MORE than 200,000 people are expected to pour through the gates of the country’s biggest agricultural show by the end of the week.
With the sun shining on the opening day of the Royal Welsh Show a total of 52,738 people visited the Llanelwedd showground – 1,000 down on last year but the third highest figure for a Monday.
On Tuesday the rain fell heavily but it failed to deter revellers and by late afternoon the attendance figure was 55,904, more than 3,200 up on Tuesday of last year but down on the show’s five-year average.
The weather improved again on Wednesday and 68,281 people made their way through the gates.
That put the figure for the first three days at 176,923.
For a final attendance figure check out the County Times website on Thursday evening – www.countytimes.co.uk
The show society said it was delighted with the way this year’s event was going.
The show was opened on Monday by Lord Elystan Morgan, a former MP for Ceredigion, who described the Royal Welsh as the most successful event of its kind in Europe.
The day also saw the opening of a new £1.6 million food hall by the Minister of Rural Affairs, Elin Jones. She said the Assembly Government would continue to be involved with the venue which showcases quality Welsh food and drink.
She said the Assembly had agreed a £270,000 three-year sponsorship deal with the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society.
Alun Evans, chairman of the Royal Welsh Council, said sponsorship for 2010 had reached nearly £1.5 million. The four-day event provides plenty of interest for all ages and offers a great range of attractions — both educational and entertaining.
This year’s livestock includes some 8,000 horses, cattle, sheep, pigs and goats.
Opening Monday’s show, Lord Morgan said the event was now the most successful show of its kind in the UK and Europe.
He said: “This show is magnificent and wide-ranging.
“It has established a cult in the breeding of animals in Wales and has elevated husbandry to the highest level. And farmers are used to the vagaries of the weather and of nature and this reflects on the personalities of countrymen.”