ORGANISERS of today’s Derbyshire County Show say it has been one of the most successful in its proud 141-year history – after record numbers attended the sun-soaked show.
Special guest at Elvaston Showground was Kaleb Cooper, from the TV show Clarkson’s Farm, who was interviewed in the main ring by BBC Radio Derby’s Twiggy as they both sat on the roof an enormous forager.
Kaleb, who became an overnight star thanks to the hit Amazon Prime series set on Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm, also posed for countless selfies with fans and took a tour of the showground chatting to farmers, signing books and soaking up the atmosphere.
Final attendance numbers have yet to be revealed but advance purchases of tickets for the show were up by 12% on last year and conservative estimates reckon at least 14,000 people turned out for the event.
Ed Hicklin, chair of the Derbyshire Agricultural Society, which organised the show, said: “It has been a fantastic day at the show, preshow sales were off the scale and the car parks were busy from 8am when they opened.
“We think there were at least 14,000 people on the ground which we are ecstatic about. The ground was lovely and firm – there were people with white trainers on and they went home with them being white. I just love the fact that it’s safe, everything’s busy and people genuinely seem to be having a brilliant time.
“Of course, Kaleb was the star of the show but we also had fantastic entertainment in the main ring, some of the best livestock in the region and enough food and drink to keep the crowds happy. It was a brilliant day.”
As well as Kaleb’s celebrity appearance there was also non-stop action from JPL Shetland Racing, miniature donkeys from the Wee Donkey Company, extremely rare Suffolk Punch horses and the Northside Van and Truck Raffle.
Spectators were treated to displays from parkour and trampolining teams, and they could even have a go themselves if they were brave enough.
There were angling and gundog displays throughout the day in the countryside area and a companion dog show for any furry friends.
