Sporting Soprano Lizzie Jones met some of the finest animals in the country as she took to the Great Yorkshire Showground ahead of her debut tomorrow.
Lizzie, from Halifax, was at the Showground to see some of the animals and prepare for tomorrow’s performance.
Lizzie met Canuf Harold a two-year-old Simmental bull which is bred and shown by Jimmy and Vikki Wood, of Clitheroe.
Lizzie also met up with Show Director Charles Mills who was overseeing the last minute preparations ahead of the first day of the Great Yorkshire Show, over in the sheep section. This year, there is a record number of sheep entries and the area has also seen fresh investment as the sheep shearing stage has an extended roof to make viewing more comfortable for visitors.
Lizzie will make history as the first singer to perform in the Main Ring at the Great Yorkshire Show. Dressed by Yorkshire designer James Steward, Lizzie will perform with The Band of the Royal Armoured Corps twice a day in the heart of the showground.
Over near the stables, models from the Kuoni Catwalk Isabelle Mason, from Leeds, and Ronan Carter, from Halifax, were wearing specially designed dress wear that would have been worn to the very first Show in 1838.
Harrogate College graduate and designer Joanna Rishworth from Keighley researched what people would have worn to the very first Great Yorkshire Show in 1838 and has recreated the costumes especially for the 160th celebrations.
The models met Shire horse Camalter Poppy who will be competing at the Show for the very first time. She will be taking part in the pairs driven class on Wednesday in the Wolds Wagon which is owned by the Wagoners Special Reserve Museum based at Sledmere House, Driffield, East Yorkshire.
Show Director Charles Mills said: “This will be a magical Show and we can’t wait to welcome visitors over the next three days. We have the best of British livestock and some of the finest animals in the UK if not the world, right here at the Great Yorkshire Show. This is a three-day celebration of the very best of food, farming and the countryside with some extra special additions to celebrate the 160th Show. From the superb Lizzie Jones performing twice a day to the Yorkshire Film Archive footage rolling on a big screen, to the Craven Heifer on the President’s Lawn – we hope you enjoy a very special Great Yorkshire Show.”
