VETERINARY workers Dawn Haynes and Margaret Ball have been rewarded for their commitment to careers in agriculture which have spanned more than six decades.

The pair have clocked up an impressive 64 years between them working at different veterinary practices in Staffordshire.

And yesterday their hard work was recognised when they were presented with Staffordshire and Birmingham Agricultural Society's Long Service Awards, at the Staffordshire County Show.

Six awards were given out in total, adding up to a combined 205 years service to the industry.

Dawn, aged 50, has worked at Shires Veterinary Practice, which has five branches in Staffordshire, including Hanley and Loggerheads, for 32 years.

The mother-of-three, who is currently practice manager at the Stone branch, joined the company when she was 18.

Dawn, from Stone, said: "I started at the bottom when I joined and have worked my way up. It's a great company to work for and it's been like a family.

"I wasn't expecting to receive any kind of award, but it's nice to be recognised in this way."

Fellow award-winner Margaret, who has worked for Glenthorne Veterinary Group, in Uttoxeter, for 32 years, is due to retire in the next few weeks.

Margaret, aged 55, said: "I've been practice manager at Uttoxeter but I've reduced my hours to part-time in the last year and I'll be finishing altogether soon, to concentrate on running a bed and breakfast with my husband.

"I've pretty much done everything with the company, starting as a general dogs body and I've loved every minute.

"The county show is one of the big events in the agricultural calendar and it means a lot to receive an award at it."

The annual two-day show, held at the 110-acre County Showground, in Stafford, opened in a blaze of sunshine.

Some 30,000 visitors are estimated to have passed through the gates yesterday and organisers are expecting another bumper crowd today – as long as the weather holds out.

Top livestock breeders will parade more than 1,000 show animals over the two days.

And plenty of exhibitors from North Staffordshire and South Cheshire were tasting success yesterday.

Eddie Sims, from Edgefields Farm, Stockton Brook, saw one of his limousin cattle declared reserve male champion.

Mr Sims, aged 57, said: "I'm pleased. The county show is one of the top competitions so to receive an award means we must be doing something right."

Emma Spooner, from Well Farm, Upper Hulme, near Leek, saw her Hereford and heifer cattle win prizes in their respective categories.

And Elizabeth Mercer was flying the flag for South Cheshire after landing second place in the heifer-in-calf category with two-year-old Kim.

Elizabeth, aged 14, helps out on Larch Farm, in Basford, near Crewe, where she lives with parents Peter and Ann.

The St Thomas More pupil said: "It's a lot of hard work but you get to know the animals and they all have different personalities. It's nice to come in second."

Main ring events at this year's show, which cost £250,000 to set up, include performances by the Bolddogs Lings Motorcycle Display team and Rockwood dog display team.

Other attractions include a parade of livestock and fox hounds, an inter-hunt relay, the Young Farmers' floats competition, show jumping and parades of vintage machinery.

Showgoers also have the opportunity to sample regional delicacies in the food hall and cookery theatre.

About 4,500 members of Staffordshire's Women's Institute have also taken part in this year's event. Women from 136 institutes submitted entries into 12 classes, including floral displays and photography.

Hazel Woodward, who is a member of Hilderstone WI, took first place in competitions to design a hat and create a floral display.

She said: "I love coming to the show each year and seeing all the different entries. I put quite a lot of work into my designs and I'm very pleased to have been awarded first place."

Richard Williams, chief executive of the Staffordshire and Birmingham Agricultural Society, said this year's show was shaping up to be one of the best in recent years.

He said: "Last year was difficult because of the recession and it had a knock-on effect on the number of trade stands we had filled.

"We expected a slow build-up again this year but the trade stand sites went quickly and we have had a fantastic turnout.

"We have been completely free of diseases such as blue tongue and foot and mouth this year and the atmosphere around the livestock at the minute is absolutely fantastic.

"All of our cattle stalls are full and we have had a very good sheep turnout this year.

"This show is hugely enormous for the agricultural industry, because it allows them to show off all that is best about farming.

"We had 60,000 people through the gates last year and if the weather holds up, I think we can beat that number this year."

Find more pictures from the Staffordshire County Show