A GRUELLING fell race featuring competitors from across the North was one of the main attractions at a Yorkshire Dales agricultural show – with runners braving the slippery conditions after a day of light rain.

Despite the sun failing to make an appearance, crowds flocked to the 103rd Reeth Show today (Monday, August 31) to be entertained by Reeth Brass Band, sheepdog trials, numerous trade stands, and Inch Perfect Trial Bikes display.

Cattle classes were returned to the show this year for the first time in more than 15 years, and show chairman Paul Brown said although numbers were modest, the entries were of a high quality and he hoped to build on numbers in coming years.

He said: “It’s my second year of chairman and I instigated the return of cattle to the show.

“A lot of our visitors come from Teesside to learn about the countryside and it seemed a shame not to have cattle.

“We also had entertainment from Inch Perfect Trials again, which was great family fun. Trial biking is one of the most popular sports in the Dales, most farmers sons use them in work to help round up sheep and there is also the Scott Trial event that is held near Reeth every year.

“All entries have been up this year which is fantastic, and despite the weather we seem to have some good visitor numbers. It won’t be as high as the last couple of years because they were really sunny days – but we got on social media this morning to let people from further afield know that the rain wasn’t too bad and it would still be a great show.”

Gary Bastow, organiser of the Fremington Edge fell race for the last 31 years, said the race was a big part of the show and was part of the British Open Fell Runners Association.

He said: “This fell run is one of the 16 championship races annually across the country and we get some of the best of British fell runners taking part.

“A lot of our athletes start at this grassroots level, so it’s great to see the youngsters doing so well.”

The course features 900m climbs, forest trails and craggy cliff edges, and the record senior time stands at 15 minutes, 23 seconds.

The champion cattle trophy was won by Beth and Luke Wilkinson, from Marwood and Wilkinson, with their 16-month old limousin heifer, bred by John Smith Jackson in Haltwhistle, Hexham.

Luke Wilkinson, 14, from Leyburn, said: “We are really pleased, especially after winning overall champion at the Wensleydale Show too.

“This heifer has been shown elsewhere but this was her first win.”

Sheep interbreed champion went to Will Porter, from Gunnerside, Swaledale, with his aged ram Swaledale.

Mr Porter, 23, said: “I’m really happy. He won show champion here last year too and I will be showing him at Muker this week.”