WATCH: History made as first female president leads Nidderdale Show parade

Among the tradition of the Nidderdale Show parade making its way through Pateley Bridge’s High Street on Monday morning, a piece of history was being made.
NAPB 1509211AM11 Nidderdale Show. The parade makes it's way down the High Street. (1509211AM11)NAPB 1509211AM11 Nidderdale Show. The parade makes it's way down the High Street. (1509211AM11)
NAPB 1509211AM11 Nidderdale Show. The parade makes it's way down the High Street. (1509211AM11)

With the band playing triumphantly behind her, Margaret Liddle walked proudly at the front of the parade as the show’s first female president.

And, as she watched the Galloping Acrobatics stun the crowds at the main ring, she was safe in the knowledge that another successful Nidderdale Show was unfolding around her.

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‘Tradition’ was the word on everyone’s lips as locals and visitors enjoyed the classes they knew and loved and waited eagerly for the Grand Parade.

NAPB 1509211AM11 Nidderdale Show. The parade makes it's way down the High Street. (1509211AM11)NAPB 1509211AM11 Nidderdale Show. The parade makes it's way down the High Street. (1509211AM11)
NAPB 1509211AM11 Nidderdale Show. The parade makes it's way down the High Street. (1509211AM11)

And it was no different for Margaret who has been a keen visitor to the show from her early days as a Young Farmers member with Nidderdale YFC to stewarding in the horse classes.

She said: “I have been coming to the Nidderdale Show all my life and, traditionally, it is an agricultural show so we have tried to keep it that way.

“A lot of the classes we have were the same 20 years ago as Nidderdale is renowned for having good quality livestock.

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“However, the show has changed in the way that when it first started the prize money was £220 but now it is around £23,000.

“The show is a bit of everything for Nidderdale, we are a farming community, we get together here, we meet old friends and the show takes care of itself.”

Families watched the speed shearing with excitement as farmers fiercely competed in the cattle classes in a day the Mayor of Pateley Bridge described as ‘special’.

Coun Stan Lumley said: “It’s our one day of the year to show everything off and it brings people in from all over and, once they’ve been, it’s always in their calendar.

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“It’s great that it’s kept that community spirit. I used to come here in a pram with my bottle and the beauty of the show is it hasn’t changed a great deal. It’s still a brilliantly traditional show.”