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| Dartmouth Fatstock: Sexism row over men-only awards dinner | Dartmouth Fatstock: Sexism row over men-only awards dinner |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Women in farming have called on a men-only awards dinner "to get with the times" and allow them to attend. | Women in farming have called on a men-only awards dinner "to get with the times" and allow them to attend. |
| The Dartmouth Fatstock Show in Devon, which sees farmers compete with cattle, sheep and poultry, has run for more than 100 years. | The Dartmouth Fatstock Show in Devon, which sees farmers compete with cattle, sheep and poultry, has run for more than 100 years. |
| Show chairman, Phil Bond, said the men-only evening dinner was "a tradition and how it has always been done". | Show chairman, Phil Bond, said the men-only evening dinner was "a tradition and how it has always been done". |
| Farmer Chloe Quantick said: "They need to stop being a bit sexist and let us in there." | Farmer Chloe Quantick said: "They need to stop being a bit sexist and let us in there." |
| The current system sees prizes distributed to men and women at an afternoon ceremony, before the men's awards are presented for a second time at a hotel dinner. | |
| This year's event took place on Tuesday. | This year's event took place on Tuesday. |
| The show committee recently held a vote and decided to maintain the exclusion of women - one farmer resigned in protest and said his pleas for change were "shouted down". | The show committee recently held a vote and decided to maintain the exclusion of women - one farmer resigned in protest and said his pleas for change were "shouted down". |
| Mr Bond said: "That's the tradition, that's the way it always has been done. I've got the support and the backing from the committee to carry on. | Mr Bond said: "That's the tradition, that's the way it always has been done. I've got the support and the backing from the committee to carry on. |
| "If in the future that changes as a democracy or as a vote within the committee that will carry on." | "If in the future that changes as a democracy or as a vote within the committee that will carry on." |
| He said he believed "ladies are really not bothered" and he would rather keep out of the "petty argument of it all". | He said he believed "ladies are really not bothered" and he would rather keep out of the "petty argument of it all". |
| The Dartmouth Young Farmers Association currently has more female than male members, and there are four women on the show committee of 17. | The Dartmouth Young Farmers Association currently has more female than male members, and there are four women on the show committee of 17. |
| Jessica Perry, a committee member, said the female ban was "very outdated now". | Jessica Perry, a committee member, said the female ban was "very outdated now". |
| "It would be nice if we could move with the 21st Century," she said. "But that's something that as a group and as a committee the Fatstock show will have to discuss and hopefully move with the times." | "It would be nice if we could move with the 21st Century," she said. "But that's something that as a group and as a committee the Fatstock show will have to discuss and hopefully move with the times." |
| 'Ladies wouldn't approve' | 'Ladies wouldn't approve' |
| Ms Quantick, who won two championships at this year's show, said: "I think they should get with modern times and let the women come. | Ms Quantick, who won two championships at this year's show, said: "I think they should get with modern times and let the women come. |
| "They need to stop being a bit sexist and let us in there, because we can have a good laugh just as much as men can, so in my opinion we should be allowed to go." | "They need to stop being a bit sexist and let us in there, because we can have a good laugh just as much as men can, so in my opinion we should be allowed to go." |
| Debbie Morris said there was no exception to the rule even when she was mayor of Dartmouth, when she was told a male representative would have to attend in her place. | Debbie Morris said there was no exception to the rule even when she was mayor of Dartmouth, when she was told a male representative would have to attend in her place. |
| She described it as an "old tradition" and said: "They like to have a raucous evening. Perhaps they feel the ladies wouldn't approve." | She described it as an "old tradition" and said: "They like to have a raucous evening. Perhaps they feel the ladies wouldn't approve." |