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00:00Welcome to sunny Harrogate, where we're celebrating everything the 166th Great Yorkshire Show has to offer.
00:06This really is the highlight of the agricultural calendar in Yorkshire and beyond.
00:11And there's something for everyone, from farmers to farriers, from fashionistas to foodies.
00:16Showerlay cattle to Shetland sheep, shy horses to super-duper food.
00:22Yeah, not bad.
00:23Not bad, yeah.
00:24Anyway, never mind us.
00:25I absolutely love coming to this show, because it really is an opportunity to celebrate the best of the best.
00:31Coming up on tonight's episode.
00:33We meet the woman hoping to be awarded a winning red rosette for this shaggy beauty.
00:38She's called Hope.
00:40The Wednesdaydale sheep, that is.
00:41And prepping those locks has been a real labour of love.
00:44That curl needs to be consistent as far down the fleece as we can get.
00:48I'm going to be getting all crafty, with some fabulous artisans putting their heart and soul into their wares.
00:54This is a work in progress.
00:56It will get better.
00:58I bet you'd love a bit of shopping now.
01:00Oh, it's a problem.
01:01I've spent a fortune here already.
01:02But I'll tell you what I am really looking forward to, and that is Atkinson's stunt horses.
01:06I've met them before, never seen the show, and we have got front row seats.
01:10We have got a lot to pack into the next hour.
01:12So that means we better get a move on.
01:14Welcome to today at the Great Yorkshire Show.
01:16I love this show.
01:36You get to see so many amazing farm animals, the very best of their breed.
01:40More than 8,000 animals are competing for much coveted rosettes and trophies.
01:45And you can't underestimate the amount of hard work that goes into preparing each and every animal for the show.
01:51And they have to be in peak condition for these four days.
01:54Then there are daily displays, falconry, sheep shearing, wood carving, cookery, to name a few.
02:00One of the most popular is the sheepdog trials.
02:03And Jules is there now, hopefully learning some obedience tips.
02:06Well, I am down here with Ellie Street and her lovely sheepdog, Bob.
02:13Ellie, tell us a bit more about Bob, who I have to say is looking very chilled out.
02:16Yeah, this is Bob.
02:17And he's sort of my right-hand man, my best friend.
02:21We go trialling.
02:22And most importantly, we work together day in, day out on the farm at home.
02:26You obviously put a lot of time into him, but do you train other dogs as well?
02:29Yeah, so I train quite a lot of dogs for ourselves and for other people.
02:32So people send dogs to me to train and we'll have sort of pups that we train.
02:37Some we keep, some we sell.
02:38Now, it's a busy week this week here.
02:40Really important for everybody competing and taking part.
02:43Yep, so we've got the dog trials running every day this week.
02:46We've got some of the top handlers from across this country and from abroad competing.
02:52And are you competing?
02:53I'm not competing this time.
02:54Me and Bob, we're helping out.
02:56So we're going to be walking the sheep out to the top of the field,
02:59ready for the handlers who are competing to pick them up and start their competition.
03:04Well, we've got a welcome slight pause in proceedings here.
03:06The field is nice and quiet.
03:08Yeah.
03:08We've got a pen over there.
03:10Can we see Bob at work?
03:12Yeah, absolutely.
03:12No pressure.
03:14Don't show me up, mate.
03:16Bobby, lie down.
03:18Boy, come by.
03:19It's just mesmerising watching them work.
03:29And he's measured, isn't he?
03:31Yeah.
03:32He's pacing himself to them.
03:34All sheep are different, so he'll be reading them sheep on how much pressure and speed
03:37and everything he needs to be putting into them.
03:39And they're eyeballing each other.
03:41Yeah, the sheep are getting the measure of him as well.
03:46So that's his right hand, his away flank.
03:49That's his move forward.
03:52And how long does it take you to train a dog to understand the whistle?
03:56It depends on each dog.
03:57They all learn at different rates.
03:58Some people say they want a year under each paw to be at their best.
04:02A year under each paw, so four years.
04:04So four years to be at their best sort of thing.
04:06Most of them you can get capable of doing simple jobs within a couple of months.
04:11Walk at Bob's.
04:13Come by.
04:13Come by.
04:14So the final stage now of Bob ushering these sheep into the pen.
04:20I'm not going to interrupt Ellie anymore.
04:21She's got enough to do.
04:23Stand.
04:23Stand.
04:24Stand.
04:25Stand.
04:26Stand.
04:27Go on.
04:27Go on.
04:28Stand.
04:29Go on.
04:30Go on.
04:30Stand.
04:31Yes.
04:32Yes.
04:33Well done.
04:35Good boy.
04:36That'll do.
04:36Bob, that'll do.
04:37Good boy.
04:38Thank you so much for letting us interrupt your day.
04:41Real pleasure to see you.
04:42Have good fun.
04:43There you go.
04:44A good demonstration, if it were needed, of just how essential dogs are in the toolkit of
04:50so many farmers, particularly when they're working alone and in the middle of nowhere.
04:55Just like Anna Pennell.
04:56Anna Pennell farms in the village of Catterick in North Yorkshire, where for the past 20 years
05:10she's been breeding and showing Wensleydale sheep.
05:14Over the years, she's won hundreds of rosettes and in 2019 was crowned supreme champion at the
05:21Great Yorkshire Show.
05:22A brilliant Wensleydale is that elegant, stylish sheep.
