The Mirfield Show

GREAT YORKSHIRE SHOW OPENS
Tuesday 13th July to Thursday 15th July

The Great Yorkshire Show opened at the Showground in Harrogate today (July 13th) with large crowds expected from across the region and the country.
As usual the rich, the famous, the public and royalty will mix together making the Great Yorkshire Show one of the most prestigious agricultural shows in England.
There will be over 8,000 animals exhibiting in numerous classes, top class show jumping, and hundreds of trade stands and craft stalls with something for everyone in the family.
The unfortunate closure of other large agricultural shows across England such as the The Royal Show and the Royal Lancashire Show have increased the number of classes and exhibits - but this should not take away from the great work the organisers do to build such a great event and day out.

Guide To The Great Yorkshire Show
Show programmes are an invaluable purchase on the day of the show as they contain full event listings and programme, a guide to what's on and the all important show map.
Showground Opening Times.
The Showground is open between 7.30am and 7.30pm daily (no admission after 5pm), apart from Thursday 15th July when the show will shut at 6.30pm.
For full details visit the Great Yorkshire show website.

A Brief History of the Great Yorkshire Show
The Great Yorkshire Show was born in October 1837 when a group of leading agriculturalists, led by the third Earl Spencer, met at the Black Swan Hotel in Coney Street, York to discuss the future of the farming industry*.
The result was the decision to form an organisation - the Yorkshire Agricultural Society - whose aims were to improve and develop agriculture and hold an annual show of excellence.      
Thus the wheels were set in motion and the first Yorkshire Show was held in Fulford, York, in 1838. Attendance figures were not recorded until 1842 when the Show was held in York. The figure was 6,044. In the early years, in common with other shows, the Yorkshire was peripatetic. It was held in all the main centres of population - no fewer than 30 towns in the three ridings.        
Then in 1950 the innovative decision was taken to build a permanent showground. The Harrogate site was purchased and its imaginative layout and excellent facilities quickly resulted in it becoming a role model for others.          
In 1992 the decision was made to remain on the Harrogate site and an ambitious £10m re-development programme was embarked upon. Since then the Showground's prestigious conference and events venue, the Yorkshire Events Centre and Pavilions of Harrogate have gone from strength to strength. In addition the number of events staged on the Showground year round has increased dramatically - it is now busy 12 months of the year.           
British Home Stores now stands on the site of the original Black Swan Hotel in York but a plaque on the wall outside records the fact that the Society was formed at the Hotel.
For full article visit the Great Yorkshire Show website