Henry Maude, Linton Road, Wetherby.

Prior to the Great Yorkshire Show moving to the permanent Harrogate site, a different venue covering all the three Ridings of Yorkshire staged the show each year.

I remember clearly my father taking me, an eight-year-old boy to my first Yorkshire Show in 1931. That year it was the turn of Huddersfield to host the event and the weather was atrocious, leaden skies and continuous rain. And if my memory serves me well, everything was housed in marquees of varying sizes.

Where today the show has a network of concrete roadways, back then the few roadways available to visitors and exhibitors alike consisted of railway sleepers.

The whole field was a quagmire and not just where the visitors walked. The main ring where the heavy horses and cattle paraded was soon churned up. And the memory that has stayed with me from that show 77 years ago was watching the Suffolk Punch mares with foals at foot parading up to their fetlocks in mud.

My parents were not farmers, but we had always kept Shires and Clydesdales for town haulage work. Growing up with these patient, willing servants, I developed an admiration and affection for heavy horses. And in 1931 there were still a lot of working horses in both town and country.

Consequently, aside from the show horses, there were classes for the best turned out ordinary, everyday working horses and a prize or an RSPCA medallion were greatly treasured by those dedicated horsemen.

In the cattle classes, Dairy Shorthorns and Ayrshires were the dominant dairy breeds with Hereford the major beef breed. The Black and Whites had not yet made a significant impact.

Bowler hat, trilbies and flat caps along with pipes, waistcoats and gold pocket watches and chains, were among farmers' favoured attire.

After service in the Second World War, in 1947 I availed myself of government help to start a career in agriculture. And from 1949, when I bought my first farm, I attended every Yorkshire Show in Harrogate. Indeed, for more than 30 years the day at the show was my only day's leisure throughout the year. Although to call it a whole day is a misnomer, as I frequently had to milk the dairy herd before I set off, and milk again when I returned in the evening.

Certainly, the 1930 Great Yorkshire Shows were primarily of interest to farmers and stock breeders. But since the move to Harrogate, diversification has made the show into an absorbing day out for town and country. And hopefully will educate the many urban visitors as to where our food is produced and help to counter the disregard our Government displays for farming.

If the Great Yorkshire Show can foster an empathy between food producers and consumers and demonstrate what a priceless asset our countryside is along with the farmers who make it what it is, then it will have done an inestimable service for the whole country.

Eileen Hood, Wold View Road South, Driffield.

Grandfather took me to my first Yorkshire Show in 1938. I was 10 and it was a very long way to Doncaster. My surviving memory of the day was that it rained! The war followed and then I was away at college and working, so I did not have a chance to visit the show again until it had moved to the permanent showground at Harrogate.

My father, Arthur Conner, won a first prize with a shire horse at the show when it was held at Malton. The next time I attended the show, father was showing shires for the last time as the tractor took over as the workhorse on our farm. However, we moved into the sheep and pig show rings with my two brothers showing off their stockmen's skills as father had progressed to being a sheep steward.

My brother, Mick, is still stewarding the sheep section and he is delighted to have been given the honour of judging the Young Handlers section at this year's show.

Having watched the judging in the cattle lines, brother Jim and my husband Lawrence decided to bring some commercial, or fat, cattle as they were referred to in those days to the show.

Showing at the Yorkshire meant very early starts with a drive of 60-plus miles and the centre of York to negotiate. No A64 in those days.

At first the men used to camp in the cattle lorry but they had some very draughty nights. With the children in tow, I borrowed a caravan from a friend and this was the start of many, many happy nights spent on the showground. "Mrs Hood's caravan" became the meeting point, breakfast bar, lunchtime stop off, and evening barbecue area. It was amazing how much food could be produced by sisters Joan, Hazel and I on two gas rings, and a foldaway barbecue set!

Many an evening lingered into the small hours, with fellow exhibitors swapping tales of their showing escapades.

The pony classes were next to be invaded by the Hood clan, with Fay showing her pony, Springs Buccaneer in 1970. She experienced that "main ring" feeling three times but it was brother Allister who has given us many thrills in the horse section. He went to Norfolk that year to work with horses at the age of 15. He was talented enough to attract the attention of some very good owners of show horses which he took great pleasure in bringing to the show. We were all thrilled to see him take the Hunter Championship in 1976. Since then, we have been there to applaud his wins in the cob and the hack championships.

There have been highs and lows over the years. Lawrence taking the Commercial Cattle championship in 1980 is up there with the best. Fay will never live down the fact that she let "the champion" get away from her in the Grand Parade. It enjoyed a scamper round with its sash flapping; much to the amusement of the crowd.

The grand parade is a must see for the whole family but over the years we have enjoyed the spectacle which is the main ring. The displays, the showjumping, the bands and seeing so many members of the Royal family enjoy their visits.

From competing and stewarding, the family have also been involved with the running of the society. Father was a member of its council for 20 years. I succeeded him when he retired at 89 in 1989. Having served for 15 years, I retired but I was happy to see Fay elected on to the council.

Having been so closely involved with the show for so many years, it was nice to witness and contribute to the work behind the scenes. Not only are the three days of the show to organise but the work of The Yorkshire Agricultural Society goes far beyond that, supporting agriculture and rural communities throughout Yorkshire.

Seventy years has passed since my first visit to the show and I still get a buzz of anticipation as I approach the main gates on the Tuesday morning. This year I will be very proud of my grandson Dominic as I watch him take up his duties for the second year running as a steward in the sheep rings; the fifth generation of my family to take part in the Great Yorkshire Show.