The showground was extremely busy and bustling from day one — perhaps the special royal visit of The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cornwall and the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles and Camilla was part of the draw for crowds.
Their visit coincided with a special celebration of the Prince’s contribution to the countryside, environment and rural communities in the UK in the show’s main ring — the Prince’s Countryside Parade.
In total, 70 patronages came together on Thursday in a unique and colourful parade highlighting their work and achievements to date.
The event marked Prince Charles’ 70th birthday, showcasing broad themes including wildlife and conservation, native breeds, food and farming, and heritage and skills.
The parade was organised by the Prince’s Countryside Fund, a charity established by The Prince of Wales in 2010, which aims to enhance the prospects of family farm businesses and the quality of rural life.
Also wowing the crowds in the main ring were the Kangaroo Kid with his world-class quad bike stunt show, ‘The Cavalry of Heroes’ — an atmospheric tribute to the men and horses of the Great War, and the massed parade of hounds, among many other entertainment displays.
Prior to the show, Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association secretary Christopher Riddle said it would be ‘an opportunity for the industry, which is in times of continued uncertainty, to showcase what it can do’.
Entries remained high within the livestock and equine sections.
The pig section once again enjoyed significant support and has seen its second highest numbers in its history with 237 entries.
This year’s show boasted the third highest entry of sheep at 1,288. The 2017 event saw a new high surpassing 2016’s second highest turnout on record. The fleece section received 54 entries.
Dairy led the way in the show’s cattle section with an increase in Jersey, Holstein and Ayrshire numbers. The number of Aberdeen Angus, Hereford, British Charolais and British Simmental cattle within the beef section were also up.
A total of 548 stalls were booked within the cattle section, which almost matches the 2017 total.
The equine section received 1,079 entries, representing a slight dip on last year’s entry, however Working Hunter and Highland ponies, Anglo and part bred Arabs and the Welsh ponies and cobs increased in number.