05:27We're looking for the long wool, the long, we call it the staple, so that's the length
05:32of the fleece on them.
05:33Those big individual strands, a bit like a string mop, for want of a better phrase.
05:41We want the beautiful blue skin, bright ears, and there needs to be a big sheep as well.
05:46Just that bit of something special about them.
05:49Wensleydale sheep are woven into the very fabric of the region's proud agricultural heritage.
05:56It was at the Great Yorkshire Show, nearly 150 years ago, that this rare breed was given
06:01its name.
06:02So it's this U at the back here.
06:04And Anna is optimistic that one of her Wensleydales could catch the judge's eye at this year's
06:09show.
06:10We'll put it onto a halter.
06:12She's called Hope, so we've got a bit of hope in her, but we'll have to see.
06:16To stand a chance of winning a coveted rosette, however, Hope needs to be show ready, and
06:22with such a big fleece, that can be a lot of work.
06:28Now she's on the stand, we're just going to go through the fleece, just pick off anything
06:31that is out the field.
06:34They live out, so they pick up all sorts of bits.
06:37We just keep taking them out now, because we don't want anything to sort of platter around
06:41it or not round it.
06:43So she's got a lovely open fleece, but you see, you're aiming for these individual strands
06:47like this.
06:48And we want them as long as possible, and that curl needs to be consistent as far down
06:53the fleece as we can get.
06:54So now we've done all that, and we're happy with where we're at, we are going to wash the
06:58fleece through.
07:00We don't want to overwash it.
07:01If you overwash a fleece, it'll go fuzzy and all too soft.
07:09And it's really the trick is making sure, oh good girl, making sure all the underside
07:13is the cleanest.
07:15That's the important bit.
07:16You can almost gain two or three inches in length, because the fleece is all held up
07:19with muck and dirt.
07:21If you've washed it out, that you'll find suddenly the belly of the wool will just drop
07:25down, and you'll get even further length than that wool.
07:27As much as the fleece is important, especially to our breed, she's still got to be a good
07:33strong sheep.
07:34So she's a tall sheep.
07:35She's a wide sheep.
07:37She's plenty of width across her back here.
07:40The great Yorkshire show, particularly for a Yorkshire breed like the Wensydale, it's
07:45the place to have our breed.
07:47It's the place to do well, to show them well.
07:49She's got to have that bit of presence, that bit of like, look at me, a bit of something
07:52about her.
07:54The fleece is the topping.
07:55It's the extra stressful bit on top.
07:58And that will be what catches the judge's eye.
08:00I think she's just something special about her, but we'll have to see.
08:06We'll be catching up with Anna and seeing how she gets on in the all-important judging
08:10ring very shortly.
08:12But yesterday, you may recall, at the great Yorkshire show, we were lucky enough to attend
08:15the wedding of Mark and Perry.
08:17Well, today, it's all about long-married couples.
08:21Because coming up...
08:23We meet multi-award-winning honey producer Chris Smales.
08:25...as he prepares his entries for this year's competition, alongside his wife Linda, aiming
08:31for sweet success with her honey cake.
08:33And there could be a marital crisis in the main ring, as husband and wife scurry drivers Trevor
08:40and Maggie Fairburn battle to be the best.
08:42You know, we're compatible.
08:44We won't fall out or rip much.
08:48Whoever wins buys the takeaway that night.
08:50And it's all coming up very soon on Today at the Great Yorkshire Show.
08:58Welcome back to Today at the Great Yorkshire Show here in Harrogate.
09:14Now, the first show happened way back in 1838, when a group of leading agriculturalists got
09:19together to form the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.
09:22And the idea was to celebrate, to improve, and develop all things rural.
09:28Since then, hundreds of thousands of animals have competed at the showground, raising the
09:32profile of the farming industry in the county and beyond.
09:36Now, earlier today, we met Anna Pennell and her long wool Wensleydales, specifically
09:40Hope, who she has, well, high hopes for.
09:43So let's see how she got on.
09:44With minutes remaining before the shoving begins, there's just time for some final checks.
09:57Thank you very much, Anu.
09:58I don't think there's much else we can do.
10:01We've put so much work into him, but everybody has, that's the thing.
10:05So it's all just going to depend, but I think she's a lovely hog, so that's all I can do.
10:12Good luck, Anna.
10:13Now, it's all down to the judge.
10:22With just two ewes competing in the category.
10:26Right, stand up.
10:27And the judge looking at the frame, features, and all-important fleece, Anna's hoping her
10:36preparation will pay off.
10:46It's second place for Anna and Hope.
10:58Well, Anna, you are smiling.
11:00As indeed, I think, is Hope looking absolutely gorgeous here.
11:05How did it go?
11:05Oh, she was good.
11:07She was really great.
11:07She did me proud, and we were second.
11:09So, yeah, that was good, yeah.
11:12But not the only ribbon you've picked up today?
11:14No.
11:14Hope's sister, Harriet, in the clip shielding class one, and she was reserve champion of
11:19the breed overall.
11:19So, you're going home red.
11:21Yeah, absolutely thrilled.
11:22Really thrilled.
11:23Well, I'm not surprised, and clearly you'll be back here next year, I imagine?
11:27Always, yeah, definitely.
11:29Well, it's been great to catch up with you and to meet Hope.
11:31I just love her fleece.
11:33It's almost like you've knitted her.
11:34But well done, you.
11:36Thank you very much.
