15/07/06
Glorious sunshine, a record breaking attendance figure and two
Royal visitors made sure the 2006 Great Yorkshire Show was another
amazing success.
Honorary Show Director Bill Cowling, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall,
HRH The Prince of Wales and the Chief Pig Steward, Peter Brier
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Organisers the Yorkshire Agricultural Society announced today
(Friday) that the gate figure was 135,111 - an all-time high in
148 shows, beating last year's record of 134,810.
The crowds flocked to the Showground at Harrogate over the three
days (Tuesday 11 - Thursday 13 July) and in particular on Thursday,
to catch a glimpse of HRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of
Cornwall.
Mr Cowling said: "The Prince and the Duchess thoroughly enjoyed
their visit to the Great Yorkshire Show and we were delighted that
they were able to join us and get a real sense of the region's
agriculture and tradition. They have genuine interest and empathy
with country life and that showed throughout the day.
"The 2006 Show has been hugely successful - the weather was
beautiful, and everyone seems to have had a thoroughly enjoyable
time. We're now looking forward to next year."
The royal couple toured the Showground with Honorary Show Director
Bill Cowling and his wife Caroline, in his first year in the role.
During the day The Prince and Duchess met and talked to dozens
of visitors, exhibitors and the show staff, visiting the animal
lines, the Food and Flower Shows as well as the University Exhibition "Tomorrow's
Agriculture" and Churches Pavilion. Highlights included presenting
the main livestock trophies to the Supreme Beef and Dairy cattle,
the Interbreed Pig Championship as well as the prestigious Cuddy
in Hand Championship in the equestrian section.
The weather stayed hot and sunny over all three days, allowing
the crowds to make the most of the many attractions which included
hundreds of trade stands, the JCB Dancing Diggers and the first
public display by the newly-formed Yorkshire Regiment. And for
the first time the show could be seen in "real time" across
the world through the Show's web site. The live streaming took
hits from Europe, Australia and the USA.
Winner of the Hornbeam Park Cock o' The North, the show's fiercely
contested showjumping event, was Robert Whitaker on Finbar V, while
Jerome Harforth of Great Ayton, showing Liz Mansfield's Rotherwood
Peek-A-Boo, a riding pony brood mare, took the Cuddy Supreme In-Hand
title.
In the cattle classes, this year's Supreme Beef Championship was
won by Fred and June Andrews of Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, with
Holtstead Velvet, a two-year-old Charolais bred in Yorkshire. A
two-year-old Holstein heifer, Bricknell Gibson Peach PI, owned
by Andrew Jennings of Fountains, near Ripon, took the Supreme Dairy
Championship.
The Pig of the Year Award saw stiff competition, finally being
won by Steve Loveless of Bridport, Dorset, with a home-bred Large
White gilt, Portbready Beryl. The Supreme Sheep Champion out of
1,561 sheep from more than 32 breeds on parade was a Suffolk shearling
ewe from Miss Judith Barber of Dumfries.
A stunning display of arrangements in the Flower Show, ranging
from arrays of local produce to glorious roses and Victorian gardening
tools, proved ever-popular with visitors. The Millennium Best In
Show Award went to Matthewman Sweetpeas of Thorpe Audlin, Pontefract,
West Yorkshire.
The 2006 Great Yorkshire Farming Awards proved another huge success,
attracting entries from all over the region. The overall Farming
Championship was presented to Angus Wielkopolski of Seaton Ross,
York, who received his award from the Society's President, Lord
Hotham of Beverley.
High-profile visitors included the Archbishop of York, the Rt Rev
John Sentamu, cricketing legend Dickie Bird, international fashion
supremo Rita Britton and celebrity florist Carl Wilde.
Visiting the show on the Tuesday was Paul Tulip, a finalist in
the BBC programme, The Apprentice, who sat on the judging panel
of Yorkshire Fashion Idol. The six shortlisted finalists had their
designs modelled on the catwalk with the winner - Lisa Mitchell
of Barnsley, with an outfit inspired by her family's mining history
- announced on the Thursday of the show.
 Great Yorkshire Beer Trail at Great Yorkshire
Show
Great Yorkshire Show 2006 - New Chief Steward
Pig Section
Great
Yorkshire Show 2006 - Tomorrow’s Agriculture Exhibition
The Great Yorkshire Show - Something for
Everyone
Great Yorkshire Show Supports Operation Bumblebee
The
Great Yorkshire Cheese & Dairy Show
Great Yorkshire Show: The Art of Woodcraft
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