BY ALLISON LEE
I had the pleasure of visiting the Great Yorkshire Show again this year, and it was another fantastic experience. Due to high demand, the number of tickets increased from 35,000 per day to 37,500, and all four days sold out.
Despite the lengthy queues to enter the showground, our usual hour-long journey took almost three times as long. The event was well organised, and once parked, the queues quickly diminished, making the rest of the day enjoyable and carefree.
The show, celebrating its 167th year, ran from 14th to 17th July, and the weather did it proud, with lovely sunshine and, on the day I attended, a gentle breeze to keep things from getting too hot.
There really is something for everyone at this annual show, with thousands of cattle, sheep, pigs, and goats entered in competitions, all hoping to catch the judges’ eye and take home first prize. Sheepdog trials took place each day from 10 am, and I absolutely love watching these amazing dogs round up their flocks—I enjoy every second of it. They certainly make my own two border collies appear lacking.
For those who love machinery, the world’s largest combine harvester—with a 20,000-litre grain tank and full harvest automation—was on display alongside other impressive farm machinery.
Horses, ponies, and donkeys also have their place at the show, coming in all shapes and sizes, from the British Miniature Horse to the Shires and Clydesdales.
There are dozens of food and beverage stalls, though the canny visitors bring a picnic, as some prices can be eye-watering. Hundreds of stalls offer merchandise, homeware, gifts, food, and drinks. You name it—the Great Yorkshire Show probably sells it, including hot tubs and plants for the garden! Although the show is open from 8 am until 6 pm, it is impossible to see everything in one day. Entertainment included line dancing, fashion shows, a choir, and the Yorkshire Volunteers Band, with the motorbike stunt-riding team, The Bolddog FMX, also in attendance. There were sheep-shearing and horseshoeing competitions, together with hive and honey displays, cooking lessons, woodcarving demonstrations, and horticultural displays to excite every gardener. Even the younger visitors were well catered for with the Discovery Fun Zone, a dedicated area for children and families, featuring a wildflower walkway and free activities to entertain and educate, such as crafts, face painting, birds of prey, pedal tractors, and soft play.
Visitors had the opportunity to meet different celebrities on different days, including Peter Wright, Jules Hudson, Harriet Cowan, and Kelvin and Liz Fletcher. It seemed everyone was enjoying the weather and the atmosphere.
With so much to see, the day flew by. I am pleased to say that leaving the ground before the end of the show day proved much easier than entering it, with far less traffic and a smooth, hour-long journey back home to my own animals on the smallholding—they might not win any prizes, but they are all champions in their own way!
I, for one, am looking forward to visiting the Great Yorkshire Show for many years to come, and I give credit to all the amazing people who come together to make this event truly memorable.
Allison Lee is a smallholder from North Yorkshire who has written for the Yorkshire Times and other publications. Her website can be accessed here.