11:36And good luck for the future.
11:39Now then, when visitor numbers were first recorded here at the show back in 1842, some
11:446,044 people, apparently, turned up.
11:47These days, of course, times have changed.
11:50This year, they are expecting 140,000 visitors.
11:54It's also a wonderful opportunity, then, for many crafty producers to showcase their wares
11:59and share them with the wider world and Julia.
12:06I'm going to introduce you to something that you might not have heard about before, wool
12:14balls.
12:15Now, Sarah, when this came up and they said, this is what you're going to be doing, I was
12:19like, yes, I've actually heard of these things, but we do need to start by telling people what
12:22they are.
12:23What they are.
12:24So, they are wool tumble dryer balls.
12:26They go in your dryer where they bounce around, they separate the clothes so the air can
12:30circulate, naturally softening, and you can also scent them, and then the heat will diffuse
12:35the aroma through your whole laundry.
12:37To make them out of wool, there's something that's natural, sustainable, and biodegradable
12:41is brilliant.
12:42And you've done something very cute with them as well.
12:45So, I've experimented with the different wools and started making them look like the different
12:49breeds of sheep that the wool has come from as well.
12:51I love it.
12:52Okay, so what are we going to try?
12:53What's that going to be?
12:54So, this is going to be a swaled ale, which is the kind of icon of the Orchardales National
12:59Park.
13:00It's very appropriate for where we are.
13:01Right, you're going to let me loose.
13:04Yes.
13:04And I'm going to try and make a happy-looking sheep.
13:07Yes.
13:08So, you need a needle.
13:09Right.
13:09This is the felting needle, which is a barbed needle.
13:11Yep.
13:11So, you just get small amounts of the wool, and it's like painting with the needle, basically.
13:16Right, okay.
13:16You just get a small amount.
13:18This is going to be an eye.
13:19So, wherever you stab, that's where the wool goes in.
13:22Right.
13:22Would you like to put the black bit in?
13:24Yeah, please.
13:25So, if you just take a little bit of a black.
13:27Yeah.
13:27And then stick it in the middle.
13:29Okay.
13:29A tiny, tiny bit.
13:30Less is more.
13:30How many bulls do you think you could make in a day?
13:3450, I think.
13:35Really?
13:36Yeah.
13:36I'm liking this, Sarah.
13:39Yeah.
13:39All of a sudden, he's got a pupil.
13:42This is a work in progress.
13:44It will get better.
13:46That's what it'll look like eventually.
13:48Hopefully.
13:49Maybe.
13:50Well done.
13:55Hello, Hannah.
13:56Good to see you hard at work here in Harrogate.
13:58So, what have we got here?
14:00We've got a cow and calf design on an A-tag.
14:03And how did you get started with your jewellery making?
14:06Because I know most things are inspired by the countryside, aren't they?
14:09By the wildlife.
14:09Yes.
14:10I always loved art at school.
14:12So, it's just something that I just tried different things.
14:15And actually, my sister bought me a hobby craft kit.
14:18And that was the beginning of it?
14:19Yeah, yeah.
14:19That's where it started from, yeah.
14:21And you're not solely focused on countryside and nature designs anymore either.
14:26No, no.
14:26Because something in the family inspired you in a different way.
14:28Yes.
14:29So, my sister got diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer.
14:32So, it's quite a rare and aggressive type of breast cancer.
14:35So, I made a collection just here.
14:37And all the proceeds goes back to the charity.
14:39Yeah.
14:40And it's got some BB rings on there.
14:43Yay!
14:43So, it's not all leaves.
14:44There are some boobs as well.
14:45Yeah.
14:45So, it's quite fun.
14:46It's a lovely thing for you to be able to do.
14:47Yeah.
14:48And how's your sister?
14:49It's Ashley, isn't it?
14:49Yeah.
14:50How's she doing?
14:50She got the all clear, which is lovely.
14:52Lovely.
14:53Happy story.
14:53Hi, Anna.
14:57Hi, Julia.
14:58These are so lovely.
15:00Tell me about the project.
15:01So, Jenny Ruth Workshops, we're a charity and productive workshop for adults who have learning disabilities.
15:07We have 40 workers that we support, which is incredible.
15:10And our aim is to provide them with confidence, independence, and build up an amazing skill set.
15:14But let me show you, actually, what they've been working on, because they're doing some brilliant work at the moment.
15:19And, actually, you might recognize one of our wonderful team over here.
15:22This is the lovely Jonathan.
15:24Hello.
15:25Oh.
15:26So, Jonathan and I have known each other for a long time.
15:29We go back about 10 years, don't we?
15:31Yes, we have.
15:32I just turned on the roadway.
15:33I mean, remember, actually, I've got the picture.
15:35You've got the picture.
15:36And, yeah, Jonathan came to visit me on one of my TV walks.
15:39So, it's fantastic to see you again.
15:40And this is Jessica.
15:42Jessica, what have you got here?
15:43Do you want to show me?
15:44Sheep-wrapping paper.
15:48Sheep-wrapping paper.
15:49And have you made this?
15:50Yeah.
15:51It's so beautiful.
15:55Is he nice to work with?
15:57No, this is one of my dad's hammer.
15:59Is that your dad?
16:00Oh, your dad.
16:01Yeah.
16:02Can I have a go?
16:03Go on.
16:03Go on, then.
16:03Hold it.
16:04I promise not to knock your finger.
