, white(ish) bull, handler in white coat, against a painted white background - just the thing for a bright sunny day...