As the final preparations are under way for next week’s Great Yorkshire Show, organisers are promising that the 2010 event will be a record breaker.

With last year’s show drawing crowds of more than 130,000, this year promises to be just as popular, with record numbers of advanced tickets sold.

Entry figures in eight of the 24 competitive classes have also broken records, with more cattle, sheep, poultry, pig, pigeon, horse-shoeing, cheese and angora goat entries than before.

Total entry figures for this year’s events are over 12,000 – and have almost reached last year’s figure of 12,189, the highest number of entries in the show’s history.

Organised each year by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, the three-day event is held at the 250-acre Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate.

Gates open at 7.30am tomorrow and the show will end on Thursday with gates closing at 6.30pm.

Popular with foodies is the Great Yorkshire Cheese and Dairy Show, sponsored by Morrisons.

With ice-cream, soft and blue cheese, yoghurt, butter and milk, this year’s event will feature nearly 1,000 entries.

Show jumping, falconry and gun-dog demonstrations are also planned, alongside a variety of agricultural entertainment from across the region.

This will be the agricultural event’s 152nd year and honorary show director Bill Cowling said he was pleased to see the show going from strength to strength.

He said: “We are now without doubt England’s premier agricultural event, with quality stock here in numbers.”

Tickets are still available from the Yorkshire Show offices, the Fodder shop and cafe – both situated at the showground – and at selected tourist information centres and Morrisons supermarkets.

Ticket prices are: adults £21, concessions £20, children £10, family tickets – for two adults and three children – £55.

Tickets are valid for any one day.