The complete guide to Yorkshire's country shows in 2023 - starting with Otley

Otley Show is the oldest agricultural show in England having been founded in 1796 and its 212th show takes place on Saturday May 20.

It heralds five months of forty-plus agricultural shows that take place throughout our beautifully rich and varied landscape from Penistone Show to the south, with its Whitefaced Woodland sheep that came about from the Penistone breed; Egton Show, near to the North Yorkshire coast, a must for holidaymakers to Whitby and the North York Moors; Muker Show and Reeth Show in Swaledale, evoking memories of James Herriot’s All Creatures Great & Small; Gargrave Show and Malhamdale Show to the west; and the magnificent Driffield Show in East Yorkshire.

Agricultural shows haven’t always included star attractions in the form of everything from camel racing, which I first saw at Reeth Show some years ago and Nidderdale Show in more recent years; and awesome, eye-catching performances from the likes of Lorenzo who will once more be displaying his awesome talents with horses at the Great Yorkshire Show in July (11-14).

They started out, in the case of Wharfedale Agricultural Society that runs Otley Show, as events where farmers would bring stock and learn of good practice, animal husbandry techniques bringing about better breeding stock in the wake of inspirational work by livestock breeding pioneer Robert Bakewell (1725-1795) of Dishley, Leicestershire.

Livestock are still the beating heart of the agricultural show calendar and Bakewell’s skills in selective breeding, having travelled extensively through Europe and the UK, brought about specific improvements in cattle, sheep and horses through crossbreeding, and shaped the breeds that became popular in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Bakewell crossed breeds to produce greater wool from sheep and to produce larger animals for meat consumption. He improved the Lincoln Longwool to bring about the Leicester (or Dishley) Longwool; he doubled the weight of cattle to be sold at market; and bred the improved Black Cart Horse that became the Shire.

There may never have been occasion when all livestock farmers have either had the time, energy nor the inclination towards showing animals at a show, but they have always remained interested in keeping abreast of what others are up to, what they can learn and how they might add value to their own livestock in future.

Agricultural societies putting on shows today are mindful of the role they play in educating the public. It is now part of many agricultural societies’ mission statements, to educate about agriculture and the countryside.

Agricultural shows vary from huge events such as our county’s massively popular Great Yorkshire Show, that last year attracted a capacity crowd of 140,000 over its four days, to the much smaller, but nonetheless just as important shows in their parts of the county, that continue to attract the crowds and put a smile on all our faces.

My first experience of a full agricultural show season in Yorkshire came in 1991 when I started writing about farms, farming and the countryside for the Yorkshire Post alongside my then colleague Robert (Bob) Benson. We covered every show for this wonderful newspaper between us, visited over 40 shows that year and I have continued to be present at as many as possible ever since.

I can heartily commend every single show. Some are purely produce shows, such as the Egton Bridge Gooseberry Show, some are fabulous local livestock shows with an unerring reputation for and wholly about sheep, such as Tan Hill Show, Muker Show and Moorcock Show, near Hawes.

Every show committee, stewarding team and those who play essential roles in the background deserve credit for their huge commitment and two shows are being welcomed back into the fold this year for the first time since Covid restrictions.

Arthington Show has found a new home for its return at Arthington Viaduct in Castley and Rosedale Show is back at the Milburn Arms Playing Field for its long awaited 150th show.

Driffield Show will be looking to regain its title as the UK’s largest one day agricultural show as it returns to such after two years of a two-day show; Nidderdale Show moves permanently from its traditional Monday to a Sunday, having moved to Sunday last year due to the Queen’s funeral; Honley Show is back at its beautiful Farnley Tyas showground after several years elsewhere; and Penistone Show celebrates its 150th, while Huby & Sutton Show celebrates its 130th.

We will be featuring previews of as many shows as possible this year, as always, plus reporting and capturing the best of each in the coming months. We have also compiled a list of agricultural shows. If yours is not listed please let me know. I have trawled as extensively as possible but would be grateful of any absentees.

Enjoy the show season! I know that Emma and I certainly will, along with our wonderful team of photographers.

MAY: Sat 20 Otley; Thurs 25 Tan Hill. JUNE: Sat 17 Eastrington; Sun 18 Todmorden; Sun 25 Malton. JULY: Sat 1 Honley; Sun 2 Huby & Sutton; Sun 2 Howden; Tues 11-Fri 14 Great Yorkshire; Sat 15 Bishop Wilton; Sun 16 Crowle; Wed 19 Driffield; Sun 23 Aldborough & Boroughbridge; Tues 25 Ryedale; Sat 29 Borrowby; Sun 30 Weeton. AUGUST: Tues 1 Egton Bridge Gooseberry; Fri 4 Hinderwell; Sat 5 Emley; Sat 5 Osmotherley; Sun 6 Sykehouse; Sun 6 Tockwith; Wed 9 Thornton le Dale; Sat 12 Halifax; Sun 13 Ripley; Wed 16 Danby; Sat 19 Gargrave; Sat 19 Rosedale; Sun 20 Arthington; Sun 20 Mirfield; Wed 23 Egton; Sat 26 Bilsdale; Sat 26 Malham; Sat 26; Wensleydale; Mon 28 Farndale; Mon 28 Reeth; Tues 29 Kilnsey. SEPTEMBER: Sat 2 Keighley; Sat 3 Kildale; Sun 3 Moorcock; Wed 6 Muker; Sat 9 Penistone; Sat 23 Stokesley; Sun 24 Nidderdale; Sat 30 – Sun 1 Oct Masham Sheep Fair.