16:08Look, we can say we did it together now.
16:12Oh, that is absolutely fantastic.
16:14And if you want, you can actually buy this.
16:16Can I?
16:17Yes.
16:17Thank you very much.
16:18Great salesman.
16:19Yeah.
16:19How much do I buy this for?
16:22You're...
16:22Anna might give me a good deal.
16:24Oh, how wonderful.
16:26It's so great to meet you.
16:27And who wouldn't want one of these?
16:28Now, keeping bees is very on trend at the moment, with everybody from Ed Sheeran to David Beckham
16:37having a go.
16:38But we met up with an award-winning beekeeper who's showing his honey here at the Great Yorkshire
16:42Show.
16:43Sweet.
16:43On the edge of the North York Moors lies the small village of Fadmore, where Chris Smales
16:55produces multi-award-winning liquid gold.
16:58I've been a beekeeper all my life, and I started when I was eight with my father, who kept bees.
17:07It's a lifetime hobby.
17:08What we're hoping to do now is to get a little bit of honey off this home.
17:18What I'm doing is just a little bit of smoke, not too much, and you can see they're coming
17:23out a bit.
17:26That one can come.
17:27There's quite a bit of good sealed honey in there.
17:32The secret of Chris's success lies in over 60 years' experience keeping honeybees.
17:37Knowing where to put his 30 hives, and Chris Lee, understanding what his bees are feeding
17:44on.
17:45Our honey comes in different colours according to the time of year, and we find here that
17:50in the springtime the honey tends to be lighter, really because the colour of the honey is largely
17:56dictated by the forage that the bees are working on.
18:01So in the springtime, the honey tends to be the hedgerow flowers, you know, the hawthorn,
18:06blackthorn, and it produces a nice light-coloured honey.
18:10And then as the year moves on, we get the next set of flowers, and it darkens as the year goes on.
18:18Back in his kitchen, Chris scrapes the wax cappings off the frames to reveal the honey.
18:23It's then put into a centrifuge, where, after around five minutes of spinning, the honey
18:32is then filtered to remove any leftover wax.
18:36It always gives me a bit of a thrill the first time we spin honey off in the year.
18:41The honey is then left to rest before it's filtered once more and put into jars.
18:46But the ultimate skill of producing award-winning honey is in selecting which ones to put in
18:52front of the judges.
18:54We like to sample all the liquid honeys before we put them before the show.
19:01We've got to make sure the viscosity is right, the honey is actually clear.
19:06You see how bright that is, it almost sparkles in the jar.
19:11And so clarity is a big part of the presentation of a good honey.
19:19Texture, taste and presentation might win over the judges at this year's show, but not so
19:24much Chris.
19:26I never ever eat honey, and not for any particular reason.
19:30It's a strange thing for a beekeeper to be doing, isn't it, when I don't actually like
19:35live eating it at all.
19:37Despite this, over the years, Chris has produced many an award-winning batch, including at the
19:44Great Yorkshire Show, where he's previously been Supreme Champion.
19:48So what are his hopes this year?
19:50Well, it's always a bit of a nerve-wracking business.
19:53We've got 25 entries all together.
19:56So, you know, we like to think that we stand a chance with that, but there'll be some other
20:03very good honeys there as well.
20:05So you can never get your hopes up too much, you just wait and see.
20:13Wow, what dedication to the cause.
20:15Now, here in the Honey Pavilion, as you can see, there are jars of it everywhere.
20:18The smell is absolutely fabulous.
20:19And here is Chris.
20:21Chris, great to see you.
20:22And you, yeah.
20:23I can see there are ribbons aplenty.
20:26Clearly, the judging has already been completed.
20:29Just remind us, how many categories did you enter this year?
20:31Well, in total, we've put in 25 entries this year.
20:34Well, it certainly spreads the odds of winning something, doesn't it?
20:36It does, yes.
20:37So how did you get on?
20:39Well, four third prizes, four second and six firsts, and we won a cup as well.
20:46Wow.
20:46I mean, that's a pretty good sweep, isn't it?
20:49That's not bad.
20:50I'm quite happy with that.
20:52Are there any that you're particularly proud of this year?
20:55The cup that we were awarded was actually for the best comb honey in the show, and that
21:00was our Heather comb honey.
21:02So I'm really quite chuffed with that.
21:04And to get a cup to go with it.
21:05Yes, indeed.
21:07Wow.
21:07Were you expecting it to do well?
21:08No, not at all.
21:10No, it's a real surprise.
21:12Well, congratulations, Chris.
21:13Well deserved.
21:14Now then, Chris's wife, Linda, also uses his gorgeous honey to make the most fabulous
21:18honey cakes, and she's entering those, no surprise, into the honey cake category later
21:23on.
21:24But to be fair, there are plenty of other competitive couples here on the showground.
21:29Not least, Maggie and Trevor Fairburn, who are wedded to the exciting sport of scurry
21:36driving.
21:36The tranquil village of Covenham, St. Bartholomew, on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, is
21:45home to Maggie Fairburn and her husband Trevor, who share the fast and furious hobby of scurry
21:50driving.
21:50And with the couple competing in different teams, they enjoy a friendly rivalry.
22:03It is competition between us both, but, you know, that's the fun of it, really.
22:08You know, we're compatible.
22:10We won't fall out over it.
22:11Much.
22:12Who ever wins buys the takeaway that night?
