Record Figures Topple at the Great Yorkshire Show

Mon, Jun 29, 2015 12:59 CET

No fewer than six of the competitive categories have individual record entry figures for this year’s Great Yorkshire Show. In total 12,651 entries have been received for England’s premier agricultural event, which runs from Tuesday 14 – Thursday 16 July. The figure is just shy of last year’s all time high of 12,847.

Sheep numbers are particularly impressive with 2,328 coming before the judges, smashing last year’s best of 2,292. With around 30 breeds represented, the sheep section is a show within a show. There will also be a record number of pigs – 447 in total, with highlights including the BPA Pig of the Year Final and also the popular One Man and His Pig competition on the final day.

The popularity of the fleece section continues to grow, with a record entry figure of 252 and in sheep shearing, not only will the event host Icelandic shearers for the first time as well as New Zealand and Australian competitors, but the section boasts an all-time record entry figure of 110. And finally, the honey section has drawn a superb response with 586 entries, again another best.

The cattle classes are impressive with 1,211 entries with highlights including the Supreme Beef Championship judged on Tuesday, the first day of the show, followed by the Supreme Dairy on Wednesday, the Blythewood Beef Pairs, and Blythewood Dairy Pairs. The latter will be judged in the Main Ring on Wednesday during the Grand Parade of Cattle.

Bill Cowling, Show Director said: “The Great Yorkshire remains England’s flagship agricultural event in terms of the sheer quality of the competitive entries, as well as the large numbers. It bodes well for the farming industry that so many exhibitors are committed to excellence and to showing our visitors the best of the best, whether that is a champion bull, a champion rabbit or the fastest and most skillful show jumper. Excellence is what the Great Yorkshire Show is all about.”

Elsewhere around the show are demonstrations of country skills, a Food Hall displaying a vast array of mouthwatering food and drink, cutting edge couture in the fashion shows, culinary expertise in the Game Cookery Theatre and horticultural heaven in the Garden Show. In addition visitors can browse around 1,200 stand selling everything from state of the art machinery to designer clothing.

Summary of Entries

	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	2010	2009	2008	2007	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002	2000
Equine & Scurry	1793	1813	1714	2087	2,036	1,760	1,824	1918	2,020	1948	2,131	1,962	1,796	1,646	1,898
Show Jumping	252	260	195	209	203	196	192	198	209	251	233	207	187	204	253
Cattle	1211	1245	1066	1118	1,111	1,226	1,113	671	1,119	1005	1,057	1,029	655	556	859
Sheep	2328	2292	2045	2076	2,085	1,952	1,832	937	1,783	1561	1,655	1,581	1,441	936	1,468
Lamb Carcases	54	58	69	76	80	67	80	48	60	61	72	54	47	33	41
Pigs	447	372	408	419	395	406	348	332	357	324	300	277	131	125	237
Dairy Goats	189	199	160	149	157	131	131		162	176	228	220	267	210	323
Angora Goats & Mohair		38	37	37		42	26		36	32	20	26	18	13	31
Pigeons	789	762	697	766	703	680	608	614	643		525	468	563	576	654
Wool	252	231	239	222	240	204	210	178	179	144	162	139	124	126	173
Sheep Shearing	110	96	97	95	87	80	93	89	80	65	81	40	33	44	90
Honey	586	501	350	343	361	348	321	281	307	399	207	295	266	328	354
Garden Show	29	32	29	43	28	26	27	35	28	27	34	38	29	38	46
Foxhounds	634	572	631	625	722	546	673	599	736	596	740	560	666	204	154
Beagles	272	305	255	287	293	253	364	385	186	263	340	393	292	176	223
Harriers	122	169	192	147	134	144	161
Working Terriers	332	294	344	272	360		635	574	619	537	550	615	609	595	628
Woodcraft	247	264	245	334	280	250	243	245	213	264	149	189	322	401	429
Horse Shoeing	113	103	139	214	197	201	197	183	179	142	108	107	121	117	104
Wrought Ironwork	53	55	53	55	54	52	47	55	51	32	44	44	n/a	40	40
Four in Hand							9					9		10
Poultry	972	1150	1151	1174	1,203	1,188	996	828	871		718	676	726	709	844
Rabbits	1078	1236	1316	1096	1,132	1,316	1,224	1,408	1,202	1,091	1,136	1,128	1,330	1,066	1,192
Cheese	788	800	813	786	852	952	835	835	749	713	711	617	397	310
Total Entries	12651	12,847	12245	12630	12,713	12,020	12,189	10,413	11,789	9,631	11,201	10,674	10,020	8,463	10,041
Red figures denote provisional figures
Bold numbers denote record entries
Shaded boxes denote competition not held that year
2001 Show cancelled due to Foot and Mouth outbreaks
2005 Show Pigeon & Poultry classes cancelled
2008 Blue Tongue year

ENDS

29 June, 2015

Media Contact: Judy Thompson, PR Manager, Yorkshire Agricultural Society – 01423 546215 or judyt@yas.co.uk

To apply for press passes to the Great Yorkshire Show, please complete the online application form on our website, by 8thJuly 2015 - http://greatyorkshireshow.co.uk/media/press-passes

EDITORS NOTES

The Great Yorkshire Show is organised by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. This year sees the 157th show. It takes place at the Great Yorkshire Showground Harrogate when more than 130,000 visitors are expected to attend.

Tickets are available either on line – go to www.greatyorkshireshow.co.uk - or call 01423 541222.

Tickets bought in advance+ Tickets bought on the gate

Adult: £23 Adult £26

Concession: £22 Concession: £25

Children: £10 Children: £12

Family: £56 Family: £64

+ Until Weds 8 July

Parking is free and extensive. Please note that dogs other than assistance dogs are not allowed on the showground.

Tags:

Great Yorkshire Show Yorkshire Agricultural Society Great Yorkshire Showground