Video: Countryside Live gets underway in Harrogate

Autumn agricultural spectacular Countryside Live has opened for visitors at Harrogate's Great Yorkshire Showground.
Cattle are powerwashed in preparation for this weekend's Countryside Live at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate.  Pictures: Gary Longbottom.Cattle are powerwashed in preparation for this weekend's Countryside Live at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate.  Pictures: Gary Longbottom.
Cattle are powerwashed in preparation for this weekend's Countryside Live at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate. Pictures: Gary Longbottom.

The weekend-long event features record-breaking numbers of commercial fatstock in the cattle rings and an array of competitive classes from sheep to honey and fruit and veg, while MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace is appearing as the show’s guest.

Ahead of the 14th annual show getting started this morning, Nigel Pulling, chief executive of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, said: “Countryside Live has become an important part of the rural calendar and we’re looking forward to a great weekend. There’s lots to interest everyone, but visitors will immediately notice the importance of food and the journey from gate to plate.

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“Our new exhibition hall provides the perfect backdrop for everything food related - from Gregg Wallace of MasterChef fame to the Yorkshire chefs in the cookery theatre, to beer and cheese tasting to hundreds of different apple varieties, with the competitive classes for cattle and sheep, Countryside Live links that journey altogether.

Cattle are powerwashed in preparation for this weekend's Countryside Live at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate.  Pictures: Gary Longbottom.Cattle are powerwashed in preparation for this weekend's Countryside Live at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate.  Pictures: Gary Longbottom.
Cattle are powerwashed in preparation for this weekend's Countryside Live at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate. Pictures: Gary Longbottom.

“One of our key aims when we built the hall was that year-round it would become a showcase for British, and particularly Yorkshire, agriculture - whether that’s agricultural machinery shows, rurally-focused workshops for children or supermarket product launches. Countryside Live encompasses that aim.”

Tickets can be bought on the gate priced £12 for adults, £6 for children aged five to 18 and £30 for a family ticket which admits two adults and up to three children. Under fives are admitted free.

The event runs between 9am and 5pm both days and parking is free.

Visit our website throughout the weekend, and see Monday’s edition of The Yorkshire Post, for full coverage of Countryside Live 2016.