TODAY is the day of the 2022 Ryedale show.

Ryedale Show traces its history back 167 years and has survived all that time despite cancellations due to war, animal disease and extreme weather.

The show began with the formation of The Ryedale and Pickering Lythe Agricultural Society on March 28, 1855, by “a group of influential Gentlemen and Tenant Farmers”. The society’s aim was to improve breeding stock within the area and to put on an Exhibition of Stock, Implements and Poultry.

The event is now held once a year in July – but it began as three annual events.

A ploughing match was held in February, the exhibition of implements and stock took place in August and the exhibition of farm produce was staged in September.

The exhibition rotated around the towns of Helmsley, Kirkbymoorside and Pickering until it was agreed that the show could have a permanent site at Welburn Park from 1965.

The show was a popular event which brought together landlord and tenant, and it has grown in size and scope since its early years.

In 2018 Ryedale Family History Group staged a talk on the history of the show, and in a facebook post said: “The Yorkshire Gazette of the late 1800s gives many favourable articles on the great successes of the show and increasing number of entries year on year.

“There are still family names showing today whose ancestors were there in those early years. The agricultural shows gave people an opportunity to see the latest methods in agriculture and scientific advancements.”

In 2016 Ryedale Show marked its 150th event, which was also its 50th show on the permanent site. Celebrations included a ploughing match held in conjunction with Helmsley Young Farmers Club.

A souvenir programme was also produced, which Show Secretary Christine Thompson said would “highlight significant periods of the history of Ryedale Show, including snippets such as the advent of the railway line joining up the three towns and thereby increasing the attendance of the show back in 1875, controversies that took place within the show classes back in the early 1900s, the effect of the wars, the devastation caused by the main judging platform collapsing, the cancellation of a proposed rodeo competition and the political debates that took place over the Annual Luncheon that was held when the show finished at 1pm”.

Ryedale Show has gone from strength to strength in the intervening years.

At the last show in 2019 crowds flocked to the event, which saw record entries across the board – although the pig classes had to be cancelled because of concerns over disease.

Just a year later disease was to have a major impact on the show when the Covid pandemic made it impossible to stage a live event.

Organisers held virtual events over the next two summers – but this year will see crowds flocking to the show once more.

Ryedale Show is renowned for its high standard of entries in all sections and trade stands that attend in bigger numbers each year.

The traditional agricultural show offers a great day out with a wide variety of attractions and entertainment.

It is staged within a natural amphitheatre, and has eight rings running throughout the day, exhibiting prime cattle, horses, sheep, pigs and goats.

There are also sections for fur & feather, produce, WI/YCA and children’s classes as well as sheep dog trials and a dog show.