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Big wheel, prize cows and thousands of smiles at Driffield Show

Holly PhillipsEast Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
BBC Stuart Wood, who has short grey hair and facial stubble, wearing a black, short-sleeved polo shirt. He is stood in an enclosure holding a brown and white cow, smiling at the camera. Cows can be seen in the background. BBC
Stuart Wood says his cow produces almost 12 gallons (45 litres) of milk a day

From cows and freshly tanned sheep to giant wheels and blimps, thousands of people gathered to celebrate the 150th Driffield Show.

The one-day event is run by the Driffield Agricultural Society on the Driffield Showground just outside the East Yorkshire town.

It has been running on and off since 1854, with breaks during World War One, World War Two and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Farmer Stuart Wood, from Leppington, near Malton, who was at the show with his three-year-old cow, said: "It's a really nice local show. Driffield has maintained its agricultural routes and it's really good."

Wood's cow comes from good stock. Its grandmother, KHW Regiment Apple-Red-ET, was sold for one million dollars (£747,000) 15 years ago.

Wood said his current cow produces almost 12 gallons (45 litres) of milk a day.

"People think cows are just an animal but they aren't, they are fantastic things that are feeding us all," he added.

The event featured a 98ft-high (30m) big wheel, a blimp, hundreds of trade stalls and a range of entertainment in the main arena, including championship showjumping.

Show chairman Richard Dee, whose family have been associated with the event spanning three generations, said it was "fantastic" and he was "very proud" to be involved.

Dee said people had travelled from as far as Scotland and Cumbria to show off their livestock.

This year's show was one of the few times where the event coincided with the school summer holidays. The previous time brought in 32,000 attendees.

Organisers said they were expecting 25,000 people at this year's event.

Dee said the show had attracted fewer people since the pandemic, but believed "we have won them back now".

Here is a look at some of the highlights from the 150th show...

Crowds of people at Driffield Showground. There are stalls down either side and in the middle, hundreds of people are walking around and looking at the attractions.
Organisers say they were expecting 25,000 people at this year's show
A brown cow stood on hay tied to a wooden fence in an enclosure.
People came from as far as Scotland to show off their livestock
Two cows - one black and white and one white - each being led by a person in black trousers and a white coat. They are in an arena and people are watching.
Judges looked for class, quality, style and elegance when marking cows
A person, wearing camouflage trousers, a blue top and a black helmet, mid-air performing a trick on his bike. There are food stalls and a big wheel in the background.
A variety of events took place throughout the day in the main ring, including people showcasing their BMX skills
Four sheep have white faces and spray-tanned brown coats. They are standing on straw in a farm pen with a red-brick wall behind them and a green fence to their right.
Farmer Sam Beachell, from East Yorkshire, spray tanned his sheep in the hope they would turn heads at the show
Groups of people sat on the grass at Driffield Showground. Tractors can be seen in the background.
Farmers and their vehicles proved a great attraction
A 98ft-high (30m) big wheel. People are walking on the grass near it. The sky is blue and cloudy.
The 98ft-high (30m) big wheel was a big hit with families
A group of five men and three woman stood in front of a purple BBC Radio Humberside tent. Some are wearing purple BBC Radio Humberside T-shirt. They are all smiling at the camera.
Presenter Gemma Oaten, second right, was live from the showground with BBC Radio Humberside's mid-morning show
The sights and sounds of the 150th Driffield Show

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