What to expect from the Great Yorkshire Show
The world’s biggest combine harvester has taken centre stage as the 2021 Great Yorkshire Show gets ready to open its gates tomorrow
Alongside Jules Hudson, Anita will be presenting two-part TV series Today at The Great Yorkshire Show which will go out on Channel 5 at 8pm on Wednesday and Thursday night.
The Main Ring is the heart of the Great Yorkshire Showground, home to the Grand Cattle Parade as well as the Main Ring Attraction for 2021. The show will welcome back two fantastic Main Ring performers this year: Sporting Soprano Lizzie Jones and Atkinson Action Horses. Atkinson Action Horses, from Yorkshire, will perform a combination of stunts and tricks in the Main Ring each day and Ben Atkinson will work with his horses to perform a beautiful synchronised routine – prepared to be 'wowed'.
Chief Executive Nigel Pulling, of Yorkshire Agricultural Society which organises the show said they had been working closely with North Yorkshire County Council Public Health and Harrogate Borough Council to meet strict criteria to go ahead safely. That means the show’s normal capacity has been reduced to a maximum of 26,000 people a day to meet government Covid guidelines and it is a sell out. There are no tickets available on the gates this year. Initiatives to improve safety have including extending the show to four days for the first time.
'Organising an event of the size and complexity of the Great Yorkshire Show to make it as Covid safe as possible has been a massive challenge for all involved and we have been delighted to have the cooperation of both North Yorkshire and Harrogate councils,' says Nigel. 'The normal timescale for organising the event was shortened because of the changing guidance but we are confident we have put the right measures in place.'
The show will welcome a total of 104,000 people in total over the already extended four days and visitors are strongly encouraged to have a Lateral Flow Device test before they come, and to download the NHS app. Anyone who is isolating or exhibiting any Covid symptoms is asked not to attend and to visit the NHS site www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19 for further advice.
'We have been working very hard with the show organisers to make sure this will be a Covid-secure but also a celebratory occasion to showcase the work and the produce of our farming and rural communities,' says Leader of North Yorkshire County Council, Cllr Carl Les. 'The Great Yorkshire Show is a major event in the regional and national calendar so we are delighted that we have been able to support the organisers to make it happen this year, especially after last year’s cancellation and all the challenges our communities have been through during the pandemic.'
Sections that will not feature in this year’s show include the Fashion Show, the WI Stand, the pole climbing competition and the Cookery Theatre in the Food Hall although the Game Cookery Theatre will go ahead as usual.
The 162nd Great Yorkshire Show will take place from Tuesday 13th to Friday 16th July, 8am–6pm. Tickets for the show are in advance only and visitors are asked to print out e-tickets to help with social distancing at the gates. You will not be able to enter the show without a ticket – and they will not be available on the gates.
