Great Yorkshire Show: Glorious champions crowned in finest livestock showcase

And very few sights could have proved more striking than Thursday's Grand Parade, featuring the very best of cattle in the country, before the naming of the Blythewood Pairs.

For Mike Milburn, of Lancaster, this was the very best line up of cattle nationwide - and all in one place before a cheering crowd.

"It's a brilliant spectacle," he said. As judges raised their hats at the efforts of all, he added: “What an appreciation of how much farmers do."

The Harrogate showground was bathed in sunshine as champions were named across livestock entries.

There was triumph for a second time in the Dairy Supreme Championship for Ian Collins and Partners, whose Dairy Shorthorn took the title for the second time in three years.

Mr Collins, who farms near Dewsbury, said there was more to Churchroyd Bronte Wildeyes 51 than a "pretty face".

“She is an exceptional dairy cow with strength and power," he said affectionately. "She is not just a pretty face, she is one of the highest yielding cows we have, producing just shy of 60l, and has an outstanding pedigree.”

Mr Collins's parents started showing 40 years ago and he now has around 150 cows in total. He also took reserve breed champion with one of his Dairy Shorthorns.

In the Supreme Pig Championship, Julian Collings took top spot with lop sow Liskeard Lulu 59, his first win for inter-breed.

"This feels great," he beamed. "I've been showing for 53 years and it's still nice to win. The Great Yorkshire Show has that prestige. It means a lot."

Reserve went to Peter Sykes, of Derbyshire, with rare breed Berkshire Hetty.

Judge Martin Snell, entertaining a watching crowd with earlier comments on one sow's walk "like a catwalk queen", has been on the show circuit some 47 years.

It serves as a shop door for farmers, he said, and a chance for them to shine in the spotlight.

"Showing is for a select few," he added. "We do it because we like it, because we're trying to sell stock, and we do have some good times.”

For sheep, Supreme Champion was awarded to Stockport's Tom Bowden and his Suffolk, with Hannah Jackson of Dumfries taking Reserve with a Dutch Spotted.

Judge Nigel Hamill said: "To me we are looking at the best in the UK. This is a big honour for me to be asked to come and select a champion.”

The supreme beef champion was a six-year-old British Simmental, Popes Princess Immie, shown with her calf and belonging to Vikki and Jimmy Wood from Preston. This continued a rich vein of success – she was but a calf at foot when her own mother was crowned in 2017.

Ms Wood said: “I’m blown away. It just means everything. It’s the culmination of 12 months of hard work and it makes it all worth it.”

Taking reserve was Blelack Princess Carina, a two-year-old Aberdeen Angus shown by Drew Hyslop of Scotland on behalf of owners Michael and Melanie Alford from Devon.

Watching the intense judging from the ring side were Stuart Roberts and Jodie Fairclough, from Kirkby Fleetham near Northallerton.

They have a small farm with pedigree Hampshires and Pietrains, some sucklers and Texel sheep. This is their annual holiday - or as close as it comes.

"It's showing our stock, showing them off," said Mr Roberts. "It's to see your stamp of animal. And it is a bit of a holiday, we don't really get holidays.

"This is also our 'local' show, it's our 'proper' holiday. To win here - to do well here - well it is an achievement."

Elsewhere on the showground there were heats across equine and horseshoeing, as well as milking competitions.

In the Main Ring, the Blythewood Dairy Pairs title went to Messrs DN Lindsay’s Ayrshine junior cow Mid Ascog Patricia 3rd, shown by Adam Lindsay and senior cow Harperfield Irene 53rd, shown by Adam’s uncle William Lindsay, both of Lanark in Scotland.

Then there were the young handlers, with an impressive show of youthful talent coming through.

Among those to take an early ribbon was Pippa Welford, from Bubwith near Selby, winner in the younger categories for non-MV. The nine-year-old has been showing all week, with coloured Ryeland Cocoa.

"I've been showing her since she was a lamb," said Pippa. "I sometimes get a bit nervous, but it depends if it's a naughty sheep.”