FAMILIES were treated to an exhilarating display of extreme sports, dog show performances and a host of local mouth-watering foods at the first Ryedale Game and Country Fair.

About 9,000 people descended on Scampston Hall over the weekend to try their hands at various sports, from fishing to archery, as well as watch chefs prepare food and sample some of their offerings.

There was plenty to keep the children happy as well with entertainers, face painting and puppet shows.

The three main arenas played host to exciting shows, including the highly anticipated horseboarding competition, which sees a rider on a horse tow a mountain board rider behind them on a rope no longer than 10 metres.

Mark Hulme, one of the shows organisers, said the race had featured in the Living Heritage National Championship competition.

He said: “It’s an up-and-coming equestrian sport and a bit of an extreme sport, so a lot of people had never seen it before. It’s a very exciting sport.”

Another arena which proved to be popular with visitors was the World of Dogs Arena, which saw the Yorkshire Golden Retrievers Club undertake a working test, hold a gundog advice clinic as well as lurcher and terrier racing and more than 21 dog show classes to enter.

Mark said: “We had a lot of people saying they had never seen so many dogs before. There was plenty for people who just like to watch, as well as those who entered in the various classes. The dog arena will definitely be back again next year.”

Organisers of the show had first checked out the venue in August last year and had spent the last nine months finalising the details, including 10 days prior to the show setting up marquees.

Mark said the show will hopefully become an annual event and a highly-anticipated date in the Ryedale show calendar.

He said: “For our first show it went pretty well.

“We got a lot of good compliments from visitors on the exit saying how much they had enjoyed it. We are looking forward to the coming years.

“We are looking at at least another two or three years, but our aim is to make it an annual event.”