Newport Show 2017 - in video and pictures

Livestock had been moving on the site at Chetwynd Deer Park from the early hours and their owners spent precious minutes putting the final touches to their beasts ahead of judging.

Horses were groomed and tacked up in time for the Working Hunter category, which kicked off the show in the main arena. Glorious sunshine and a cooling breeze met the thousands of people who poured through the gates of the 108th Newport Show.

Livestock had been moving on the site at Chetwynd Deer Park from the early hours and their owners spent precious minutes putting the final touches to their beasts ahead of judging.

Horses were groomed and tacked up in time for the Working Hunter category, which kicked off the show in the main arena.

As people climbed aboard the shuttle tractors, which navigated the steep slope from the car park to the showground, the sounds of the show were there for all to hear.

Show bosses were hopeful that the crowd would be a record breaker – with pre show ticket sales up 25 per cent on last year.

And with headline acts including The Red Hot Chilli Pipers and Bake Off's Candice Brown, there was definitely something for everyone.

For show president Richard Maddocks, the event almost runs in his blood. His father and grandfather have been heavily involved for many years and now Richard is putting his own stamp on the show.

He said: “People have been flooding in since gates opened and we have been very fortunate with the weather. It is not too hot which is good as the animals do not like that.

“This is the 108th show and the 25th on this ground. I am hoping that we will have had 15,000 visitors at the end of the day. The quality of acts, livestock, traders and entertainment that we get here is second to none. We have hundreds of volunteers and stewards and it is really down to their hard work that makes this such a success.

“The highlight for me has been the schools' tent. We gave 10 schools a bag of compost and some tubers and asked them to grow a crop of potatoes. These were then judged and Church Aston School won. They even bet me and I am a professional potato grower. ”

Headline act Candice Brown was also full of praise for the show. Speaking after her first demonstration in the food tent, where she had shown the packed crowd how to cook Mediterranean soda bread and adult jammy dodgers – make with elderflower liqueur which she picked up at the show, blueberry and rum Bakewell tart and individual pavlovas with Prosecco strawberries, she said: “I love it.

“I have had a good wander around and have seen some things I will definitely take home with me. I have my eye on some rhubarb liqueur which is something I have not seen before. The pies and the bread stalls are amazing too.

“I love doing these kind of shows. It is the sort of thing that I would go to and here I get to stand on a stage and bake and talk and everyone is lovely. If they asked me I would definitely come back for another year.”

Among those showing of their livestock were Tony and Karan Jones from Whixall.

They had brought along their two-year-old Texel ram Bill, who was placed second.

Tony, a machine operator who works in a factory, said: “We go to all the local shows and this is one of our favourites. We lost out to Steve Williams and his ram from Bomere Heath, near Shrewsbury. But I am really pleased to have come second to them as they won at the Royal Welsh.

“This is the second time we have been to this show and to come away with a second placing is brilliant. It is a really good show, everyone is friendly and the weather has been very kind. Last year it rained, which was awful but it has been great today.”

Waiting to hear the outcome of his judging was Matthew Jones, from Telford who was showing his British Blue cow Glitter and her 12-week-old calf Matilda.

“We have been washing and brushing her for the last few weeks,” said Matthew, 31 and a full-time farmer. “We have been really lucky with the weather and as this is our local show, we like to support it. I have been showing here for 12 years and I never get bored of it.”

One of the youngest stockmen was 10-year-old Louis Jordan from Bridgnorth.

He was showing his two-and-a-half-year-old Highland cow Molly. “This is my second year at the show,” he said. “I have come second out of 10 this year so I am very pleased. I have spent the last two weeks grooming, walking and washing Molly so it seems my hard work paid off. My grand-dad is a farmer and we have a small holding where I keep Molly. He will be very pleased with how I have done.”

Enjoying an ice cream while watching the finale of the Inter Hunt Relay was Jason Russell, 44, his wife Julia, 39, mother Jean, 67 and daughters Poppy Jean, six and Laurel aged three.

The family from Weston-Under-Lizard thought the show was great value for money and had made a return visit after enjoying it so much in previous years.

Jason, a teacher, said: “There is so much to see and do. We like looking at the animals and at the big farm machinery. We have a tradition in that we always take a photo of the children next to a large tractor tyre to see how much they have grown compared to the previous year. We are not very agricultural but we like to pretend to be.”

Wilfred McCrady, 85, from Leek is one of the show's judges and was casting his eye over the produce in the vegetable and flower tent. “Although it is early in the season, the standard is very good,” said Wilfred who had attended the show with his friend and fellow judge Bernard Brown. “We are life members of the National Vegetable Society and so we go to many shows. But I have to say that this is one of my favourites. It is small and friendly and the mix of livestock, entertainment and classes is wonderful.”

Among the attractions the were the mountain bike display group, Team M.A.D, Dippy The Clown, birds of prey, the Airborne Gymnastics Club, vintage tractors and a cavalcade of carriages, run by the British Driving Society.

The Newport Young Farmers' Club rounded off the day when they entertained the crowd in the main arena.