The Royal Highland Show has been voted the top show in the UK by readers of a national farming magazine.
A survey conducted by the Preston-based Farmers Guardian saw the “Highland” lead the list of major shows, beating the Great Yorkshire and the Royal Welsh in to second and third place.
It was also voted the best event for showcasing agriculture.
Show Manager David Dunsmuir said: “This is a tremendous result given that the magazine’s main circulation is in England. It demonstrates that our policy of attracting more general public yet retaining a core business element for farming and rural industry is paying off.
“We are a serious trade show for the UK industry but we also have a vital role in educating and informing the public about farming and where their food comes from. It underpins everything we do and goes back to our Royal Charter and why we were founded in the first place.
“All children under sixteen get into the show free of charge and in these economic times there is no better present for a family than saying their children can come free.”
In recent years, the Royal Highland has been attracting attendances that place it at the pinnacle of public events in Scotland. In the last three years, the average is well over 180,000 with a record in 2010 of 187,644.
Independent studies have concluded that the economic impact of the show locally, regionally and nationally is around £70 million.
The organisers, the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS), were established in 1784 and held their first show in 1822 in Edinburgh’s Canongate on a site now occupied by the Scottish Parliament.
The Highland 2012
The 2012 show - sponsored by The Royal Bank of Scotland and staged from June 21-24 - will be the 172nd and the 52nd to be held at the permanent showground at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh. The “host” area will be Dumfries and Galloway who will feature local food and outdoor activities available in the region.
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