Entries flood in for the Great Yorkshire Show 2023 catwalk model search

Farmers from across the North of England are preparing to showcase not only their prize sheep, pigs and cows at this year’s Great Yorkshire Show, but also themselves as they vie to become models when the much-loved catwalk event returns this July.
Stephanie Smith
By Stephanie Smith
Published 19th Apr 2023, 13:33 GMT
Updated 19th Apr 2023, 14:52 GMT

Show organisers have confirmed that dozens of entrants - many from the farming and rural communities - were quick off the mark to apply within hours of a call-out for amateur models to join the professional team on the runway at the Great Showshire Show 2023.

So far there have been more than 45 applicants from across Yorkshire and as far afield as Northumberland and Cumbria, with that number rising daily, as teenagers through to 60-somethings register their interest.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The fashion shows have been a hugely popular part of the Great Yorkshire Show for decades, providing a respected platform for Yorkshire’s leading and emerging designers, fashion students and prestigious retailers to showcase their talents and designs before thousands of visitors at the county’s major agricultural event.

Models wear Brook Taverner Yorkshire Agricultural Society jackets and accessories made of Great Yorkshire Tweed.Models wear Brook Taverner Yorkshire Agricultural Society jackets and accessories made of Great Yorkshire Tweed.
Models wear Brook Taverner Yorkshire Agricultural Society jackets and accessories made of Great Yorkshire Tweed.

After a gap of four years, the catwalk is back, with a twist to include up to six novices, with links to rural life, as part of the model line-up. Bernadette Gledhill, the fashion show organiser said: “We’re absolutely thrilled at the response. We’ve really struck a chord, and across all ages and backgrounds – from sheep farmers to gamekeepers to dancers and a fitness expert. What they all have in common is a link with farming and love of the countryside.

“In the past, well-known personalities such as Anita Rani, singer Lizzie Jones, paralympian Hannah Cockroft and Yorkshire vets Julian Norton and Peter Wright have taken part alongside our professional models, so it’s wonderful that this year there’s a new element

with the would-be models taking part.”

The catwalks will take place daily at 12.30pm and training for the newbies will be given in the run-up to the event. Charles Mills, show director, said: “We are delighted to champion the importance of wool and the vital role that British sheep farmers play in the production of this versatile natural product. The title of our fashion shows, From Sheep to Chic, sums this up precisely and the new venue for the shows could not be more appropriate. For the first time they will be held on the stage in the sheep shearing area, next to more than 2,000 sheep which will be shown in the competitive classes.”

Join the team of professional models at this year's Great Yorkshire Show. Picture by Simon Hill.Join the team of professional models at this year's Great Yorkshire Show. Picture by Simon Hill.
Join the team of professional models at this year's Great Yorkshire Show. Picture by Simon Hill.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The shows are sponsored by Keighley-based tailors Brook Taverner, and supported by British Wool.

The deadline for wannabe models is Friday, April 28. Entrants are asked to email [email protected] and include: Their name, address, phone number, their link to farming and/or rural life, their profile picture, and confirmation of their availability for a photo shoot at the showground on Wednesday, May 10, as well as for the show itself.

The Great Yorkshire opens on Tuesday, July 11, at the Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, and runs until Friday, July 14. Tickets are on sale now and will be in advance only, as visitor numbers are capped at 35,000 a day. Tickets are: Adults £32, Children £13 and Families £80. To book tickets, go online https://greatyorkshireshow.co.uk/ticket-information/

Click here for the new weekly Yorkshire Lifestyle newsletter.

Related topics:NorthEnglandNorthumberland