FINAL preparations are being made for this year's Gargrave Show, which takes place on Saturday.

As usual, it will be held in the field in front of Eshton Hall and a free minibus service will ferry people to the showground from the Summerseat and the end of Eshton Road.

Exhibits will range from handicrafts to livestock and a new class has been introduced for native sheep which do not fall within current categories.

Keeping an eye on proceedings will be this year's president, Malcolm Weaving, who runs Skipton's Rendezvous Hotel with his wife, Karen.

He said: "It is difficult to imagine a better setting for a country show than Gargrave.

"The whole show is pure country and family orientated, a credit to the organisers who are upholding a tradition and not going down the fairground route."

The show will start at 8.30am with the judging of working and ridden hunters and will close after the terrier racing at 5pm.

In between, there will be a host of attractions, including a puissance competition, where equestrians have to jump over a vertical wall, a tug of war contest and a grand parade of twinning animals.

There will also be the popular fell races, which can provide some interesting moments.

Last year saw a good turnout of 156 runners over the five age categories - under-nines, under-12s, under -14s, under-17s and seniors. The senior race attracted a record number of 83 runners and it is hoped the winner, Jack Simpson, of Harrogate, will return to defend his title.

The under nines race will leave the main ring at noon, with the other age groups following, and entries will be taken on the field adjacent to the main ring.

The runners will follow in the steps of some of today's well known athletes.Olympic and Commonwealth medal winning triathletes, the Brownlee brothers, and Scott Thwaites, Commonwealth bronze medal winner in the men's cycling road race, all competed in the junior fell races in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

For further details on the fell races, contact the race steward on 01756 749235 or 07850 318137.