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Great Yorkshire Show facts for kids

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GreatYorkshireShow
The official logo of the Great Yorkshire Show

The Great Yorkshire Show (GYS) is a huge farming event that happens every year in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, in the north of England. It runs from the second Tuesday of July until the following Friday. The Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS) organizes and runs this big show.

The Great Yorkshire Show is the largest farming show in England. Only the Royal Welsh Show and the Royal Highland Show in the rest of the UK are bigger. It's a very successful event, and the society that runs it earned a lot of money in 2016, around £9.6 million. A new building at the showground, which cost £11 million, opened in 2016 and made over £1 million in its first year.

History of the Show

The story of the Great Yorkshire Show is closely linked to the Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS).

How it Started

  • 1837: The YAS was created. Its main goal was to hold a yearly meeting to show off farm animals, tools, and to help farming in general.
  • 1838: The very first YAS Show took place near York. Many people came, and it was a big success! Police even had to help keep order because so many visitors tried to get in without paying.
  • For many years, the show moved to different towns in Yorkshire like Leeds, Northallerton, and Kingston upon Hull.
  • 1842: The show returned to York. This was the first time they counted how many people paid to get in, and it was 6,044 visitors.
  • 1843: People started calling it the "Great Yorkshire Show." It wasn't an official name at first, but everyone just loved it!

Moving to a Permanent Home

  • The GYS kept moving around Yorkshire until 1950.
  • 1915–1919: The show was cancelled because of the First World War.
  • 1920: The GYS teamed up with another big farming society for a show in Darlington.
  • 1931: The show was held in Huddersfield.
  • 1933: It took place in Marton in Middlesbrough.
  • 1940–1948: The show was cancelled again due to the Second World War.
  • 1948: The YAS realized it was getting too expensive to set up a new showground every single year.
  • 1949: They decided to buy a permanent place for the show in Harrogate.
  • 1950: The last time the show moved was in Malton. After that, the YAS bought a piece of land in Harrogate for £16,500.
  • 1951: From this year onwards, the show has always been held at its permanent home in Harrogate. Nearly 54,000 people visited in 1951.

Recent Years and Big Moments

  • 2001: The show was cancelled because of an outbreak of Foot and mouth disease in Britain.
  • 2006: This was the most popular show ever, with 135,111 visitors!
  • 2008: The Queen visited the show to celebrate its 150th event.
  • 2011: The show almost broke the attendance record again, with 135,086 visitors.
  • 2012: This show (the 154th) had to be cancelled after only one day because of very heavy rain. The car parks became too muddy and unsafe. This was the first time the show was cancelled because of bad weather.
  • 2017: The 159th show took place from July 11 to July 13.
  • 2018: The 160th show was held from July 10 to July 12.
  • 2020: The show (the 162nd) was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was the first full cancellation since 2001.
  • 2021: For the first time in its history, the show ran for four days, from Tuesday, July 13, to Friday, July 16.
  • 2023: The show introduced a new "Innovation Zone" for the first time.

The Showground

Great Yorkshire Show Ground - geograph.org.uk - 265052
A view of the Great Yorkshire Showground

The Great Yorkshire Showground is located just outside Harrogate. It's a huge area, about 250 acres, mostly covered in grass. It has several buildings and special areas that are used all year round.

What You Can Find There

  • Main Show-Ring: This is where many of the animal competitions and displays happen, with a large seating area for visitors.
  • Country Pursuits Arena: Here you can see exciting demonstrations involving Hounds and amazing Birds of Prey.
  • Flower Show: A beautiful display of flowers and plants.
  • White Rose Show-Ring: Another area for animal shows and events.
  • Animal Housing: Special barns and pens for cattle, sheep, pigs, and other livestock that come to the show.
  • Yorkshire Event Centre: Large halls used for conferences and exhibitions.
  • Pavilions of Harrogate: Places for dining and special events.
  • YAS Headquarters: The offices for the Yorkshire Agricultural Society are also located here.

The showground is very busy all year, not just during the Great Yorkshire Show. It hosts many different events, like antique fairs, trade shows, business meetings, and even wedding parties. About one million people visit the showground every year!

Royal Visits to the Show

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society has had a special connection with the Royal Family since it was founded in 1837. The first president of the Society was John Spencer, 3rd Earl Spencer, who was a cousin of Queen Victoria.

Many members of the Royal Family have visited the Great Yorkshire Show over the years. Some have even been Patrons (supporters) of the Society.

Queen Elizabeth II was the first female Patron of the Society, from 1952 to 1997. King Charles III has been the Society’s Patron since 1998.

List of Royal Visitors

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