WELL they did it again!
The Southern Young Farmers’ Club have scooped the top trophy at this year’s annual concert - making them the winners an extraordinary 10 years in a row.
Staged in the Gaiety Theatre for another three-night run last week, all four of the island’s Young Farmers’ clubs offered the usual full range of talented song, dance and homegrown hilarity as they competed for the Best Overall Act trophy.
It was a tough one to call but Southern won the prestigious title after their Not DED Yet! ensemble, which included a fantastic Gangnam Style dance routine, complete with Tesco and Findus horses, a brilliant Longtail comedy sketch (featuring a human size hamster wheel, which nearly landed Richard Creer in the front row), a cheeky Tynwald song, the Jurby Hilton and a high-energy 50s dance routine.
They managed to cram in the usual jokes about Ronaldsway, the Steam Packet, the horse trams and the buses and the likes of Sam Barks, Trevor Baines, Buster Lewin and even last year’s favourite Juan Watterson, got a mention.
The man behind their continued success is Ray Craine, a former young member, who has helped write material and co-produced Southern’s show for about 25 years. He and Rachel Cringle put this year’s show together. He said: ‘I feel fantastic. I didn’t really expect to win this year because the standard was higher than ever.
‘I knew it was going to be very, very close. To have won for the last 10 years is exceptional.’
Northern came second with their Around the World in 80 MHKs act, featuring a Chinese TT race, a wild west rodeo, an Indian flying carpet and the brilliant Can Can Dancers, complete with frilly knickers and hairy legs.
Central and Eastern came in joint third with their Peelidorm and Aye TV acts.
Concert favourite Richard Creer, of Southern, ended his Young Farmers’ career on a high.
His comedy sketch The Longtails won Best Individual Act while he won Best Individual Performer.
The 35-year-old father, who joined the club aged 17, said: ‘I’ve loved everything the Young Farmers has to offer. I’ve tried to do it all - it’s not just the concert, it’s year round.
‘It’s a good confidence builder and it’s amazing to win the individual performer trophy but the girls I did the sketch with were fantastic.’ He added: ‘I’ll be sad to be leaving but hope to still be involved somehow.’
Meanwhile Northern’s Indian Dancers won Best Dance Routine and Thomas Knight, also of Northern, won Best Junior Performer.
The other awards presented on the night were:
• Best Act in Central Club: The Seagull Sketch
• Best Performer in Central Club: Juan Hargraves (who made a rather fetching ‘swinging’ seagull)
• Best Act in Eastern Club: Bus Drivers Union
• Best Performer in Eastern Club: Paul Watterson (who was brilliant as the Scottish weatherman and a drunk Noddy)
• Best Act in Northern Club: The Can Can Dancers
• Best Performer in Northern Club: Michael Corlett
• Best Act Southern Club: Gangnam Style
• Best Performer in Southern Club: Richard Creer (Daddy longtail).