Organisers of the Great Yorkshire Show have announced the a new addition to the 2024 programme.

The Paul Hannam Quad Bike Stunt Show will take to the main ring every day over the four-day event, which is run by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.

The Devon-based stuntman, who has raced at British Championship level, will perform jumps, trick riding and rolls at the 165th anniversary of the show.

Around 100 farmers representing the World Ayrshire Federation Annual Conference 2024 will also attend the show as part of an 18-day UK tour.

Farmers from Kenya, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and America will visit the show to see how UK farmers breed Ayrshire cattle.

The Ayrshire Australia conference.

Charles Mills, who announced this will be his last show before stepping down as director after nine years in post, said:

“It is always a delight to host a world conference but it will be particularly special for me to welcome the Ayrshire World Conference as I was Chief Steward for the Ayrshire breed in the 90s for the Great Yorkshire Show.

“This is looking set to be an exciting show with the best animals in the country competing as well as first class machinery and innovation and a brand new Main Ring performer with the Paul Hannam Quad Bike Stunt Show.

“We look forward to organising another terrific four days celebrating the very best of farming, food and countryside.”

Organisers have also confirmed the return of the agricultural fashion shows, sheep shearing demonstrations and live cooking events.

There will also be a new marquee in the countryside area with talks on river management, game keeping and moorland management.

The Great Yorkshire Show, in Harrogate, will be held on Tuesday, July 9 to Friday, July 12 2024.

Tickets are now sold in advance only with visitor numbers capped at 35,000 a day.

Adult tickets cost £35, children cost £13 and families cost £86. They are on sale now.

Read more:

• Sell-out Great Yorkshire Show proves resilient in cost-of-living crisis
• Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Show director to stand down

When I started the food column, one of the first places I wanted to write about was Fodder, because it’s a place I regularly go to for fresh produce.

Fodder stands for everything the Yorkshire Agricultural Society believes in – a passion for Yorkshire, its farmers and local producers. It is also the only farm shop café of its kind in the UK where 100% of their profit goes back to YAS.

It’s as much a Harrogate icon as any.

Nestled within the Great Yorkshire Showground, there isn’t a more fitting tribute to the county’s farmers than a place that champions and sells their produce.

I first met Mehdi Boukemach, the head chef, at the Great Yorkshire Show, so I was delighted to spend some time behind the scenes with him in the kitchen. He and his truly diverse team includes chefs from the UK, Brazil, Poland, Italy, France and South Africa.

This diverse team means you get the tastes of different cultures peeking through the Yorkshire ingredients. Mehdi describes his food as “inspired by different cuisines using Yorkshire ingredients”.

Arancini and salads

The arancini is made from pearl barley and textured with a range of mushrooms including portobello, forest and shimeji, paired with a creamy Ribblesdale goat’s cheese. This is served with a spiced tomato sauce with a touch of local honey for a well-rounded flavour.

One of the more popular dishes is quiche. Mehdi’s serves it with a mooli and carrot salad with a touch of oyster sauce and a sprinkle of nigella seeds. It was like eating a savoury version of crème brûlée, and I can see why diners have not allowed it to be taken off the menu.

Other salads to accompany dishes include a Middle Eastern-style chick pea salad and fresh leafy salads with a drizzle of French dressing.

One of the staff members inside Fodder’s farm shop.

Burgers, stock and steak

“The Fodder way” is to use whole animals and ensure nothing goes to waste. Stocks are made every day from the bones, which become the base for many dishes and their homemade gravy.

The burgers are made from the brisket and seasoned with Maldon salt and black pepper. Nothing else needs to be added when you are working with high quality produce. The amount of fat in each burger ensures it remains juicy and delicious.

Another popular dish is the open sandwich. I watched the steak sandwich being prepared using perfectly seared bavette steak, topped with creamy Yorkshire blue cheese. It is served with a tomato sauce topped with onion jam and a salad, so you get a balance of sweet, salty, umami and a touch of acidity.

I left the Fodder kitchen with an appreciation for the amazing work that goes into producing the dishes. I saw the team’s love for the produce they use, as well as respect for local farmers and suppliers.

The front of Fodder.

The café and farm shop

The café serves breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea as well as coffee, tea and sweet treats.

The talented team of chefs bakes fresh scones, flapjack and (giant) Yorkshire puddings every morning.

The site also offers Fodder on the Hoof – an original 1950’s Airstream Caravan — serving hot drinks, bacon butties and quick lunches for those on the go.

Along with everything you need for your weekly food shopping, Fodder has a wide range of crafts, gifts, and cards.

