BICYCLE stunts, carriage racing and thousands of animals are all featuring at today’s Stokesley Show.

Thousands of people from around the region have flocked to the North Yorkshire showground, in the shadow of Roseberry Topping.

The chilly temperatures did nothing to dampen people’s enthusiasm at the major agricultural event, which is one of the largest one-day shows in the country and traditionally attracts in the region of 20,000 visitors.

This year, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, Sir Gary Verity, is the show’s president and has brought along his own sheep from his working farm in the Yorkshire Dales.

In honour of Sir Gary Verity’s Tour de Yorkshire, stunt bicycle team, the 2Sixty Bicycle Stunt Show, have been invited to perform at the show. The riders have performed at a range of the events, including live TV shows and music videos and have broken 11 official Guinness World Records between them.

Other entertainment in the main ring includes a recreation of the famous gold bullion van chase scenes from the iconic film, the Italian Job.

The act, brought to the show by Paul Swift, of the Britalian Job, will involve a trio of Union Jack Mini Coopers in red, white and blue, in a tightly choreographed routine involving music and pyrotechnic special effects.

FarlaVale Gundogs, a family-run business which teaches a flexible and creative approach to gundog training, is running “scurry runs” throughout the day, where people can pit their dogs against a course of hay bale jumps in order to retrieve a ball against the clock.

It’s taking place in the show’s new country pursuits area, which also features demonstrations by Ayton Angling Club and special trade stands.

There’s also birds of prey demonstrations and alpacas to help people learn more about the animals.

Elsewhere in the showground there’s classes for crafts, art, horticulture, art, poultry and other livestock.

Show secretary Janette Hugill said: “I think people are arriving later this year – they wanted to see if it was going to rain. But luckily the weather forecast is good and everyone’s coming out.”

Approximately 2,500 animals are expected to arrive at Stokesley Showground this year, which has seen more than 5,000 entries into classes for livestock, horticulture, crafts, poultry, horses, vintage machinery and many other exhibits.