Stunts wow the crowds

As well as the stunts, there were many main ring attractions to entertain the crowds.

The traditional favourite, the heavy horses, paraded to music and proved as popular as ever.

Children mixed with the Blankney Foxhounds, the Per Ardua Beagles and the Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire Beagles.

The stuntriders of the Stuntworld Motorcycle Display Team, holders of seven world records, wowed the crowds with their daredevil antics.

They leapt huge distances over a ramp, just clearing their colleagues who crisscrossed beneath. They also rode through fire, jumped cars and jumped over volunteers from the crowd.

Then came Tony Theakston who was set alight and ran the width of the ring before rolling over to be extinguished by his team-mates.

The show again welcomed back the Dancing Does — a group of keen volunteer Doe tractor owners who demonstrated the versatility of their machines.

There are few remaining of the 100hp, articulated tractors — developed by Ernest Doe of Maldon, Essex, in the 1960s, for the heavy Essex clays.

The twin-drive shafts give them the appearance of bending in the middle.

The vintage Does made way for the ultra-modern dancing diggers. The machines completed a spectacular routine of lifts and balances to music — often resting on the digger arms or on the stilted hydraulic feet.

The elegant hunting birds of the Phoenix Falconry Display Team of Rotherham also proved popular, as did the parade of champion beasts on Sunday afternoon.

In the south ring on Saturday miniature horses were a hit with children and parents alike, who watched as the horses were paraded by the Miniature Horse Club of Great Britain.

The horses, the smallest just 32inches and the largest not much bigger than 35inches, were dwarfed by their handlers as they showed their jumping and driving skills.

The club members included two-year-old Florence Lissaman, of Oakham, who was at the show with her parents and rode across the ring on a mini Shetland pony, called Tommy.

Other animals showcasing their skills on both days included the border collies of the Wagtails Agility Group, of Cambridgeshire.

They gave several demonstration through agility courses, clearing jumps and crawling through a tunnel.

The instructors, Mr Gary Bowles (50) and Miss Karen Jones (49) who are partners, compete with their border collies throughout the country.

The Phoenix Falconry Display Team, whose 15 birds include owls, falcons and hawks, also performed in the south ring, and gave a final display in the main ring on Sunday.

Other animal attractions in the south ring included sheep racing and sheep dog and duck demonstrations.