THERE was another bumper crowd as the rain held off for the second year running at the 156th Danby Show.

About 6,000 people are thought to have attended the show in one of the most beautiful settings on the North Yorkshire moors.

“It’s been another big success,” said general secretary Liz Sheard, “and that’s a tribute to all the hard work of all our volunteers and fantastic section secretaries who get little thanks.”

Rain had been predicted but instead the sun shone right until the grand parade of winning animals at the end of the day.

Attractions included what is thought to be Yorkshire’s biggest rabbit, Blossom, whose owner Christopher Bainbridge of Loftus, east Cleveland, feeds bananas.

Elaine Hill also drew big crowds for her ‘geese-dog’ display where her 11-year-old collie, Bryn, herded geese. Later children at the crowd were delighted when they were invited on to the show field to help her younger dogs herd ducks and ducklings.

One of the day’s big show winners was Jamie Wood, a farmer at nearby Roxby, who won three trophies in various cattle categories and declared himself, “absolutely delighted.” There was no overall cattle champion but Mr Wood won the most trophies.

Another big winner was Steven Kirby, a 21-year-old farmer from Northallerton, who was supreme champion for his texel sheep. “She’s won seven big trophies in a row now,” said a proud Mr Kirby who farms with his father and grandfather.

But the champion who won the crowd’s hearts was a young girl named Evie Craven who won ‘best Highland cattle handler’ and bravely struggled to move her cow across the field in the grand parade.

If there was a most popular tent category it would surely have gone to the beer tent which was packed from 1pm onwards.