Did you know all our profits go to charity?
Supporting charities and helping the rural community across Yorkshire.
Did you know, 100% of the profits from all business across the Great Yorkshire Showground go to charity? All profits fund the work of registered charity, the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. Whether you are holding or supporting an event at the YEC, having a wedding at Pavilions of Harrogate, stocking up on fresh local produce from Fodder or enjoying a summer evening at Harrogate Caravan Park… you are helping us to provide support for children, teachers and people in the rural community, through education, development and support.
Without you, all this would not be possible so we’d like to say a big THANK YOU from everyone across the Great Yorkshire Showground this Christmas.
Corporate Social responsibility – Where does the money go?
£1,305 will fund 150 farmer health checks
£4,000 will fund 4 activity days for up to 480 school children
£13,000 pays for one Nuffield Farming Scholar to study and travel overseas. Therefore supporting development across farming and agricultural industries.
£15,000 allows 600 teachers to attend a one day training course
The GYS Heifer on her tour across Yorkshire.
GYS Heifer in her permanent residence at the Great Yorkshire Showground.
The story of the GYS Heifer
2018 has been an important year at the Great Yorkshire Showground. We celebrated the 160th Great Yorkshire Show. Emma Stothard was commissioned to recreate the Craven Heifer as part of the celebrations for the Show. The Craven Heifer became a national phenomenon in the 1800’s so was the perfect choice for the sculpture.
She became quite the celeb as she traveled across Yorkshire in the lead up to the show. So we thought it only right that she featured as our main Christmas image this year.
The GYS heifer is a one off, life-size steel sculpture standing 6ft high, 4ft wide and 11ft long and weighing in at half a tonne!
Emma created the GYS heifer at her Whitby studio. She was then galvanised in Bradford and powder coated in Middlesbrough before being attached to her bespoke truck ready for her journey across Yorkshire.
The project took months of planning to ensure the sculpture’s authenticity. Involving research with experts at Bolton Abbey Estate and the Great Yorkshire’s Chief Cattle Steward Margaret Chapman, whose family have been part of the show for more than 100 years.
The Craven Heifer was born and bred in Bolton Abbey in the early 1800s. She was so large that a special door built to get her in and out of the cow shed. This doorway can still be seen on the Bolton Abbey Estate to this day.
Emma Stothard applying finishing touches.
