Heavyweight titles fell as the very cream of the crop in agricultural and equestrian competitions took centre stage at the sold-out 167th Great Yorkshire Show on day three.

Among the highlights on Thursday was a fairytale end to the Ripon Select Foods Cock O’ the North, the Show’s biggest showjumping class, when the trophy went to 70-year-old local hero John Whitaker for the seventh time.

John, who narrowly beat nephew James on Just Call Me Henry, jumped three clear rounds on Equine America Unick du Francport, taking the jump off with a time of 39.42.

There was a huge ovation from the packed ringside for John, who won his first Cock O’ The North 51 years ago in 1975. He said: 

In the livestock rings, the focus was on Supreme Champions across many sections, including cattle where the Beef Supreme championship went to an Aberdeen Angus cow, Blelack Princess Carina, with calf at foot, owned by Devon-based Mr and Mrs Mike Alford and handled by Cathal O’Meara and Daisy Newton.

Reserve went to Mary Cormack’s British Simmental heifer, Cade Kathleen’s Rockstar. The Dairy Supreme title went to Duncan Horsley’s Holstein Intermediate cow, Bartinney Duplo Swizzle 2. Duncan said: 

It was a good day for Duncan as he also took the Margaret Chapman Dairy Pairs with the same cow and with junior cow Ingleview Sc Ruth. The reserves are Ayrshires Middle Mae Km and Harperfield Victoria, both owned by D Lindsay and shown by Adam and Kerr Lindsay.

Rachel Coates, show director said: 

The Price Supreme In-hand for horses and ponies was contested by 21 breed champions in the Main Ring, with the title going to North Yorkshire breeder Jane Strickland with her home-bred Irish Draught mare, Appleton Aristocratic Lady.

Jane, from Appleton Wiske, said the family had bought the seven-year-old mare’s dam who was by Touch of the Blues and she and her brother had foaled the winner when she was born. She was overwhelmed by the win, saying: “I just can’t believe it.”

Judge Jane Domhill said:

Reserve went to Mr D Shand’s two-year-old Sport Horse filly, Achilty Miss Isabella.

The Supreme Sheep Champion made it two out of three so far with its win at the Great Yorkshire Show. Ellie Owens carried on a family tradition of showing Kerry Hills like her father who thought ‘she was mad’ for setting out to show at The Highland, the Great Yorkshire Show and the Royal Welsh in the same show season.

After taking champion at The Highland, the same yearling gimmer took the top prize on Thursday after having been crowned non-MV supreme earlier in the week. Reserve went to a Texel belonging to Eammon Vaughan of Partridge Nest Farm Texels in Staffordshire who had taken Supreme MV Champion prior.

It was a special show for the second successive year for teenager Rosie Garth from Bentham, who narrowly topped the final scoring to be named Great Yorkshire Show and National Sheep Association (NSA) Shepherd of the Future 2026. A year ago, Rosie had been crowned the Show's champion sheep young handler. She said: "It's amazing to win. I'm very proud of myself.”

Rosie, whose family has a long tradition of exhibiting at the Show, turned out in the sheep ring with a Beltex gimmer lamb for the final sheep handling round of judging, following a questionnaire and stock judging. Finishing a close second in reserve was Rachel Twiddle from near Northallerton.

A three-year-old Large Black was crowned Supreme Pig, getting owner Jack Holroyd his first win at The Great Yorkshire Show.

“I thought I had a good chance”, said Jack, “but the judges decide on the day. I am so pleased to have won at The Great Yorkshire and I absolutely love the show season.”

Reserve was a Duroc, shown by Hayley Loveless.

TV presenter Jules Hudson, star of shows including BBC’s Escape to the Country, visited the equine section and got a close up look of New Holland’s CR11, the world’s largest combine harvester on the President’s Lawn, brought to the Show by Russells UK. Later, he took to the Ariat GYS Stage to talk about his 30 years in broadcasting and signing copies of his new book ‘Wild at Heart, my journey to a country life’ for fans.

Jules, who recently became patron of Munchkins Miniature Shetland Rescue in Devon, spent time meeting competitors, stewards and judges in the TopSpec White Rose Ring on Thursday morning during the Mountain and Moorland classes. He chatted with two riders who have qualified for the Horse of the Year Show, Katey Marriot Payne with six-year-old chestnut gelding Cadlanvalley Eldorado who was named the small breeds Mountain and Moorland Champion, and reserve champion Jasmine Radford with nine-year-old grey mare Melau Sky.

Secretary of State for Defra Emma Reynolds said she was “hugely impressed” by the Show after taking a tour alongside Farming Minister Steven Morgan and Paul Kissack, Permanent Secretary Defra.

Rural women were brought together by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s Women In Farming Network at a social event in the Agri-Innovation Village. To celebrate the UN’s International Year of the Woman Farmer, County Durham farmer Emma Lawson and successful farm shop owner Jenny Hutchinson were in conversation, sharing the benefits of their experiences on stage, chaired by Kate Bush, Trading Director for Specialist Lines at Geo, who sponsored the get-together.

Emma is broadening her horizons as she looks to get ahead in her farming career by taking part in the Society’s Goodall Agri-Development Pathway, while Jenny grew up on a large family farm in Zimbabwe.

All images courtesy of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.