ENTRIES for the Great Yorkshire Show are the second highest in the event’s history.

A total of 12,630 have been received for classes for everything from cattle to cheese and from show jumping to sheep shearing.

The record for the most competitive entries was 12,713 – established last year.

Show director Bill Cowling said: “These are excellent figures and re-enforce our position as England’s premier agricultural show.

“We will have more than a thousand cattle, 2,000 horses and ponies, over 2,000 sheep and pigs have an all time record entry figure of 419.”

Preparations are well under way for the thousands of visitors expected to come through the gates when world class sheep shearing, a top class cheese and dairy show plus an extensive array of farm machinery and equipment are just some of the attractions.

The show was first held in 1838 when its aim, then as now, was to encourage and reward the best of British agriculture.