Every rural county has its agricultural show season, but I'd wager that Cumbria has more than most. A sparse population, living in farmsteads and small communities separated by miles, had more reason than most to meet up annually for a jolly good knees-up. And this is how it is: farmers show off their livestock, others show off their cooking and horticultural skills, young men race up mountains, children show their pets, and crazy souls pull crazy faces.

Every show features farm animals heavily. Herdwick sheep, a native of the western and central fells of the Lakes, are compared and judged. Swaledale sheep, the black-and-white resident of the more easterly fells, is common in the northern and eastern Lakes. Some shows from the better-pastured areas feature beef and dairy cattle, too.

Our other hardy native animal is the fell pony. This breed of small, dark ponies has probably lived wild on the Cumbrian fells since prehistoric times, and served people well in pre-industrial farming and pre-motor car transport. These days, fell ponies usually get an easier life; they are popular with children, for trotting races and for long mountain treks. Most of the shows have a fell pony section.

Sheepdogs are a feature of every show. If you've ever followed a quad bike occupied by a farmer and a couple of working dogs, you'll know how much they love the outdoor life. Leaning into corners, hanging onto any sheep that are in transit and keeping a frantic eye out for their moment to jump. So they love the obstacle courses and flat-out running of the sheepdog trial, and as for herding sheep? - that, apparently, to a border collie, is a wheeze.

Talking of wheezing, this is what I would be doing if I dared to enter a fell race. This traditional northern sport involves frighteningly fit people hurling themselves up inclines that most of us would struggle to walk. It isn't only a young man's game, this, either; lots of women, children, and mature people excel at this sport.

Cumbria's most famous local sport has to be Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling. Cumbrians have been called to this sport for many centuries, with its most proficient participants proclaimed as local heroes. The sport involves standing chest-to-chest with your opponent, chin resting on their right shoulder, whereupon you try to unbalance your opponent by any means other than kicking. In practice, this involves a lot of twisting legs and hooking motions whilst grabbing the other chap by the buttocks. Wrestling used to be well-known for its outrageously-embroidered trunks worn over white long johns, but the traditional outfit was dropped when it was realised that this was the reason that young people weren't taking up the sport. Several shows do, however, still have a competition for the fanciest trunks. Long may it continue!

Most of the shows have a lively produce competition, where strong men vie for the prize of best tomatoes, or most uniform potatoes. The horticultural events are often stunning, with fabulous floral displays. There are often bakery contests, featuring local favourites such as currant slice, damson plate cake (damson pie, to the non-Cumbrian), gingerbread (a biscuit, not cake) and that delicious but tooth-rotting favourite, rum butter.

It's common these days for the shows to consider children's interests. There's often a bouncy castle, face-painting and the likes, and there are always competitions aimed at children, whether it's best young rider, best pet ferret, handwriting, crafts or 'dog with the waggiest tail'. Add the herdwicks, goats and the occasional alpaca, and it's a fabulous day out for kids.

The maddest ingredient of a traditional Cumbrian fair is 'gurning'. Not every show has it; if you want to see it at its most extraordinary, head for Egremont Fair's World Gurning Championship. 'Gurning' consists of pulling a peculiar face, usually involving jutting out the jaw and pulling the lips towards the nose. Lack of teeth is, apparently, an advantage.

Here's a list of upcoming shows:

Lakeland Country Fair, Torver, nr. Coniston, 15th August

This traditional fair is famous for its Cumberland & Westmorland wrestling and its foxhounds. There's also a particularly tricky fell race up Coniston Old Man; working horse displays; falconry; herdwick and swaledale sheep clipping; sheepdog, terrier, lurcher, beagle and ferret shows. You can also see lots of crafts including rug weaving, wood carving, fly tying, spinning, bee-keeping and taxidermy.

Appleby-in-Westmorland Show, 21st August

Westmorland's old county town is best known for its connection to horses, thanks to the annual Appleby Horse Fair held earlier in the year. The Appleby Show has a lot of horse classes; working ponies, fell ponies, veteran horses, miniature Shetlands, horse jumping and carriage driving. There are also cattle and sheep shows, vintage farm machinery, dry stone walling, floral art, produce and 'most attractive welly'.

Gosforth Show 21st August

This fair has a lot of horse shows, show jumping, cattle, herdwick sheep and terrier, hounds, sheepdogs and gun dogs. There are also classes for pets, vintage machinery, a produce and horticulture tent and Made in Cumbria crafts.