22:19Scurry driving began in 1950s America, where horses pulling wagons navigated around a course
22:24of barrels.
22:26Today, it involves a pair of ponies pulling a two-person carriage, and instead of barrels,
22:31cones are used.
22:32The aim is to go clear, without knocking any balls down, in the fastest time possible.
22:39Hit a ball off a cone, and you get a time penalty.
22:43The first ball you knock down is five seconds added to your time.
22:46The second ball is ten seconds.
22:49Any other after that is ten seconds.
22:53At last year's Great Yorkshire show, Trevor's team won bragging rights as they were crowned
22:57overall champions.
22:59So, to try and get the upper hand on this year's rivalry, Maggie has enlisted their daughter
23:04Sammy as her team's groom.
23:06Along with ponies, bangers and mash.
23:10Go.
23:10Yeah.
23:11My job is, on the back, is to make sure that the carriage stays four wheels on the ground
23:16at all times.
23:17When you turn left, you need to lean left.
23:19If you lean the wrong way, don't lean enough, you can tip the carriage over.
23:22I'll groom for my mum, and then my partner, Will, will groom for Trev.
23:26So, it's sort of boys versus girls.
23:28So, it's good fun.
23:31Girls are better, aren't they?
23:32Yeah.
23:32Bring it on.
23:33With a few weeks to go to the show, the pair are practising twice a week.
23:43It is a good competition, because it's such a big arena.
23:47You really can't let your ponies go there, because it's a good leg stretch for them.
23:51It is competitive.
23:52Everybody wants to win there.
23:52For Trevor, however, just getting to the show would be a victory, as Dumpling, one of his
24:04ponies, has laminitis, a painful inflammation, in his rear hoof.
24:08We have a remedial farrier coming tomorrow, and we can alter his hooves.
24:15We can take a bit more heel off, take a bit more toe.
24:18So, instead of him standing on his tiptoes at the minute, he will sit his feet down to
24:25make him more comfortable.
24:27God willing, we can get him to go.
24:29Oh, shit, because I really want to go.
24:32We're hoping that we can get him there.
24:36Fingers crossed the whole family will be making the trip to Yorkshire and competing for these
24:40coveted rosettes.
24:42I have some sad news.
24:48Although Dumpling has been making good progress, sadly, she's not well enough to come to the
24:53show, which means that Maggie will only be competing with Bangers and Mash.
24:57And there's more equestrian drama.
25:00Every day in the main ring, Atkinson's stunt horses put on a show that you wouldn't believe.
25:06All that's coming up in just a few minutes on Today at the Great Yorkshire Show.
25:12Hello, welcome back to the Great Yorkshire Show here in Harrogate.
25:26And we're just in time for the scurry driving, which I have to say I'm really looking forward
25:30to, but also slightly terrified by, because they hang so far out of the carriage as they
25:35hurtle around the circuit.
25:36I know what you mean, but we are reaching for a very determined team.
25:39Earlier, we met mother and daughter team Maggie Fairburn and Sammy, and their two ponies,
25:44Bangers and Mash.
25:45Fantastic names.
25:46So I've come up with our own names, Bubble and Squeak.
25:49Who's who?
25:50Don't know.
25:50You decide.
25:52Well, Maggie and Sammy are entering the small pony category.
25:55Let's see how they get on.
25:56It's time to turn up the volume as these drivers turn up the tempo here with the scurry driving.
26:06The small ponies up first.
26:08Those little legs will be firing.
26:09They'll be pumping here this morning.
26:12Grab Stan, you can cheer her down that starting line.
26:15It is with bangers and mash, Maggie Fairburn.
26:18Come up.
26:26Through the first part of that slalom, and they're away in 32, but a little bit wide on
26:31the way out, and you can see that.
26:32Get on!
26:34Get on!
26:35Maggie just giving a little bit of encouragement to the two ponies there as she leaves that box
26:40through that problem gate at seven, and still clean at the moment.
26:44She's in for the box.
26:44If you watch now, Maggie just sits back, takes a little bit of a check.
26:48In on the left, on the right, she's out.
26:50Into the gala, one score on the round at 52.
26:53Time to be 62.56.
26:55Seven seconds now to get home.
26:57Great Yorkshire, you can play your part, one score.
26:59Let's bring them home.
27:00It's going to be close.
27:0262.56.
27:04Come on, good girl, good boy.
27:12Well, gang, it's great to catch up with you and finally meet bangers and mash here.
27:17In person for the first time, and yourself, Trevor.
27:20Pleased to meet you.
27:21We saw you get into the ring.
27:23I mean, it's a tricky old sport, isn't it?
27:25How did it go then?
27:27It went very well.
27:27I came second.
27:28Yay!
27:29I was really pleased about that.
27:30Well, I mean, come on.
27:31That's all right, isn't it?
27:32Just driver error in the slalom, but...
27:35Well, you can't be too harsh on yourself now, Maggie.
27:37But I know what I did wrong, so I'll correct it next round.
27:43But there's an awful lot going on, isn't there?
27:46Between your minds, between their minds, their legs, and you're sitting up on four wheels at speed.
27:53I mean, it's not easy.
27:55It's not, no.
27:55Keeping them four wheels on the ground, it takes some skill.
27:57I mean, I know you walk the course, and you get a sense of where you're going, and you can work out a sort of strategy, but for these guys, every course is a new course, isn't it?
28:06Yeah, it is, and they have to rely on us to tell them where to go.
