The gates will be opening on Wednesday, 17th July for the spectacle that is the Driffield Show. This year the Driffield Show will celebrate its 148th year, with its winning formula of celebrating the traditional and embracing new developments. The Show has earned its place as a ‘ must do’ event on the calendars of both the farming community as well as families looking for a good value day out. Not complacent, each year the Show organisers strive to ensure that the Show improves upon its successes and are proud to be one of the largest one day Agricultural Shows in the country.
Once inside the Show no one will be disappointed with the vast range of activities, displays, educational content and demonstrations designed to suit all ages regardless of your interests. The Show continues to be popular with Livestock exhibitors and attracts some of the areas finest animals. As well as a highly regarded cattle section the Livestock Area will also boast excellent examples of sheep and pigs. There will be a return of the crowds favourite Heavy Horse classes sponsored by Smailes Goldie Group. The equine community will also be well represented throughout the Show. with a packed main ring timetable ranging from the Local Ridden Ponies to the Show Jumping Classes. The prestigious 1.40m Open Championship Show Jumping class is being held courtesy of sponsorship from local company Rican ATV Ltd who will also be first time trade exhibitors this year at the Show. Another crowd favourite the Dog Show organised and in aid of Ryedale Dog Rescue will take place in its location near to the countryside pursuits area– maybe your dog has the waggiest tail or the kindest eyes – why not enter it to find out?
The Driffield Agricultural Society is immensely proud of its rural and agricultural heritage and there will be demonstrations on hedge laying, stick making and willow crafting to name a few in the new for 2024 Living and Working in the Countryside Area. The crowd pleasing ‘Wheat to Bread’ demonstration will once again be taking place throughout the day, giving budding bakers the opportunity to get hands on with bread making. As well as celebrating its history the Society is also keen to showcase new initiatives and the Show will be showcasing the cutting edge innovations in agriculture with the Agricultural Machinery Demonstration Arena and the Forestry Section both giving visitors the opportunity to get up close to machinery that is usually only seen from a distance.
The Driffield Show continues to have ‘something for everyone’ there will be plenty of opportunity for retail therapy, with nearly 400 tradestands to choose from, ranging from lifestyle and fashion, to rural crafts and local produce. The Food Zone offers enough choice to whet the appetite of the most ardent foodie and with its new picnic benches and band stand provides the perfect area to refuel mid Show touring. The new look Horticulture marquee will also be providing visitors with a colourful contribution courtesy of our green fingered exhibitors and once again will also be the home of the Gardeners’ Theatre where visitors will be able to take and seat and watch the horticulture demonstrations that will be taking place throughout the day. Entries for the Handicraft Section are now open with an abundance of new classes making sure that there will be a class available for every crafter.
As well as the wealth of competitive equine expertise that we come to associate with the Driffield Show the GSC Gray Main Ring will also feature entertainment from the amazing, local talent of Atkinson’s Action Horses. As well as Main Ring events the Countryside Arena and Activity Arena will also boast packed timetables, this year there will be appearances from The BMX Show, East Riding Pipe Band, Dangerous Steve Stunt Show, Ferret World, plus more still to be confirmed.
Atkinsons Action Horses to return to the Driffield Show
Back by popular demand are East Riding’s own Atkinson Action Horses who will be the headline attraction in the GSC Gray Main Ring at the 2024 Driffield Show. Wednesday, 17th July, 2024 will be the time to saddle up, strap in and hold on tight – as this fearless team of stunt riders will perform their unique display at the 148th Driffield Show.
Atkinson Action Horses have spent the past twenty years training horses and riders for both film and tv. With credits from Poldark, Victoria, Peaky Blinders, Emmerdale and All Creatures Great and Small – it is guaranteed that this elite force has at some point invaded your tv screen.
Visitors to the Show are promised an astounding display of tricks and stunts normally reserved for only tv and the big screen and are advised to be prepared for ‘heart in your mouth’ demonstrations of astounding acrobatics. The performance will also include a short but stunning section dedicated to the art of Liberty – displaying the seamless harmony between the horses and their on screen trainers. Ben Atkinson, who will be leading the team, also performs internationally, has trained horses in Dubai and has horse mastered on Bollywood films in India. His displays, as well as the beautiful art of Liberty also include Classical Dressage, Airs above the Ground and Cossack Trick Riding.
Cheryl Lynch, Society Manager at the Showground said ‘the last time that Ben Atkinson and his team were with us everyone was absolutely astounded by the breathtaking display they astounded us with and we can’t wait to welcome them back to us in 2024’.
Activity Arena
Whilst the Main Ring at the Driffield Show is nationally renowned for the high calibre of equine excellence that it attracts there are also plenty of other Rings that are fast on its heels as favourites with families.
This year the Activity Arena will be featuring Dangerous Steve who is back at the Driffield Show by popular demand. It’s non-stop, thrill-a-minute with Dangerous Steve’s Fire and Chainsaw juggling, Giant Unicycle, Ladder Balancing and Blindfold Motorcycle riding in a hilarious and dynamic act full of sensational stunts guaranteed to take your breath away! Steve is one of the most experienced outdoor attractions on the circuit – he started presenting his motorbike stunt show age six!