Hawkshead Show, 24th August

This year's main show is a departure from the norm, with a display of falconry, eagles, snakes and lizards! They also have sheepdog and foxhound shows, fell and Shetland ponies, horse jumping and carriage driving. The horticultural show includes contests for wine, ginger beer and damson gin and the cookery class includes rum butter, gingerbread and sticky toffee pudding. Perhaps Jamie Oliver pricked consciences here, as the children's cookery competitions include, 'healthy packed lunch'!

Patterdale Dog Day 28th August

Despite its name, Patterdale Dog Day is about a lot more than dogs. It does, however, have some excellent sheepdog trials, hound trails and shows for terriers, gundogs and foxhounds. There's also a fell race, sheep shows, pet competition and stick show.

Grasmere Lakeland Sports and Show 29th August

A very famous show, Grasmere has been hosting this sports spectacular since 1852. The highlight is the Cumberland & Westmorland wrestling, with children's and adult's competitions, and a prize for the best traditional floral costume. The show is also well known for its fell race, known here as The Guide's Race, and its new cross-country mountain bike race. There are also sheepdogs rounding up sheep and ducks, a tug-of-war, paragliding display, dog shows and a dressage display.

Loweswater Show 5th September

2010 will be Loweswater's 134th show. It features fell ponies; hound trails; sheepdog trials; carriage driving; sheep, poultry and goat contests and children's and adult's fell races.

Westmorland County Show, Crooklands, nr. Milnthorpe 9th September

This show claims to be Cumbria's biggest livestock show, and that's saying something in a county as rural as this. You can see sheep, cattle, pigs, goats, alpacas, horses, fell ponies, poultry, hounds, dogs, heavy horses and rare breeds all in one day.

There's also Cumberland & Westmorland wrestling, carriage driving, show jumping, a produce show, chefs' demonstrations, a Made in Cumbria craft marquee and the British Wool Marketing Board's best fleece contest.

Egremont Crab Fair and Sports 18th September

Established in 1267, Egremont Fair is probably the oldest and certainly the most unusual fair in Cumbria. This is the home of the World Gurning Championships, where people with strangely flexible faces gain local fame by pulling extraordinary expressions.

The show has the usual Cumberland & Westmorland wrestling, horse jumping and cycling, but also has a range of activities which both betray the fair's ancient roots and the more modern character of the current population. You can beat the bounds of Egremont on horseback, follow an apple cart, compete in the pipe-smoking contest, or climb a greasy pole. You can also take part in a talent show or fancy dress, play darts, see the motorbike displays, and enter the wheelbarrow race or the egg-throwing competition.

In case you're wondering, the fair has nothing to do with crustaceans. The 'crab' is the crab apple, which was traditionally distributed to the people by the Lord of the Manor. Some say the crab apple's sourness accounts for the sour-faced gurning tradition!

Borrowdale Shepherds' Meet and Show 19th September

The Borrowdale Show's fell race isn't for the faint-hearted. Seventeen miles long and several hundred feet in ascent, this is a race for experienced runners and admiring observers! There are also sheepdog trials, Cumberland & Westmorland wrestling, terrier races, hound trails, falconry displays, dry stone walling demonstrations, duck herding (!), craft shows and a bouncy castle.

Eskdale Show 25th September

The Eskdale Show claims to be the premier show for herdwick sheep, and there's certainly no doubt that they've been right here for centuries. There's also a fell race, hound trails, foxhound and terrier shows, handicrafts, children's sports and displays of old farm machinery. Not to mention tents full of beer, tea and cakes!

Wasdale Head Shepherds' Meet and Show 10th October

Another prestigious and difficult fell race; not surprising given that Wasdale is home to England's highest mountain. There are also herdwick sheep and sheepdog shows, terrier races, hound trailing, children's sports, a craft barn, stick and crook show and Cumberland & Westmorland wrestling.

Buttermere Shepherds' Meet and Show 16th October

Usually the last show of the season, Buttermere has sheep and dog shows, fell races, Cumberland & Westmorland wrestling, crafts displays and craft stalls.

For more information on where to stay for a self catering lake district holiday which will be within touching distance of all these shows please follow the link in the resource box.

Please Note that Keswick Show has been cancelled for 2010, although there will be some sheepdog trials on 30th August.