The Great Yorkshire Show – the North’s leading agricultural event – runs from Tuesday, July 14, to the following Thursday, on the Great Yorkshire Showground on the edge of the spa town of Harrogate.

The 250-acre site will be filled with animals, country demonstrations, have-a-go activities and the Great Yorkshire Cheese & Dairy Show. Plus there’ll be fashion, rural crafts and lots of chances to shop.

The Main Ring will be the hub of the show, providing a wonderful setting for international show jumping and the world-class cattle parade.

As usual there will be a packed programme of events with more than 8,000 animals competing for championship rosettes – everything from bulls to bunnies.

Show jumping has always been a star attraction at the show, with the Cock O’The North Championship on the final day, with top national and international competitors riding for glory.

Last year’s Great Yorkshire Show proved to be a resounding success, with more than 12,000 visitors attending the region’s largest annual countryside event.

The figure was one of the highest of the last decade, the highlight being a visit by The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.

Show director Bill Cowling, who escorted the Queen during her visit, said afterwards: “We have had an excellent show and it was a real honour, not just for the show but for Yorkshire, to have a visit from the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

“They spent five hours with us and thoroughly enjoyed their stay. They were able to get a real sense of the region’s agriculture and our heritage generally. It was clear that they have genuine interest and empathy with country life, and that showed throughout the day. The show has been hugely successful and we’re now looking forward to next year.”

The showground is open from 7.30am to 7.30pm daily (no admission after 5pm), apart from Thursday when the show will shut at 6pm.

You can buy tickets online at greatyorkshireshow.com, by phone on (01423) 541222 or from any Morrisons store across Yorkshire.