28:10But you're seasoned hands at this, Trevor.
28:13Yeah, a lot of it is voice control.
28:16You're not just pulling the rein, you're saying, left, and they will do it.
28:21Well, it's very impressive to see.
28:23I have to confess, this is one of the few equestrian sports I've never, never undertaken.
28:27But it's lovely to see you two.
28:29Congratulations again.
28:36Chris Smell's, our beekeeper, took six firsts, and a cup, and some other prizes.
28:41But it turns out, he might not be the only one in the family who has the golden touch.
28:45Linda, tell me about your honey cake, please.
28:47Well, I also like to make a honey cake, because it supports Chris and his entries for the show.
28:52But I'd never really win with it at all.
28:55But it smells magnificent.
28:58It smells lovely, and it looks all right.
29:00And there is something very special about it, because which honey do you use in the cake?
29:04We always use heather honey in the cake.
29:06If you use ordinary flower honey, the flavour disappears.
29:09Heather honey is much stronger, and the flavour comes out in the cake.
29:13That is an amazing tip for people.
29:15Yes.
29:15It really is.
29:16And obviously, there's a limited time window when you can get the heather honey.
29:19Exactly.
29:19So it makes the cake even more special.
29:21Yes.
29:21Now, this wasn't a prize-winning cake this year, was it, Linda?
29:25No, it wasn't.
29:25So the honey was, which is good, but this cake wasn't.
29:28But you did get some prizes.
29:30I did.
29:31What were they for?
29:31I got a second prize for my honey flapjack, and my bee-friendly flowers, which were all picked
29:37from the garden on Monday morning.
29:40Beautiful.
29:41Yeah.
29:41Lovely.
29:41Well, there we go.
29:42So you're a prize-winning family, really.
29:43Well, we do our best.
29:45Is it true that Chris doesn't actually like honey very much?
29:48Yes.
29:49I can't believe it.
29:51And I don't either.
29:52You don't either.
29:53So you've got all these prizes for the honey, and you don't really like it.
29:57No.
29:57I'm going to have to come and live with you, because I love honey, so I could be your taster.
30:00I like it on my porridge on the morning, but that's about it.
30:03Okay.
30:03Do I get to have a little taste or not?
30:05You can do, yes.
30:06Okay.
30:08Thank you very much.
30:11There we go.
30:12Lovely.
30:12See if you can taste the honey in that.
30:14Okay.
30:15Mmm.
30:18I can.
30:19Yeah.
30:19Mmm.
30:20That's lovely.
30:23I love this show.
30:24Where else can you spend the day surrounded by such deliciousness?
30:28And I know that Jules is pretty happy over in machinery, too.
30:32You know me too well, Julia.
30:33Now, yesterday here in the machinery area, we looked at a few gadgets that could really help
30:38the life of the smallholder.
30:40Well, today we're talking about all things eco.
30:42And over the last few years, electric tractors have become ever more popular.
30:47Massey Ferguson make one.
30:48But this one is produced by Seroma.
30:51And I'm told it has the same sort of capacity you'd expect to find in a diesel engine with
30:56about 27 horsepower in it.
30:58But of course, it's all electric.
31:00Which means if your farm or smallholding has solar panels or indeed a wind turbine, effectively,
31:06you can fill up the tank, the battery, for free.
31:10Now, this has really caught my eye.
31:13No surprise.
31:13It's a great big blue tractor.
31:15But this one is the world's first 100% methane-filled tractor.
31:20Sam Farming, famous through the ages for introducing us to some of the most revolutionary ideas.
31:26And this is yet another one.
31:27But methane, I mean, that's a byproduct of farming.
31:31So is it possible then to harvest methane from, say, a dairy farm and put it straight into your machine?
31:36Yeah.
31:36So we've got customers and they've got basically simple terms.
31:39They've got covers over the lagoons.
31:41The methane gas comes out of the lagoon.
31:42They collect the gas.
31:43They put it through a changeover system.
31:45Creates it into biomethane.
31:46And then they put it in the tractor.
31:48So a lagoon then is where you put all the muck and slurry.
31:50That's what the slurry says, yeah.
31:51Yeah, that comes off your dairy herd or whatever.
31:54Yeah.
31:54Amazing.
31:55And in terms of CO2 emissions, which is the measure by which we tend to rate these advances, how does this compare?
32:01If you put everything in together, you're about an 80% reduction in emissions out the end of the exhaust.
32:07Wow.
32:08Compared to a diesel equivalent.
32:09So the future is looking ever more sustainable thanks to technology like this.
32:13Absolutely.
32:14Amazing.
32:14Well, Sam, thank you so much.
32:16I just wish I had an excuse to get one.
32:18Cheers, mate.
32:19Cheers.
32:20Now, if you're sat at home and thinking, I don't really need a tractor, odds are you probably still need to cut the grass.
32:25And over recent years, I have seen an astonishing rise in the popularity of robotic mowers.
32:31And here are two quite different examples.
32:33They both work in a very similar way.
32:34They're both electric.
32:35This one is satellite controlled, as indeed is the Echo next to me.
32:39As you can see, the scale of this determines it's much more of a domestic thing.
32:43Great for big lawns.
32:44This one, however, is perhaps the biggest robotic mower I have ever seen.
32:49Good, I'm told, for cutting 75,000 square metres.
32:53Or in old money, to you and me, 18 acres.
32:56What's more, it'll do it three times a week.