In the lead up to Christmas planning, you can order your festive food from turkeys, pigs in blankets and side dishes to desserts and ice cream to be delivered from Fodder.

Read more:

• Yemi’s Food Stories: Let’s talk oil
• Yemi’s Food Stories: A visit to the Harrogate pop-up Afghan Kitchen

Tickets for next year’s Great Yorkshire Show will be available to buy from Wednesday, November 1.

Since 2021 tickets are only sold in advance with visitor numbers capped at 35,000 a day.

Next year’s 165th show will run from Tuesday, July 9, to Friday, July 12.  Last year tickets sold out a week before the event started.

The Great Yorkshire Show 2024 will be the final one for current show director, Charles Mills, as he comes to the end of his tenure.

Mr Mills said:

“This will be a very special show for me personally as it will be my ninth and final show as show director.

“Be sure, it will be full of entertainment, superb competition and the best animals in the UK coming together to celebrate farming, food and agriculture.”

Ticket prices for 2024 have risen for adults from £32 this year, to £35, children’s tickets remain at £13 – a family ticket has risen from £80 to £86. Under 5’s are free.

Read More: 

• Lofthouse Moor owner fined for illegally burning peat
• North Yorks Council warns action to plug £25m black hole is essential

Next year’s Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate will be the final one for director Charles Mills.

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society, the farming charity that runs the event, announced today it was seeking a successor to Mr Mills, whose tenure will end in 2024.

The show, from Tuesday, July 9 to Friday, July 12 will be his ninth as director.

Since taking over the role in 2016, Mr Mills has been part of the team behind changing the structure of the show, which moved from three days to four days due to covid in 2021.

Tickets are now sold in advance only with visitor numbers capped at 140,000 equating to 35,000 people a day to prevent overcrowding.

Recalling the decision to stage the show in 2021, he said:

“We were one of the only agricultural shows to go ahead that year and it was such a pleasure to host King Charles III and Queen Camilla who supported us at that show and spent a whole day meeting exhibitors, stewards and public.

“I have also thoroughly enjoyed hosting members of the Royal family including Princess Anne who visited twice during my tenure and is very highly respected among the farming community.”

Talking to the Duke of Gloucester at this year’s show.

Mr Mills looks forward to spending more time with wife Jill and family and supporting son James in running the family business of hosting weddings at their farm in Appleton Roebuck in Selby.

He said:

“When I was a young boy in short corduroy trousers sitting in the grandstand, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would get the honour of one day becoming the show director of the Great Yorkshire Show.

“It is a wonderful organisation and getting the opportunity to meet and work with so many dedicated people will stay with me for the rest of my life.”

Allister Nixon, chief executive of the society, said:

“Charles has been a fantastic ambassador for the Great Yorkshire Show and we can’t thank him enough for his amazing contribution over the years and for his passion, commitment and leadership.”

Read more:

• Princess Anne makes three visits in Harrogate before flying south
• Harrogate Grammar School head says 20mph zone should include Otley Road

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Can anyone tell me how any individual whatever political persuasion elected to this office can manage, in their day to day work, all the duties it entails? Highways, Education, Housing, and Police Fire and Crime Commissioner!

The announcement is that the Conservative candidate is also Executive Councillor for Highways, representative for Norton, and Deputy Editor for the Daily Star! All presumably at some fantastic rate of pay. It is bureaucracy gone mad.

Will he resign his position as Norton representative or does that exclude him from becoming Mayoral candidate? It is a complete mystery to me as how local government has gone to such a multi layered institution costing us all much more money and not really seeing results.

We need transparency of what they propose and what they actually achieve, not just a bunch of statistics which, let’s face it, anyone can manipulate.

Best of luck to whoever is finally elected, they will need it.

Sandra Theoblad, Ripon

Unimpressed with Yorkshire Agricultural Society

I would like to echo the comments of other local dog owners concerning the current fencing off of land by the YAS next to the showground. Having walked our dog twice daily through the fields, this is a huge disappointment and loss.

The YAS chairman talks of providing “kilometres of permissive paths” when the reality is a very short section from Hookstone Wood to the car park by the top showground gate.

There was no consultation or advance notification at all and it is a great shame to see the approach taken by YAS, which is particularly inconsiderate to local residents who put up with traffic chaos when big events are held.

Thoroughly unimpressed.

Catriona Cooke, Harrogate 

Read More: 

• Conservatives select highways councillor Keane Duncan to stand for North Yorkshire mayor
• Harrogate dog-walkers shocked by new barbed-wire fencing at showground

Thank you for the music

This story is sponsored by Harrogate BID

Despite the cost of living crisis, the 2023 Great Yorkshire Show was a sell-out with the rain appearing to have a bigger effect on sales than the economic climate.

