THORNTON-LE-DALE is rightly the most popular show in the locality and considered to be the best and friendliest of the county’s traditional rural shows.

The Show is not only the high spot in the annual calendar for locals, but it also acts as the focal point for our many friends throughout the country, and indeed further afield, who return year after year to renew acquaintances

On display will be many fine examples of local craft skills typically including wood turning, furniture making, handcrafted greetings cards, pottery, silk printing, painting and dyeing, hand-embroidered pictures, jewellery making, candle making, stained glass, fine art, cold cast bronze, handmade soap, patchwork and quilting etc. There are long-established classes for cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and horses and an ever popular fur and feather section. Traditional rural crafts, not surprisingly, figure prominently, and the show boasts the best Shepherds’ Crook and Walking Stick exhibition in the region with a quality second to none and regular entry and attendance from the top stick dressers in the country. Entrants in the renowned Open Sheepdog Trial (to be confirmed), include a number of National Championship contestants, many of whom featured in the popular TV programme One Man and his Dog, and more recently on Countryfile. Approximately 150 trophies are there to be won, with cash prizes in over 450 classes. This year the marquee will also be highlighting the wonderful range of food manufactured and produced in Yorkshire. Alongside classes for dairy and beef cattle, rare and minority breeds, goats, sheep and pigs, visitors will also be able to enjoy long-established horse and driving classes. Children, in particular, will find the hugely popular Fur and Feather section and the Companion Dog Show most enjoyable. These, together with additional attractions including vintage tractors, an extensive variety of trade stands and demonstrations ranging from wood turning to gun dog, falconry, ferreting and sheepdog displays, ensure a full day’s entertainment for all the family. In the main ring, a wide range of traditional and not-so-traditional attractions will be on view throughout the day, climaxing with ‘Jamie Squibb’, by popular demand a now regular feature at the show and guaranteed to thrill the audience. There is a wealth of entertainment on hand for the entire family to enjoy. Don’t be disappointed, come early if you want to see it all