GYS: Wet start fails to dampen Society's resolve

All the planning in world may go into hosting a show on such a grand scale as this, but one thing the Yorkshire Agricultural Society is completely at the mercy of is British summertime's unpredictable weather.
Robert and Kirsty Travis share a joke with their daughter Harper, aged four, in the pouring rain at the show. Picture by Simon Hulme.Robert and Kirsty Travis share a joke with their daughter Harper, aged four, in the pouring rain at the show. Picture by Simon Hulme.
Robert and Kirsty Travis share a joke with their daughter Harper, aged four, in the pouring rain at the show. Picture by Simon Hulme.

Grey skies and consistent drizzle, turning heavy at times, formed the backdrop to opening day of the Great Yorkshire Show, where otherwise the characters and sights of this grand old celebration of countryside life proved to be another colourful spectacle.

And while the conditions were predicted to have seen the number of first day visitors fall short of the usual heights, there was plenty of cheer to welcome families across the 250-acre showground as the 159th show got underway in Harrogate.

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Nigel Pulling, chief executive of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, reflected on the mood.

Armed police on patrol at the Great Yorkshire Show.Armed police on patrol at the Great Yorkshire Show.
Armed police on patrol at the Great Yorkshire Show.

“Everyone seems very happy. It’s wetter than we would have liked but Yorkshire folk refuse to be put off by a bit of rain and people have come determined to have a good time.

“I think the RAF Falcons (parachute display team) didn’t jump (into the main ring as scheduled)because of the clouds but everything else went ahead as planned.

“Our exhibitors got damp but they were all in good spirits.”

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Since 2012, when torrential rain caused the show to be cancelled after its first day, the Society has invested more than £500,000 to upgrade the showground’s drainage infrastructure, including a £40,000 investment in May.

Armed police on patrol at the Great Yorkshire Show.Armed police on patrol at the Great Yorkshire Show.
Armed police on patrol at the Great Yorkshire Show.

Mr Pulling said: “That investment has really come to the fore. The showground has stood up very well to the conditions and has proved that it was money well spent.

“I would think numbers will be down but we have still had a big number of visitors in. The bigger undercover places were obviously busy and the Discovery Zone was heaving with families having a good time.

“There are two more days to go and I hope that anyone who was put off by the rain will come back.”

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Mr Pulling added: “The show has a serious point as well. Farming is going through a huge period of change and the show helps to showcase to the public and those in power how it is a key industry and they need to take it seriously and deal with it responsibly and fairly.”

Following the recent terror attacks in Manchester and London, the Society has been working with North Yorkshire Police and the National Counter Terrorism Security Office to implement extra security measures at the show.

There is a visible police presence at the show and bag checks are being made at its entrances.

Mr Pulling said: “People are very understanding. They understand what we are doing and why, and have taken it very positively because they realise in the last two months that times have changed and we have changed with it.

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“It’s about reassurance and is relatively low key. We are asking everyone to be observant. It’s regarded as a low risk event but we do need to increase levels of security.

“I don’t think it has affected our visitors’ determination to have a good time and they are right behind us because it would be stupid not to change our arrangements considering what’s happened.”

The show continues today and tomorrow and the weather forecast is looking up.