CROWDs turned out in force for Gargrave Show on Saturday, which remained dry despite threatening clouds and a stiff, almost autumnal breeze.

Held in front of stately Eshton Hall, people queued to get in to a showfield packed with entertainment, livestock, trade stands and the ever popular and well-contested fell race.

Following a display by the Langstroth Gundogs, and making its return after a break of ten years, was the horse jumping event the puissance, which proved to be a great hit.

Crowd favourite was 11-year-old Holly Airton on her black and white pony, Little Coloured. Talented rider Holly, from Eastby, cleared 4ft 4ins before going out at 4ft 6ins, but took home £25 as winner of the pony class and a big cheer from the crowd.

With just two riders left in the final round, the wall went up to 5ft2ins - the same height it reached ten years ago.

Ellie Stephenson on her coloured horse Puzzle won, despite three faults, after Richard Chadwick's handsome grey, Good News III, refused and was retired by its rider.

Star turn in the heavy horse foal class was Richard Bedford's Hartcliff Leona. The filly foal, born in April, has won every five times she's been out this season, including the Great Yorkshire Show, the Halifax show and the Northern Heavy Horse Society Show.

Cllr Robert Mason, deputy chairman of Craven District Council, in addition to having a keen interest in the cattle section, had brought along a vintage tractor and a Ford Zephyr Six.

Cllr Mason's 60-year-old Fordson Major came off the assembly line in the same month he was born and has always been in his family. He restored it in the 1990s, drove it to Gargrave on Friday night and plans to take it to Malham Show this weekend.

"Its a real family heirloom and is the same age as me to the same month," he said.

In the horticulture tent, a mild winter was a winner for the vegetables, but not so for the flowers.

Ronald Hallings, chief horticulture judge, said: "The standard has been very good and I think that must be down to the mild winter, but the recent weather has spoilt a lot of flowers."

Malcolm Weaving, show president, said it was a marvellous day. Mr Weaving, in his first year as president, but a regular at the show, said he had been particularly impressed by the variety and quality of poultry on show.

"We've had a beautiful day, its stayed dry and there's a hell of a lot of people here. Its been marvellous," he said.

Sarah Davidson, entries secretary, said she was sure numbers were up.

"I've been involved in the show for 14 years and I've never seen queues like it to get it."

And she was particularly pleased with the success of the puissance, and hopeful it would return again next year.