Enjoy it on video: Kilnsey Show and fell race

Kilnsey Show, the premier event for hill farmers in the Yorkshire agricultural calender, saw more than 10 breeds of sheep being judged with large crowds gathering for all of the individual classes.

Top honours went to Pickering farmer James Stenton whose Blue-faced Leicester sufficiently impressed the judges to be awarded the Supreme Interbreed title.

Organisers paid tribute to the public's increasing appetite for locally produced food as the event celebrated its best attendance in years.

Kilnsey Show, the premier event for Yorkshire's hill farming communities and the top show in the Yorkshire Dales, attracted crowds well past the 12,000 mark with visitors still streaming through the gates well after 3pm.

The event, hosted under the shade of Kilnsey Crag, had been blighted by poor weather in the past two years but this year saw glorious sunshine and soaring temperatures.

As ever, Kilnsey Show had everything from sheepdog displays to dry-stone walling competitions. Robert Lambert, chairman of the Upper Wharfedale Agricultural Society, said: "After the last two years this is fantastic. We have gone from having to use tractors to tow people in and out to not having a mark on the showground this year. The crowds have been superb. We could not have ordered this.

"We have had great success with the livestock entries, the dairy classes were down as they are nationally, but the beef cattle has been as good as it has ever been and we have had just a fantastic show of sheep.

"It has been one of the best shows in terms of quality that I can remember."

Upland farming communities have endured well-documented problems over the past decade due to decreasing returns and profits.

However Mr Lambert and his fellow organisers used Kilnsey Show to show the best of the Dales' farming industries, highlighting the massive contribution they make to rural life and the top quality produce they put into the market place.

"This is our shop window," he said.

"Local food is becoming more and more fashionable and events like this really help put that message forward. The public can see what we do here and how it is the Dales farmers who maintain and make the Yorkshire Dales look so beautiful and spectacular.

"We have had visitors this year from as far away as Edinburgh – they told me they came because we are famous for what we do."

Results

Sheep

Supreme Champion:

Champion – J& D Stenton, Pickering (Blue-faced Leicester)

Reserve – Raymond Haigh, Bentham (Zwartable)

Individual breed classes

Dalesbred:

Champion – Richard Close and Sons, Starbotton

Reserve – Frank Brennand and Sons, Carnsforth

Swaledale:

Champion – J&S Tennant, Bordley

Reserve – J&S Tennant, Bordley

Teeswater:

Champion – D & GC Newbould, Dallowgill

Reserve – Tom Willoughby, Redmire

Masham:

Champion - M&B Allen, Saltburn

Reserve – Tom Willoughby, Redmire

Blue-faced Leicester:

Champion – J&D Stenton, Pickering

Reserve – Neil Marsden, Cockermouth

Mule:

Champion – E Fairburn & Sons, Ripon

Reserve – Neil Marsden, Cockermouth

Suffolk:

Champion – Lester Peel, Thirsk

Reserve – Richard Close and Sons, Starbotton

Texel:

Champion – Margaret Perrings, Rathmell

Rerserve, Margaret Perrings, Rathmell

Beltex:

Champion – G Cropper, Accrington

Reserve – James Garth & Sons, Clapham

Jacob:

Champion – Clive Richardson, Ulverston

Reserve – JT & PA Black, York

Gritstone:

Champion – S&P Scriven & Son, Elslack

Reserve – Bruce Watson, Ripon

Lonk:

Champion – John Pickard, Blackburn

Reserve – S&P Scriven & Son, Elslack.

Prime lambs:

Champion – G Cropper, Accrington

Reserve – MB Allen, Saltburn

Zwartables:

Champion – Raymond Haigh, Bentham

Reserve - Same

Cattle

Supreme dairy champion

Champion – Brian Moorhouse, Bell Busk

Dairy classes

Open pedigree:

Champion – Brian Moorhouse, Bell Busk

Reserve – Andrew Ayrton, Eastby

Jersey:

Champion – Brian Moorhouse, Bell Busk

Reserve – Andrew Ayrton, Eastby

Supreme beef

Champion – JM & SP Cooper, Dacre

Reserve – J Stephenson, Bordley

Beef Classes

Commercial beef:

Champion – J Stephenson, Bordley

Reserve – J Stephenson, Bordley

Limousin:

Champion - JM & SP Cooper, Dacre

Reserve – JM & SP Cooper, Dacre

Highland:

Champion – R& W Phillip, Hellifield

Reserve – Julia Carr, Richmond

Any other pure breed:

Champion – Alan Hall, Darlington

Reserve – Gill Greenwood, Thornton.