ORGANISERS of this year’s Great Yorkshire Show have hailed the event a huge success - and promised extra special attractions for next year's landmark event.

Around 130,000 people poured through the gates over the three days last week and preparations will soon begin for next year's 160th anniversary event.

The celebration of farming and rural life was held at the Harrogate Showground.

Nigel Pulling, Chief Executive of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, said the show ran smoothly and that there were a record number of cars parked on Wednesday - around 20,000 - with visitor numbers likely boosted due to people choosing the sunny day over Tuesday’s rain-soaked opening.

Mr Pulling said that one of his favourite parts of the show was the Discovery Area which saw visits from 5,000 schoolchildren over the course of the three days and overall he felt that traders and visitors enjoyed a good show.

He said: “Obviously people are very passionate, they love the Great Yorkshire Show, so expectations are very high and I hope we met them.

“I feel we achieved everything we wanted in the three days; not everything was perfect but I hope we did well enough.

Cabinet minister Michael Gove was a special visitor on Wednesday and Mr Pulling said he appreciated him finding time in his busy Westminster schedule to attend.

He said: “It was a successful visit and the comments from some of the farming organisations that managed to meet him was that they got a reasonably favourable impression.”

It will now take until the end of August to fully wrap up the show before eyes turn organising next year’s which will mark 160-years of the event.

Mr Pulling said that there will be extra special events to celebrate that landmark anniversary next year.

Attractions included a final performance from the Atkinson Action Horses stunt team who wowed the crowds with their derring-do.

Models continued to strut their stuff on the catwalk in the fashion pavilion and there were numerous demonstrations and workshops where visitors could get hands-on in a range of activities.

The show also proved to be an extra special occasion for one couple as Keighley army veteran Luke Davison took the opportunity to propose to his partner Ashley Addy.

Mr Davison organised for a plane to fly over the showground on the final day with a banner reading “Ashley Addy will you marry me” as he proposed at the top of the big wheel. The answer was a resounding “yes”.