The 2023 Royal Cornwall Show opened on Thursday, with thousands expected to attend
Organisers said the show aims to "promote the innovation and future stability of agriculture in Cornwall"
It will involve a range of agricultural activities, contests, live acts and a variety of trade stalls
Updates on Thursday 8 June
Amy Gladwell
BBC News
People have been sitting watching sheep shearing taking place, fascinated by the skill involved.
Several events have been held so far today, including the Young Farmer's championship heats, junior, intermediate and ladies heats, with semi finals and finals due later in the day.
With temperatures expected to reach up to 23C today at Wadebridge, the show is ready for four-legged visitors among the crowds.
Amy Gladwell
BBC News
Linda Pook, from Liskeard, is visiting the show with her grandchildren.
She said she had come for the "whole atmosphere", adding: "It just brings part of Cornwall alive, everyone together, it's great, especially on a sunny day."
Hayley Loveless, from Bridport, is celebrating her 30th birthday at the show exhibiting pigs.
She is the only exhibitor in the Duroc pig category.
"I've been doing it all my life really, I've grown up around pigs.
"Showing is your shop window so it is good for marketing your pigs.
"It is so good to try to encourage people to get into breeding pics because it is quite a hard industry to be in at the moment. Food costs are still high."
There's heavy traffic and long queues around Wadebridge currently as day one of the Royal Cornwall Show gets under way.
Amy Gladwell
BBC News
This continental giant rabbit is one of about 50 which will be on show this year.
Numbers are down on previous years.
Nicky Hicks, secretary of the first section, is in charge of rabbits.
She said: "It's very much lower. I think it's the cost of living... Just a sign of the times I think.
"There's not a lot of new people coming into it - I blame technology."
One of the themes of the show is about celebrating innovation in agriculture.
Mervyn Rowe, from Tregondale farm near Menheniot, says farmers need to diversify to remain in “good stead”.
“Diversification is important,” he says.
“It shouldn’t be that way but if you want to be successful you have to add other strings to your bow.”
Chris Riddle, the show secretary, says brilliant June weather has boded well for this year’s event.
“The weather during the build up has just been incredible, it’s been such a good time, people are in such good spirits."
Judging is under way across the showground including in the cattle rings - the in calf heifers are on display.
Organisers say record entries of sheep are being exhibited at the show this year.
“We’ve got a lot of livestock, record entries of sheep, very high numbers of pigs and an amazing array of cattle,” show secretary Chris Riddle says.
“It’s great that people really appreciate coming to the show. Across all the sections - horses, goats, dogs, pigeons and so forth - it’s people’s life and they really make so much of it.”
Amy Gladwell
BBC News Online
Katie Morrish and Kisha Elder, both 22, live just outside Wadebridge and they have been coming every year since they were children - except for when the event was cancelled due to Covid in 2020 and 2021.
Miss Morrish, left, says the event is "huge" for Cornwall and it was "strange" when it was taken off the calendar during the pandemic.
She was looking forward to seeing friends compete, doing some shopping and spending some time in the beer tent.
Miss Elder adds: “My uncle’s got his sheep here, so it’ll be good to have a catch up.
"You sort your outfit out as well don’t you? It’s the Royal Cornwall Show outfit and that’s it!”
Judging the Hunter classes is under way.
Competition is fierce as the horses that regularly hunt are judged for the best in class based on how they ride and their build.
Michael Dawes has travelled from Oxfordshire with his Guernsey Cows for the show.
"It's my first time here. Hopefully it should be good fun and we've got record numbers.
"I just love showing the cows, being out with friends.... it's very much community of the sort of showing circuit."
Amy Gladwell
BBC News Online
These women are not hoping to catch any waves today - instead, they're here to exhibit for Newquay-based charity The Wave Project for the first time.
Laura Gee, from the charity, said they were hoping to raise awareness of surf therapy.
"We primarily support children and young adults with mental health difficulties," she says.
"This is the first time we have come as a charity - we are excited to meet people.
"To be honest we are still sussing it out what it involves… It has obviously been on our radar for a while, it’s a big event.”
The 2023 line-up contains traditional elements, including the show classes for animals, vast numbers of food and drink stands showcasing the county's finest produce, and lots of music, dance and entertainment.
In the main ring, organisers promise an “adrenaline rush” with trick horse riding and a quad bike stunt team.
Other highlights include a "drop in" from the Royal Air Force Falcons Parachute team.
Amy Gladwell
BBC News
The gates have opened on the first day of the Royal Cornwall Show 2023.
It has been a bright and blustery start.
Organiers will be hoping the show can top 2022's visitor numbers of 120,000.
The show is on for three days, but it's been a long week already for those behind the scenes and exhibitors who have been preparing.
Claire Vickers, from the Duchy of Cornwall, says: "Monday, obviously, we started kind of building and putting things together but in truth the whole thing's taken about six months in the planning."
Luke Waghorn, from Donut Express, said: "We got here late Sunday night, about 12 o'clock ish.
"We've been setting up slowly, go along making sure everything's all right for when people get here."
Christine Butler
BBC Radio Cornwall
What a wonderful sight for day one of the Royal Cornwall Show.