The UK’s largest agricultural show saw 140,000 people pass through its gates over four days this week.

The four-day event sold out two weeks in advance even though ticket prices increased, setting you back £32 for an adult or £80 for a family. By comparison, they cost £29 and £75 last year.

Alistair Nixon, chief executive of Yorkshire Agricultural Society, the farming charity that organises the show, said:

“It is a difficult time – cost of living means prices are going up all the time and we do have to reflect that in our prices.

“However, we support our farmers as much as we can through the show, and I’ve seen the same level of loyalty this year as with any other year.”

Mr Nixon explained the charity “has hit its target and done what we needed to do” when asked if the economic state had caused a dip in sales.

Show director Charles Mills added:

“Everywhere I’ve been it’s been very busy.

“I’ve seen a lot of people with food and drinks, or walking out with bags, so that must be a good sign.”

Clothing trader Joules noted sales to be “around the same as last year”, but said its demographic “tend to come to the show and only shop here during the show”.

The Pavilions of Harrogate‘s outdoor bar saw record sales on the Thursday, but Friday’s rain slowed down final sales.

Fraser Holmes, event manager of Pavilions, told the Stray Ferret:

“In terms of what we’ve taken this year, I believe it to be around the same as last year.

“Thursday was our record day ever for sales – the sunshine really helped with that – and Friday’s rain then brought things back down a bit.

“People are still spending money I think.”

The show also saw a record number of sheep class entries that surpassed 3,000, as well as over 1,000 cattle and equine entries too.

Find more information on Yorkshire Agricultural Society here.

Read more:

• Harrogate man swaps gamekeeping for glamour as Great Yorkshire Show fashion model
• St Aidan’s students bring a taste of Italy to Great Yorkshire Show

This story is sponsored by Harrogate BID

Successes in agriculture and champion cattle, cheese, pigeons and forestry were recognised on day two of the Great Yorkshire Show.

Spectators were treated to the stunt riding of Lorenzo in the main ring and Adam Henson’s chat show returned to the GYS stage.

The day also saw the supreme pigeon award presented to a Chinese Owl from Huworth.

The third national cattle championship at the show, the British Charolais, went to a two-year-old heifer, Marne Sweetpea, owned by Robert Tremayne and Nicola Osgood of Kent.

Day two also saw the inaugural farmland curlew award developed by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and Nidderdale AONB to reward famers who make a significant contribution to curlew conservation — won by two Cumbrian beef and sheep farmers.

Future Farmers also had their flagship annual get-together and held a panel-led discussion.

York Community Woodland, owned by City of York Council and tenanted by Forestry England, took home the John Broddy trophy for the best new woodland in Yorkshire awarded by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, Royal Forestry Society and Forestry Commission.

Tickets for the show have now sold out and will not be available on the gate. The opening times are 8am to 6pm on all four days. To see what is happening on which day, visit here.

Take a look at the gallery below to catch up on today’s highlights.

Pic: Great Yorkshire Show website

Mill Hill School pupils celebrating their success

Horticap’s award-winning garden

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance team

A hound class

Artist: Jonny Sunter

Pic: Great Yorkshire Show website

Pic: Great Yorkshire Show website

Biscuit of Farlavale Gun Dogs

Pic: Great Yorkshire Show website

Read more:

• GALLERY: Royal visit marks start of Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Show
• Harrogate businesses offering unmissable discounts to attract punters during Great Yorkshire Show

This story is sponsored by Harrogate BID.

A total of 140,000 people are expected to attend the 164th Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate this week.

Gates open at 8am tomorrow for the four-day event, which is completely sold out.

After years of mainly fine weather, showers are forecast along with a pleasant temperature in the high teens.

Traffic restrictions will be in place on the roads leading to the Great Yorkshire Showground. The details are here.

The event, which closes at 6pm each day, is a huge celebration of agriculture, food and farming, with everything from show jumping to shoemaking on display.

It is organised by farming charity the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.

The traditional royal visit will see the Duke of Gloucester, who was a first cousin to the late Queen Elizabeth II, attend tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s visitors will also include farming minister Mark Spencer, who is expected to talk about the government’s plans for dairy farming.

The Stray Ferret will publish updates about the show, including traffic and travel updates, throughout the week.

Read more:

• How to get around Harrogate during the Great Yorkshire Show
• Nurse retires after 50 years of service to Harrogate hospital