Sponsored by
Deluge fails to dampen hopes of record
GREAT Yorkshire Show officials hope the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh's presence on the final day boosted attendance to beat the record set in 2006 when the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall were visitors.
The final figure will not be known until today, but Honorary Show Director Bill Cowling estimates there were 45,000 people in the showground on Monday. If that figure was repeated on all three days the record of 135,111 could fall.
Mr Cowling said: "I am hopeful that we have a record gate. I know that the first two were good days. And there seemed to be a lot of people here today. We will have to wait to see, but I have a feeling it could be a record."
If the Queen and Duke had visited the show 24 hours earlier, the 250-acre showground would have been in near pristine condition.
But events outside the control of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society conspired against Mr Cowling and 50 staff and 300 voluntary stewards who stage the three-day event.
They did not expect the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service to have to be called to the showground at 2am to pump away floodwater that was threatening to engulf pig exhibitors after it began to rain at the end of Wednesday's show and continued through the night.
Damage limitation extended across the showground and involved tipping tons of wood chippings on waterlogged areas.
Some of the smaller rings could not used.
Mr Cowling said: "This was mostly out of concern for the safety of horses, but we also had classes in beef rings, which was a bit unusual."
Mr Cowling and his wife Caroline were delighted to be able to welcome the Queen and Duke to the 150th Great Yorkshire Show – an event they last visited in 1977 during the Queen's Silver Jubilee.
The Queen first visited the Great Yorkshire Show in 1949. She was then Princess Elizabeth and the Yorkshire Agricultural Society had yet to choose Harrogate as the site of its permanent showground.
The 1949 Show was at Wakefield and it was 1951 before the first show was held on the current showground in Harrogate.
Mr Cowling said: "We have had a wonderful day.
"The Queen made me feel comfortable straight away. She was interested in everything that we showed her and spoke to many of our exhibitors.
"Everyone was so pleased that she found time to come to the show."
He added: "After the Queen had gone, and I was walking back, a gentleman whom I did not know came over and shook my hand and said: 'Well done for getting the Queen to come to the Great Yorkshire and giving her a lovely day'."
Planning for the 2009 show will start in a few weeks, but Mr Cowling and the society's chief executive Nigel Pulling know they face a challenge after the 150th anniversary show with their Royal visitors.
Mr Cowling said: "I am perhaps the wrong person to say it but I think we have had a wonderful show.
"Some of our staff in the office and out on the showground have worked way beyond the call of duty to make sure the show was as good as it was and I am immensely grateful."
Email to a friend
Print this page- Leeds lose Ward to Palace: Is there anyone they can afford now?
- Sheffield Wednesday leaving it late to hijack Leeds United over Ward
- As Snodgrass dithers over Leeds, Warnock throws a lifeline
- Ball is in Leeds United’s court over contract - Snodgrass
- Police turning blind eye to Asian voter fraud, says MP
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
