Gearing up for the 'first' show of the season

This year's event, on Saturday May 11 at Ayr Racecourse, will be the 176th of the Ayrshire Agricultural Association's 182nd year, and will again include exhibition and competition of many types of animals, trade stands, crafts, vintage tractor display, sticks and crooks, SWI competitions, YFC competitions, family entertainment, music, children’s marquee and ‘TT Ayr’ (trucks and tractor) show.

Livestock as always remain the heart of the show, and this year's entries are much on a par with last year with a total of 320 sheep, 115 beef animals, 32 Clydesdale horses and six stud carts, 250 light horses and ponies, 50 goats and 545 poultry and plates of eggs, set to attend. Dairy entries already stand at 50 but more are expected a long with light horses which can be taken on the day.

There's an early kick off too with the light horse and pony classes commencing at 8.00am, while the British show jumping classes and Clydesdale horses start at 8.45am and 10.00am, respectively. Cattle and sheep sections start at 9.30am and the sticks and crooks at 10am.

The highlight of the day for many however, is the overall champion of champions competition and the presentation of the The Rowan Crystal to the owner who receives £1000 prize money, while each of the runners up will receive £200 prize money sponsored by Jim Craig, Ayr Market, in memory of his late wife, Rowan.

The goats section is not held at the racecourse and will be running a back to back show with the Ayrshire Goat Club on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12, at Craig Wilson Livestock Auction Mart. All are welcome.

Another major attraction is the Young Farmers sections with Ayrshire YFC having organised a tug of war competition to take place in the main ring at 9.30am. Ayrshire Tug of War Club will also be hosting a Scottish Tug of War Association (STOWA) event with two eight-aside weights for ladies 560kg and men's 640kg after the Ayrshire YFC competition.

Young Farmers are not all about brute strength though, for the finer things in life, their handicrafts section has an 'ABXY (Celebrating 50 years of Stockjudging)' theme for the seniors while 'Treasures of the Deep' has been selected for the juniors.

After last year's success, there is also a ‘Children’s Marquee’ where The Wearable Art Company Face Painters, Rainbow Twisters – Balloon Twisters and Glitter Tattoo’s, Daffy Dill Entertainment, Bunny Luv Mobile Petting Zoo, Temporary Henna Tattoo artist, Ayr Beekeepers, Craigievern Poultry Display and Pigs and the great Royal Highland Educational Trust (RHET), can be found.

All of the above plus Owl Magic, music from Irvine Pipe Band, ‘TT AYR’, The Scottish Old Skool Retro Car Club, catering facilities, bar, children's bouncy slide and funfair rides makes Ayr County Show a great day out for the whole family.

Other main ring entertainment comes from Jez Avery Stunt Show which offers the display, with four different vehicles; an amazing show on four wheels, two wheels, one wheel and no wheels and the rollover quad! The show includes wheelies, stoppies, two-wheel driving, drifting, doughnuts and precision driving.

Not to be forgotten are the trade stand exhibitors and this year's event will see in excess of 100 stands ranging from agricultural dealerships, machinery, services and specialists, food, crafts, bespoke goods, clothing and gifts, equine and livestock products.

Admission charges:

Adults – £15

Children (aged 14 & under accompanied by an adult) – FREE

Car Park – £4 per car

Dogs: Well behaved dogs on leads are welcome at Ayr County Show (except in the poultry marquee)

Judges

Dairy cattle – Inter-breed – Robert Steel snr, Kepculloch Farm, Balfron Station, Glasgow

Ayrshire/Red and White cattle – Muir Young, West Spittal Farm, Stewarton

Holstein/Jersey cattle – William Fleming, Hillhead, Kirkpatrick Fleming, Lockerbie

Calf and showmanship and young stockpersons dairy – Hugh Neilson, East Brackenridge Farm, Strathaven

Beef cattle – Inter-breed – William McLaren, Netherton Farm, Blackford, Auchterarder

Aberdeen Angus/Hereford – Wade McCrabbe, Gortaquigley, Raphoe, Co Donegal

Belted Galloway/any other native – Dessy Henry, 8 Gruige Lane, Cloughmills, Ballymena, Co Antrim

Beef Shorthorn – Annette Marshall, 2 Mains of Glamis, Forfar

Simmental/British Blue – Andrew Wilson, Westcroft, Kilwinning

Any other continental – Ian Nimmo, Bogside Farm, Newmains Wishaw

Commercial cattle – Gerwyn Jones, Graig Goch, Nebo, Llanrwst, Gwynedd

Young stockpersons beef and YFC classes – John Drummond, Townend Farm, Craigie

Sheep – Inter-breed – Allan Campbell, Alt-Na-Craik, Corrow Farm, Lochgoilhead

Suffolk – Keith Denby, Riddings Hill Moat, Longtown, Carlisle

Texel/Charollais – Jeff Aitken, Moss House, Spout Lane, Wennington, Lancashire

Beltex – John Harbinson, 49 Ringsend Road, Limavady, Co Londonderry

Border Leicester – Alison McCrabbe, Gortaquigley, Raphoe, Co Donegal

Any other continental/commercial sheep – David Moir, Home Farm, Cairness, Fraserburgh

Bluefaced Leicester traditional/crossing – Alex Brown, Macqueston, Tynron, Thornhill

Blackface – Billy Renwick, Craig Douglas Farm, Yarrow, Selkirk

Zwartbles – Caroline Anderson, 25 Wallridge Cottages, Ingoe, Northumberland

Hampshire Down – Judith Galbraith, Endmoor Farm, Main Street, Endmoor, Kendal

Ryeland/any other native – Jim Arthur, Greenaton Farm, Carnwath, Lanark

Young stockpersons sheep – William Robb, Chalmerston Farm, Mauchline

Ayr goats – Mrs A Aitken, Hillberry, Dunnottar, Stonehaven

Ayrshire Goat Club Spring Show – T Hanna, 35 Mullaghdrin Road, Dromara, Dromore, Co. Down

Clydesdale horses – Benny Duncan, Rose Cottage, Balmalcolm, Fife

Sticks & Crooks – Gavin McKinlay, Coulterallers Farm, Coulter, Biggar

Trade stands – Irene Robb, Mauchline and John Murray (Thomas Murray Agricultural Engineers)

Poultry – Mr and Mrs Neil Adams, Ballymena, Antrim, Joe Adams, Ballymena, Antrim and Ryan McLaren, Omagh, County Tyrone

Truck Ayr – James Padkin, Loudon View, Lochgate Farm, Drumclog, Strathaven