32:58And with 90% less CO2 emissions, it's clearly an environmental and sustainable winner.
33:04It also means, of course, that come Sunday afternoon, you can sit back, enjoy a cup of tea, have a snooze, and let this do all the work.
33:12However, two men who rarely seem to get the chance to take life easy are farmers Rob and Dave Nicholson from Cannon Hall Farm.
33:19Yesterday, we caught up with them, with their lovely Shire Horse Sapphire and her foal Yorkshire Rose, along with their Highland cattle, where they had some success in the ring.
33:27But today, they are pinning all their hopes on their Dutch Spotted Sheep.
33:41Dutch Spotted Sheep are our big passion.
33:43You know, we're really keen on the breed, we think they're fabulous, and we think that we've got some significant firepower to take to the Great Yorkshire Show.
33:54We've got an old lad here, who will be in the senior ram category, who actually won the show as a ram lamb.
33:59So, there's a real chance for him to go back and rekindle former glories.
34:04We've got one of his sons called Hierarchy, who we think an awful lot of.
34:08We think he really holds himself well, we're like the cut of his jib, and he's a cockiness about him, which you sort of need as a ram.
34:19Right.
34:20Right, he stood all right at that.
34:21That leg wants to be out a bit, that's it.
34:24We've got some great females.
34:26We've got one called Baudesia, who won the Westmoreland County Show last year.
34:30She's going to the Yorkshire with confidence that she can go one better and win there as well.
34:35So, yeah, we're excited to be going and optimistic that we might get some really well-placed sheep.
34:47Well, Rob and Dave had high hopes for their Dutch-spotted sheep, so heading into the ring with the weight of the world on their shoulders was the Cannon Hall team of Kate and Amy.
34:58The boys were proud of their Blues second-place rosette yesterday, but today they're aiming for the all-important winning red.
35:06It's quite nerve-wracking, because you're waiting so long, so you're doing all your little tricks to make sure, like, for when the judge comes to you, your sheep is in, like, the showed in the best possible way.
35:23He's such a strong sheep that if he wants to go across the ring, there's not really much I can do about that.
35:36Wow, there was a lot of sheep in that class.
35:38Like, the quality was...
35:39I don't think it's seen a class that high.
35:41Every single one that they pulled forward.
35:43Yeah.
35:44They showed themselves really well.
35:46They're a little bit of a handful in the ring.
35:48They managed to not let anyone go, so that is a success as far as I'm concerned.
35:52Honestly, we're counting this as a victory.
35:54We can't control of the sheep.
35:55I think they looked as good as they could do.
35:57We're winning.
36:03Well, as yesterday, we saw you with some blue ribbons.
36:06You were hoping today they'd be red with your Dutch spotted.
36:10How did it go?
36:11Today, Jules, is a blue day again.
36:14Oh!
36:14But, you know, I think a reminder of just how high the competition is here.
36:23I mean, a win really is a win.
36:24The Great Yorkshire Show is a great show.
36:27Winning here is really, really difficult.
36:29We think we've got a really cracking top here in hierarchy.
36:32Yeah.
36:32It's the one that we've got our eye on.
36:34It's the one we've got really high hopes for.
36:36And he was winning right up to the last moment.
36:38And then the judge swapped first and second round.
36:41He saw something in the other that he thought was better than hierarchy.
36:44Another judge, another day.
36:45He could have had first.
36:46Well, you're a winner to all of us, hierarchy.
36:49Well done, you and the rest of the gang.
36:51And well done to the team as well getting into the show ring.
36:53Our show ring here, as you can probably tell, is a little bit empty right now.
36:57But, Julio, you are in a much bigger one where it's all about to kick off.
37:00I hope you've saved me a seat.
37:03Standing room only, Jules.
37:05Atkinson's stunt horses will be appearing here any minute.
37:09And actually, they do their amazing performance here in the main ring every day.
37:12So join us after the break for all the action.
37:24Welcome back to today at the Great Yorkshire Show.
37:27We are very excited.
37:29We are ringside in the main arena, looking forward to the biggest performance of the
37:34day, complete with a bit of champers and some nibbles.
37:36Well, no seco for me here.
37:38Yes, it's a spectacular equine stunt show that involves 20 horses and 25 humans.
37:44It's the brainchild of Ben Atkinson, who trains with his team quite near here, near
37:49Ghoul, at the family's riding school in East Yorkshire.
37:53Look at that.
37:54And among the team, I don't know if you know this, is Ben's wife, Georgia.
37:58He proposed to her here in the ring back in 2021.
38:02The crowd, of course, were delighted.
38:04But there's clearly a theme when it comes to weddings and the show.
38:07Because in case you've missed it, we've had a wedding here at the Great Yorkshire Show
38:10this week.
38:10So if you're in the mood for a proposal, maybe this is the place that you come to.
38:14Careful what you wish for.
38:15Right then, let's start it.
38:16Let's watch.
38:17Rosemary's, Rosemary's.
38:18Thank you very much.
38:19There you go.
38:20Thank you so much.
38:21Cheers.
38:24And today presenting a brand new performance created especially for the Great Yorkshire Show,
38:31the family that held from East Yorkshire are proud to represent homegrown Yorkshire talent.
38:35Please welcome, Ben Atkinson and the Atkinson after horses.
38:49Wow.
38:50Incredible, huh?
38:51I mean, I like to think I can ride, but I can't do that.
