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It is held
annually at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston over the second last weekend
in June (Thursday - Sunday), the event attracts over 1,000 exhibitors, 4,500
head of livestock, and an annual 150,000 visitors - making it Scotland's most
popular summer event and the premier fixture in Scotland's farming calendar.
Exhibitors compete for the prestige of winning not only a prize ticket, but
also for prize money and trophies worth over £1 million. Livestock exhibited
include sheep, cattle, goats, horses, ponies, donkeys, and poultry (although
there was no poultry section in the 2006 show, reflecting concerns about a
Scottish outbreak of bird flu).
One of the
sights of the show is Heavy Horse Turnouts and for the first time ever, in 2006
Ingliston saw the attendance of all UK heavy horse breeds. Clydesdales,
Shires, Percherons and — first time visitors to Scotland
— two teams of Suffolk Punches travelling from Norfolk
and Suffolk.
The show's most prestigious livestock honour, the Queen's Cup, rotates between
the champions of the various types of livestock — in 2006 it was awarded to the
best animal in the 162 strong goat section. Outside the livestock rings,
competition can be found elsewhere in the showground, including International
sheep shearing, handicrafts, farriery and other rural pursuits.
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