ONE of the North’s largest one day agricultural shows again saw people in their thousands flock to the popular event.

As Saturday’s temperatures rose, so did the number of visitors flocking through the gates of Stokesley Show showground, for another successful event.

The Northern Echo:

Show secretary Janette Hugill estimated they had equalled last year’s visitor numbers, which were in the region of 25,000.

“It started as a dry day and it’s just hotter and hotter and more and more people have arrived,” she said.

One of the highlights was the Jamie Squibb Freestyle Stunt Team, whose aerobatic motorcycle stunts against the backdrop of Roseberry Topping entertained large crowds.

Other attractions in the main ring included horse and hound demonstrations from Cleveland Foxhounds, Stokesley Farmers’ Beagles and the Bilsdale Hunt.

Stokesley Young Farmers’ association continued their fundraising by setting up fairground challenges, including a ducking chair that released one of them into a pool of cold water when visitors managed to hit a target.

They were fundraising for Great Ayton youngster and Stokesley School pupil Maddie Simpson, 13, who has undergone two bone marrow transplants after being diagnosed with a rare genetic blood disorder Fanconi Anaemia.

The other half of the money has gone to Walkergate Park Centre for Neurorehabilitation in Newcastle, which has been treating Stokesley young farmer John Noble, who was left with head injuries following a car crash in which his friend Jonathan Chapman was fatally injured last year.

Other features at the show included performances throughout the day by Hammonds Saltaire Band, laser game shooting from Miss Shoot and the colourful Prestons Gavioli Organ.

The Northern Echo:

Throughout the day there were performances from the Sheep Show, a stage show about sheep and wool, involving nine different breeds of sheep taking to a podium, along with a shearing demonstration and “sheep dancing”.

Alongside the crafts and artwork, Cleveland Beekeepers Association provided an insight into bees and gave visitors the chance to make beeswax candles.

A group of volunteers with the Commondale Wool Workshops provided demonstrations of spinning, weaving and felting using local wool.

There were also traditional classes for livestock, produce, crafts and horses, as well as show jumping and a dog show.

One young winner, Anna Goldie, 16, from Northallerton, won champion handler and champion calf with her Holstein. She said: “We’ve been coming to this show for some time. Her grandmother will have come here and won before her.”

Mrs Hugill said across the board the standards seemed to be higher in most categories, from crafts to the animals entered into the hunter ridden classes.

“We have an even better quality this year. The standards are so high. I think people are just getting more and more focused on events like these.”