BREADTH and depth of rural life was on display at the sell-out Great Yorkshire Show on Wednesday, with the finest examples of cheese, pigeons, and goats taking centre stage.

Spectators in Harrogate were treated to the second day of the first ever sheepdog trials at the show, with competitors demonstrating their skills in the Main Ring.

The new GYS Stage welcomed popstar turned farmer JB Gill, who also met pigs and their handlers including two-year-old Joshua Kirby from York and his family.

JB then found out more about the School Veg Box competition, which annually challenges primary schools across Yorkshire to grow British produce from scratch. This year’s champion entry came from Flyingdales C of E Primary School near Whitby who embraced the 'Best of British' theme.

The Supreme Champion Cheese title went to Bradbury’s Cheese of Buxton, Derbyshire, with a soft cheese called Vallage Triple Cream. The Supreme Champion Dairy went Ryeburn of Helmsley for their Blueberry Pannacotta Ice Cream while the reserve went to Longley Farm for Strawberry Whole Milk Yoghurt.

The Best Fancy Pigeon, went to a Jacobin, shown by David Graham of Durham, while reserve was a Black Long Faced Tumbler, owned by Michael and Joseph Morrow.

A host of awards were made during the show, including to land-based students and some of the Yorkshire stalwarts who have worked the land for decades, totalling 942 years between them.

Some of the best farms across the north of England competed for the Tye Trophy, which recognises the contribution of farmers to conservation and environmental improvement. The winner was Jamie Wood of Pendwick Farm near Alnwick, who received the trophy from show president Margaret Chapman.

Jamie, who has worked hard to regenerate heather on the farm, said: “When the judges visited, I showed them what we had done but I am quite shocked to win."

Forestry was covered with the presentation of the John Boddy trophy, with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, Royal Forestry Society and Forestry Commission joining forces to seek out the best new woodland in Yorkshire. The title went to Broughton Sanctuary near Skipton which featured 160 hectares of new native woodland planted on the Broughton estate.

A special guest for the day was Chelsea pensioner Peter Fullelove, who served with the Black Watch, who met junior soldiers at the Army Foundation College’s Operating Base.

The Yorkshire Regiment’s Best Soldier of 2022 was also recognised. This year’s honours go to Private Joe Kelsall, 23, whose passion for soldiering and sporting ability combined have proven him to be a "formidable and motivating" presence within Alma Company.

Charles Mills, show director, said: “Today was a real celebration of a variety of different aspects of rural life and we had some wonderful winners as always.”