Starring alongside Steve and new to the Driffield Show this year are The BMX Show. Making their first appearance at the Show the BMX Show will have riders flying through the air performing breathtaking tricks and stungs. Show organisers are assured that only the very best BMS riders perform in the BMX Show (including Red Bull athletes) to ensure that visitors see the most impressive tricks – usually only seen on television, including audience favourite – ‘The Back Flip’.
Another new addition for 2024 are the East Riding Pipe Band. The band are a community pipe band based in Driffield, at the heart of the Yorkshire Wolds. The band prides itself in maintain an open, honest and safe environment where all are equal partners and everyone is supported to fulfil their musical potential. The band is a member of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association and firmly believes in ‘growing its own’ top class players by offering free high quality tuition to all who wish to learn. As well as entertaining visitors they will also have a stand overlooking the Activity Arena where further information about joining them or booking them can be found.
Countryside Arena
The Countryside Arena started its life at the Driffield Show as a base for the working dogs to demonstrate. Forward to 2024 and the arena is action packed with countryside pursuits from the beginning of the Show until its end.
As well as a display of local working dogs joining them in the arena will be Ridgeside Falconry celebrating the grace and skill of bird and handler working together. In addition to the birds of prey the team at Ridgeside will also be bringing their terriers and exploring the unique bond between dog and trainer and providing opportunities for the crowd to get involved! The Ridgeside team will be on hand throughout the day to pass on their advice and share their extensive knowledge of both birds of falconry and dog handling.
Ferret World, who were at the Driffield Show last year, will also be in their new home in the Countryside Arena. Ferret World are a family run roadshow. Inside the arena visitors will have a chance to be part of the action, racing ferrets and learning all about them. When not demonstrating in the arena the Ferret World Team will have a stand overlooking the Arena from where they will be able to answer any questions you may have about the ferrets and their care.
Agricultural Machinery Demonstration Ring
There are not many opportunities to see the massive machinery that we usually only seen at a distance in the middle of a field ‘up close’. The team at the Driffield Show have changed that and visitors to the Show will not only get the chance to see the machinery in operation but to also speak to the people who operate them, find out what they do and how they do it!
Timetables for all the various sections, rings and arenas are available from the Show’s website www.driffieldshowground.co.uk together with a host of suggestions of what to do at the Show and what not to miss to help you to plan your day at the 148th Driffield Show.
Take the green route to the Driffield Show!
Organisers of Yorkshire’s greatest one-day show are once encouraging visitors to go green and use public transport. The 148th Driffield Agricultural Show will be held on Wednesday 17th July and people are being urged to travel to the show by bus, rail and cycle.
A free shuttle bus will be provided between Driffield Town Centre and the Showground operating every 20 minutes. The Shuttle bus connects at Driffield Train Station and as a further incentive, anyone who travels to the Show by train receives £1 discount off the Show’s admission. Simply show your ticket at the Showground when purchasing your ticket on the gate.
The discount is also available to people who use the regular East Yorkshire Motor Services routes which run throughout the region and bus travellers can also take advantage of the bus stand directly outside the Showground.
Cheryl Lynch, society Manager said “we are delighted to be able to once again offer this fantastic incentive for people wishing to choose to travel to the Driffield Show by Public Transport. This scheme will be entering its ninth year and each year we have seen the number of people taking advantage of this facility increasing. This indicates to us that we are meeting the demand of our visitors for sustainable transport alternatives and we are grateful to Adam Fowler of the City of Hull Environment Forum for his assistance in making this scheme possible.”.
The bus will run every 20 minutes throughout the day, starting from George Street (opposite Tesco), turning right into Middle Street South, stopping by the old Bus Depot (also the stop for the train station), then along Beverley Road, turning round to alight passengers outside the showground entrance No 2 (by Armstrong Massey). More than 2,000 visitors used the shuttle bus last year, with hundreds using the regular bus service and the train, coming into Driffield from the wider Yorkshire region.
Visitors choosing to cycle to Driffield Show can pedal in safety from the town centre using the new ‘safe cycle route’, and then store their bikes in the new bicycle racks sited just inside Gate No 2 on the showground. These bike racks were introduced a number of years ago as a direct response to requests made by Show visitors.
Driffield Show continues to be fantastic value for money with advance tickets now being available to purchase at the discounted rate of £18 for adults plus in an attempt to keep the prices for families down to an absolute minimum a accompanied children under the age of 16 years of age are completely free!
To save money when you visit the Driffield Show buy your discounted advance tickets from www.driffieldshowground.co.uk, and beat the queues on Show day.
Further information and tickets are now available from www.driffieldshowground.co.uk
Advance ticket:- Adults – £18.00, Accompanied Children Under 16 – free.
On the gate:- Adults – £22.00, Accompanied Children Under 16 – free.