38:54You can't do it standing on the back of a horse.
38:56Not a chance.
38:57Well, kill your thighs, George.
38:58Oh, my goodness.
38:59It's very Jane Austen and Bridgerton, isn't it?
39:06Oh, my goodness.
39:08Wow.
39:09How do you do that and stay on?
39:11I don't know.
39:12I'm expecting to see you doing that next year, Jules.
39:16Is he going to jump?
39:17Oh.
39:18Wow.
39:20Amazing.
39:21How long must it take to train together to get that to work?
39:25What a relationship he clearly has.
39:30Not just with others, with six of them.
39:33Yes.
39:36I mean, that was proper shamanship, isn't it?
39:38Yeah.
39:39He's definitely catching a sense of drama.
39:45Yeah, well-deserved round of applause.
39:52Oh, well done.
39:53Yay!
39:54Amazing.
39:55Hot to try, I would say, Jules.
40:05Well, that was worth the wait to see.
40:07It really was, yes.
40:09Amazing.
40:10Absolutely amazing.
40:21Right, well, I'm backstage, which is at the stables,
40:23and I'm here to talk to the star of the show,
40:25the creator of this, Ben.
40:27Ben, it's so good to see you.
40:29Hi.
40:29And it must be lovely to be back at the Great Yorkshire Show.
40:31Oh, it's absolutely incredible.
40:32Let's talk a little bit about the horses and the stunts.
40:34I want to know, how long does it take,
40:36when you have an idea for the stunt, what you want to do,
40:39how many hours and hours of training does it take
40:41to actually make that happen?
40:43And I know that depends on the stunt, obviously,
40:45but I just want people to get an idea of...
40:46So if we, I've just got some new horses,
40:49and it will take me three years to get them to this level.
40:52So they will spend a year at home training,
40:55learning all their basics,
40:56and then they will spend a year going out doing demos,
41:00because the demos aren't like the shows.
41:01The demos are educational,
41:02which means that if things go a little bit wonky,
41:05that's part of the act,
41:05and they can get used to the crowds,
41:07and then finally they join the performance team.
41:10I have never seen...
41:12Oi, stop nippling.
41:13I have no... I haven't got anything.
41:14He wants some treats.
41:15Yeah, I'm sorry, I haven't got anything.
41:16I've never seen somebody on top of a horse before
41:19that's lying on its back with all four hooves up in the air.
41:23How long did that one take?
41:25Everybody at home, their dog knows how to lay down and roll.
41:27Yes, I've got the dog that does that.
41:29And it's a certain thing,
41:29and so it's the idea that we teach the horses that same idea
41:32to lay down first, then to lay flat,
41:35and then you'll see how sometimes when they lay down,
41:37even in the end of the show,
41:38they'll have a little roll because they're being a bit itchy,
41:40and basically we clicker train.
41:42Do you know how they clicker train with dogs?
41:43So we teach them with the clicker that the roll is a good thing,
41:47and then eventually you get them so that as they roll up,
41:49you sort of catch them against your legs,
41:52and yeah, he's a little boy.
41:54One thing that's really important when we teach that, though,
41:56when I'm stood over him, I'm not actually touching him,
41:58so I'm standing over him, not on him.
42:01So that's a very important thing.
42:02Well, Ben, you give pleasure to so many people,
42:04and you clearly absolutely adore your board.
42:07An unforgettable performance.
42:08So many highlights, and here are a few more.
42:23This is delicious.
42:24Really subtle, but gosh, what a lovely flavour.
42:26It's like Piccadilly Circus down at the kettle wash, isn't it?
42:35I'll tell you what, it's very busy.
42:45Caramel honey Yorkshire whisky.
42:49Oh, beautiful.
42:50Julia, you don't know what you're missing.
43:01These are amazing.
43:01We'll save you one.
43:04Every day's a school day, and it's certainly not for the horses.
43:10Julia, what on earth are you doing out there?
43:13I'm out of breath, but you know what?
43:14It's worth it.
43:19You want to go?
43:19Yeah, come on then.
43:20Come on now.
43:21I'm telling you, I'm tempted to get wet myself and say what.
43:23You are now lawfully married, husband and wife.
43:45Well, what a fabulous couple of days we've had, Julia,
43:48seeing all that the great Yorkshire show has to offer.
43:51Have you enjoyed yourself?
43:52I've had an amazing time.
43:53It's such a warm, welcoming environment.
43:55And a big thank you to the Yorkshire Agricultural Society
43:58for working so hard all year round to make this happen.
44:01And we would like to thank all of the competitors,
44:04the exhibitors, the stewards and the judges
44:06for very patiently giving us a glimpse into their world.
44:10Very patient.
44:11And, of course, huge congratulations to all the award winners
44:14and everybody who has taken part.
44:17Whether or not you're going home with a red rosette,
44:20thank you to all of you for showcasing
44:22the best of British agriculture.
44:24We hope you have a lovely summer
44:25and we'll see you again at the great Yorkshire show.
44:27Goodbye.
44:28Goodbye.
44:30Fantastic stuff.
44:31Now, Phyllis Logan is the puzzle lady,
44:33used to setting clues
44:35and always intrigued by a murder most puzzling.
44:38Stream the full series now on Five.
44:40Next, one brother steered towards reliability,
44:42the other to rebellion.
44:44The changing relationship between William and Harry.
44:47Love and betrayal.
44:48In just a moment.
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