SCOTS staple, the Royal Highland Show experienced its largest ever attendance at its latest iteration last weekend.
The event, hosted at the Royal Highland Centre in Ingliston, Edinburgh, saw 217,000 people flock through the gates over the four-day event.
A further 140,000 people tuned in online to stream the show, which is now already preparing for its 2024 event, by releasing early bird discounted tickets at 6pm yesterday.
A total of 113 countries accessed RHS TV to watch show jumping, traditional skill displays, livestock judging and the main attraction – the Golden Shears World Sheep Shearing and Woolhandling Championships.
The 2024 RHS will take place from the 20-23 June 2024 and Super Early Bird tickets were released yesterday via the shows website, at £30 a ticket and free entry for children under 15.
This year’s show saw the attendance of numerous high-profile figures including Princess Anne; First Minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf and Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Mairi Gougeon.
A further 26,500 children attended for free with support of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) charitable remit, including school visits organised by the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET).
Highlights for this year’s show included over 280 trophies, awarded to the over 5,000 cattle, sheep, horses, and goats competing.
This year, the Queen’s Cup went to the Hanna family from Northern Ireland, a back-to-back winner for the first time.
The Flock to the Show campaign concluded at the show, after travelling the length and breadth of Scotland, 38 decorated sculptures came together to form a trail around the show-ground.
The Flock will be auctioned off on 7 September, with all proceeds going towards the RHASS Bicentenary Fund, which supports projects in the rural sector dedicated to mental health, sustainability, succession, and women in agriculture.
Furthermore, respected industry accolades were awarded to agri-tech pioneers in the RHASS Technical Innovation Awards, sponsored by Hillhouse Group.
The Scottish Championships celebrated food and drink producers and craftspeople recognised for outstanding produce across competitions in dairy, honey, and handcrafts categories.
The Royal Highland Hoolie was a new addition to the evening entertainment schedule on the Friday and Saturday nights.
Presented in partnership with Farmers Bash, the Hoolie saw country music legends like Skipinnish, Skerryvore and Derek Ryan perform to the crowds of 4,500.
The Royal Highland Show is the flagship fundraising event for organisers of the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS).
RHASS Head of Show, David Tennant said: “As we wrap up another phenomenal Royal Highland Show, we are delighted to have welcomed a record-breaking number of visitors pass through the gates.
“The strong demand is testament to the fact that the Show has major appeal way beyond the loyal farming community – anyone and everyone can find something to enjoy, no matter your interest.”
“Our thanks go out to the hundreds of staff who make this possible, and the RHASS Directors who give up their time year-round to make this incredible event possible.
“And, if you had a great day out this year, the good news is you can grab a bargain with the Super Early Bird tickets for 2024, on sale now.”
