THEY knew it was going to be a good day with queues outside before the gates opened.

But the organisers of Emley Show – delighted by another successful weekend – are not going to sit on their laurels.

They are already looking ahead and coming up with ways to expand and develop what is now a hugely-popular institution in the region.

Many thousands poured into the Factory Farm showground on Saturday, with attendance figures likely to be above last year’s tally of 15,000.

And they stayed despite a heavy downpour at lunchtime and early mist and drizzle which obscured all but the bottom sections of the towering TV mast alongside the showground.

Show president Andrew Hughes was delighted.

“We are really happy with the way things have gone. I think everyone who has been to the show has enjoyed themselves and we have had some great feedback.

“The weather was not great early in the day but people were still queuing outside before the gates opened and they continued coming in well into the day.

“Last year was good but I think this was even better. Now we have to look at how we can improve still further. People have told their friends they enjoyed the show and they all want to come next year.

“We have already had people asking about trade stands and stalls, and people wanting the same pitch next year. We have some extra land on to which we can expand so the hard work starts now”.

The big attraction for many were the livestock and animal classes, which attracted huge numbers of entries and kept judges busy for several hours.

One who was delighted to be back at Emley was cattle breeder Heather Whittaker, who scooped the beef champion title with her impressive Hereford Bull, to add to the title she won at Honley and the second place she got at the Great Yorkshire Show at Harrogate.

There is no doubt the beast was a crowd-pleaser, with children staring in silent fascination throughout the day at the giant one-tonne animal tethered in its marquee just inches from their faces.

Heather, of Queensbury, said: “The judges look for good confirmation, how its body is shaped, and for good locomotion and he has it all.

“The Herefords are very placid, despite his size, although I wouldn’t want to get between a cow and her calf. We respect each other.

“He is three years old now and I will hopefully be able to use him to sire progeny for some years to come.”

There were crowds pouring into the marquees to see to poultry and pigeons, rabbits and goats, with many watching quietly as the judges handled the birds and animals, inspecting every inch to pick a winner.