Great Yorkshire Show Day 2: Full video coverage as Charles and Camilla visit

Click the video thumbnails above to watch our extensive coverage of the show. More videos, pictures and stories throughout the three days.

The grants will support a diverse range of projects, from empowering young people in isolated areas of north and west Devon, to providing business support to rural women.

The royal couple were warmly received as they toured the exhibitors and enjoyed sampling some of the food on offer in the food hall.

Charles, who is patron of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society which organises the event, and Camilla chatted with the public and were applauded on several occasions during a whistle-stop tour.

The royal couple last visited the show in 2006.

As Charles toured the food hall, he made a “beeline” for a piece of Wensleydale cheese as he enjoyed a gastronomic tour at the show.

Charles tucked into a piece of the cheese, made famous by animated characters Wallace and Gromit, as he and the Duchess of Cornwall toured the food hall.

Both Charles and Camilla appeared to particularly enjoy sampling some of the cheeses, particularly Wensleydale.

Jayne Hickinbotham, chief steward at the cheese and dairy section, said Charles was particularly knowledgeable on his products.

Asked if he liked the Wensleydale, she added: “He said it was very delicious. The Wensleydale is the home cheese here and he made a beeline for it. Both asked to sample it.”

Charles also sampled a piece of game pie and seemed to take an interest in a stall selling exotic spices.

The Great Yorkshire Show is held annually over three days in July and is considered England’s premier agricultural show.

More than 130,000 visitors are expected to attend the 2011 event, which will be the 153rd show.

Entries have hit an all-time high with 12,713 received for the competitive classes - ranging from cheese to cattle and from goats to gardens.

The Prince’s Countryside Fund is a group of brands and businesses brought together by Charles to help secure a brighter future for British farmers and people who live and work in the countryside.

Some of the projects being awarded grants include Hampshire Fare and White Quarry Farm.

Hampshire Fare is a county food group established to promote the benefits of buying local produce. The grant will help support the group’s efforts to preserve the symbol of the county, the Hampshire Hog.

White Quarry Farm in North Yorkshire is an arable and grassland farm covering 400 acres run by Tango Fawcett. The Fawcetts have been undertaking school visits for more than 14 years and a grant of £1,600 will help buy new equipment for the new teaching room.

Announcing the grants in the Country Living Magazine marquee, Charles said: “I know today we will see livestock of the very highest order, being produced by some of the best farmers in the world. That is what this country is famous for. But this doesn’t just happen by magic.”

The Prince of Wales said the farming community faced “very challenging times” but he was confident the Countryside Fund could help the next generation and “most importantly for those yet to come”.

He described the countryside and rural communities as a “national asset of incalculable value” which once lost could never be recreated.

The royal couple also watched a parade in the main ring and presented the Burke Trophy for beef, the most prestigious cattle award.

• A showjumper from Tockwith and a young farmer from Malton became the two new faces of the show yesterday after winning this year’s Country Catwalk Stars competition.

Raffaelle Guy, 24, who had earlier competed in the showjumping, quickly changed her jodhpurs for a stylish skirt suit and floral headpiece to take part in the final of the contest to find would-be models who live and work in the countryside.

She and fellow winner Thomas Lund, 28, a farmer from Malton, were picked from the 11 finalists selected from dozens of entrants, most put forward by proud mothers, spouses, girlfriends or boyfriends.

Thomas, who had been entered by his wife, Emma, said: “I am very excited to win, although I think I’m a bit long in the tooth for this. But you never know.”

Raffaelle, who had been put forward by her mother, said she was shocked to win, but thrilled, and added: “I’d like to do more of it in the future.”

Fashion has become an essential aspect of the Great Yorkshire Show, with the Fashion Pavilion attracting more than 6,000 visitors last year, making it one of the must-see attractions across the three-day event.

It is no longer just the traditional country outfitters who want a presence. Chic national High Street womenswear retailer Hobbs, which this year celebrates its 30th birthday, is treating Fashion Pavilion audiences to an exclusive sneak preview of its autumn/winter collection – a first for both the company and the show and, to mark the occasion, Hobbs has created a limited edition scarf.

Chief executive Nicky Dulieu, who attended yesterday’s show, said: “We have lots of links with Yorkshire and use fabrics from Yorkshire mills. The attendance here is fantastic, with all types of customers from younger ones to the more traditional base.”

Meanwhile, department store Harveys of Halifax also showed off some of its upcoming collections, as did Huddersfield designer Hardy Punglia, while Brooks Taverner, based in Keighley, flew the flag for men’s fashion with a taster of sleek and classy outfitting.

Making her debut at the show was milliner Suzanne Gill, based at Ampleforth in North Yorkshire, while the design stars of the future were also celebrated.

Fashion students from Northallerton College and Doncaster College showed collections that were remarkable both for their creativity and their commercial awareness, suggesting that new generations of Yorkshire-trained designers will continue to make their way in fashion and retail both in the UK and across the world.

There was plenty of bang up-to-date fashion to be seen outside of the Fashion Pavilion, too. Country tweed has never looked so on-trend, with many traditional outfitters now finding their wares much in demand, as fashionistas increasingly seek out jackets, trousers and hats more usually associated with hunting, shooting and fishing.

The showground itself has become a vast fashion runway, and many young female visitors took the opportunity to show off their outdoor style credibility, mixing lace prom dresses, cute shorts and bright maxi dresses with tweed and padded jackets and, of course, wellies, especially in purple and fuchsia.

The Country Catwalk Stars winners share prize money of £500, an introduction to the modelling world from Huddersfield-based Morton-Gledhill – The Fashion Team, £100 of skincare products and a case of Black Sheep beer.