GARGRAVE Agricultural and Horticultural Society held its centenary show on Saturday.

The special anniversary event attracted up to 1,000 extra visitors this year. The 2002 attendance was estimated at 2,000.

This year's show was blessed with glorious weather and a welcome return of the sheep and cattle - which were absent last year due to foot and mouth restrictions.

The hot sunshine may have guaranteed good ice-cream sales, but it made conditions for the fell race rather difficult.

The £50 prize on offer to whoever broke the senior record of 21.21 minutes went unclaimed.

Brian and Brenda Moorhouse, who formerly farmed at Flasby but have since moved to Ashby-de-la-Zouch, were joint presidents.

Mrs Moorhouse said: "It's a very special occasion and the weather's marvellous. We are so pleased to see the cattle back and we are grateful to all the exhibitors who have attended.

"It was quite an honour for us to be picked for the occasion. I was secretary of the show for around 13 years and Brian can remember coming to the show in the 1950s."

For the first time in 45 years, an Ayrshire beat a Friesian cow to win the overall supreme cattle championship.

The winning exhibitor was Ken Thornber, of Cherry Tree Farm, Chaigley, Clitheroe, who collected a plethora of prizes for his Ayrshire animals.

The champion sheep was a British Charollais shown by SC and NC Hodgson, of Bedale.

Chairman of the show committee Cathie Cromarty said that movement restrictions imposed by Defra had meant some exhibitors were only attending their local shows this year and the reams of paperwork involved had put some others off altogether.

"Some of the sheep classes have been excellent, but there have been a lot of classes where the farms were hit by foot and mouth that have not been able to restock to the same quality," she said. "But it has been good to see them back, it's been three years since we last had sheep here, and this has been one of the best shows. It will get things going again."

There was a record 80-plus entries in the Shetland Ponies section, with the championship trophy going to D Sandham, of Otley. Champion heavy horse was a brood mare shown by show regulars P and W Bedford, of York.

Fifteen-year-old Tom Axon, of Arnside, led the way in the poultry section, clinching the championship with an old English game bantam. He only started showing 18 months ago.

Stephen Hodgson, of Skipton, had a broad smile on his face as he collected the best in show award for horticulture with his prize onions.

Mr Hodgson, who acted as chief steward for the section, said: "There was a good amount of entries, more than last year, and standards were very high."

Mr Hodgson grows his produce at Broughton Road allotments, which are also used by his chief rival Rex Geldard, whose gladioli took the best flower award.

Next year's president Veronica Sharp had a good day in the handicrafts section, winning two points trophies.

Elsewhere, the dog show was keenly contested and 15-year-old Helen Osadzenko, of Skipton, won the best in show prize with her two-and-a-half-year-old Papillon dog, Robert.

Throughout the day, there was entertainment from the Swale Valley Stompers jazz band and displays by the Lampkin Motor Cycle team.