I really enjoy the summer months in the North Yorkshire countryside, as almost every village hosts its own show, so there is somewhere to visit most weeks! Often kicking off as early as May, country shows offer something for everyone.

Agricultural, village and country shows are a very important part of the community where I live in North Yorkshire, and they take place in villages throughout the North Yorkshire Moors and surrounding areas. The shows have so much to offer, and you certainly don’t have to be a farmer or smallholder to enjoy them, as everyone can enjoy marvelling at pedigree livestock and tasting the home-grown fruit and vegetables on offer.

The shows are all quite different, making it worthwhile visiting more than one. Some offer livestock competitions, show-jumping and horticultural exhibits, while others celebrate the finest rural traditions. All are great places to meet up with friends, socialise and enjoy the local food and drink whilst taking in entertainment, often in the form of live music, brass bands or fairground attractions.

Sheep Exhibits at the Great Yorkshire Show

Sheep Judging at Osmotherley Showd

Coloured Ryelands at Ryedale Show

One of my favourites is, of course, the Great Yorkshire Show, which this year ran from the 14th to the 17th July and was absolutely heaving. Announcements the week before informed us that tickets had sold out despite increasing capacity from 35,000 to 37,500 daily to meet demand. Everything was meticulously planned, and the day ran smoothly. From parking to queuing at the entrance gates, everyone seemed to know what they were doing, and everything ran smoothly – at least in the eyes of visitors!

The Great Yorkshire Show is difficult to top; however, it is always a delight to visit the much smaller village shows and fetes, and I am looking forward to the Thornton-le-Dale show in the picturesque village in the North Yorkshire Moors. This will take place on 5th August and will mark the village's 105th anniversary, which is remarkable for such a small village.

Osmotherley Show

Tractors

The Ryedale Show, held at Duncombe Park, Helmsley, featured a large competitive display of livestock and rural crafts. I visited the show for the first time on 28th July and was surprised by its size and organisation. Whilst it wasn’t on the scale of the Great Yorkshire Show, it still had plenty to entertain everyone, including livestock, farm machinery, stalls, food and drink, and a funfair for children.

August 1st brings a true agricultural day in the form of Emley Show, with its livestock, trade stands and entertainment, and it is another very popular venue. Closer to home for me, and another first, was Osmotherley Show again on 1st August. A small agricultural show with lots on offer for everyone. Despite the weather being much cooler than in July, the rain stayed at bay, and the show was very enjoyable.

The Rosedale Show, founded in 1871, is held at Milburn Arms Field on 15th August, and I am very much looking forward to it. Rosedale is a beautiful village even without the show, but I think this one will be interesting for its gundogs and hound trails, which will make it a little different from some of the other shows I have visited.

We are very lucky to have dozens of shows to visit in Yorkshire, and I have only touched on some of those coming up over the next couple of months. I may just have to finish the show season with a visit to Masham Sheep Fair, which takes place over two days, 26th-27th September. The show commemorates the time when tens of thousands of sheep were sold each year from the Market Square, and it raises money for charity, which is always an added bonus in my eyes.



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