Video: A wet welcome for the Nidderdale Show at Pateley Bridge

Traditionally seen as the finale to the Yorkshire show season, the showground at Pateley Bridge was given a thorough drenching as the heavens opened on Sunday night and kept going throughout yesterday.

It was a testimony to the event’s organisers that it went ahead at all, with stewards doing all that could be done to ensure visitor comfort and safety was maintained

Despite the downpour it remained business as usual at the showground, which seemed busy throughout the day.

Organisers laid on tractor-towed trailers to ferry people from car parks to the showground and wooden chips was put down on muddy patches to make them passable.

The show was also the first since a the large stone plaque was unveiled at the showfield entrance to commemorate the event. Designed by local craftsman Carl Foxton it proved to be a head turner, with visitors even having their picture taken with it.

The cattle rings were home to the usual strong display of livestock entries with both the beef and dairy classes drawing respectable crowds despite the incessant rain.

The supreme dairy championship title was taken by Andrew Jennings of Fountains near Ripon with a holstein.

Cattle classes too were hotly contested with the Limousin and Aberdeen Angus sections being particularly strong.

Bill Cowling, show director of the Great Yorkshire Show - which itself was rained off after its first day this summer - paid tribute to the Nidderdale Show organising committee for making the event go so smoothly under such challenging conditions.

“I think it is a great testimony to the people of Nidderdale,” he said. “They have turned out in their droves, despite the weather. Organisers have done a great job and should be proud.”

Alan Cairns from Harrogate, a show regular for the past two decades, echoed his sentiments and said the conditions were the worst he can remember.

“I don’t think we have ever seen it this wet,” he said. “But any farmer knows, and indeed anyone who works outside knows, that there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.

“All you need is a pair of wellies and water proofs and you’re fine.”