Agricultural rites on

The main reason that there could well be problems with shows over the next few months is the advent of bluetongue disease in the southern half of England.

This pestilence is spread by midges which then bite cattle, sheep and goats and can result in considerable fatalities. A vaccination programme has now commenced in England, but that is running in parallel with wide-ranging movement restrictions.

The practical result is that many shows south of the Border are suffering from a lack of entries. The Royal Show, due to be staged at Stoneleigh in Warwickshire in early July, has been badly hit with a major drop in livestock entries. That does not apply to the Royal Highland.

At the same time, machinery manufacturers are increasingly focusing their attention on specialist events where potential customers can actually see the latest developments in action. However, the Royal Highland continues to attract a full house of trade stands.

The first show to be held at Ingliston was in 1960 and ever since then the parent society has continued to invest in and upgrade the facilities.

Those early events at Ingliston were plagued either by dust, when the weather was benign, or by mud when the heavens opened. But gradually a network of asphalt roadways was established.

This process was assisted by the development of a motor racing track in the late 1960s. Motor racing proved to be a huge attraction for the sport's supporters in that Ingliston was just about the only track in Scotland.

It is many years since the last meeting was held on the site, but the legacy lives on through the fine facilities that remain.

However, a major cloud hangs over Ingliston as a result of the declared ambition of the British Airports Authority to expand Edinburgh airport. This has meant that the 300-acre site has seen only minor developments in recent years. With the downturn in the UK economy and the soaring price of oil, it remains uncertain as to whether BAA's plans will come to fruition. But in any event the RHASS has a contingency plan in place for a move to a new site on the north side of the A8 trunk road.

The majority of farming visitors associate Ingliston solely with the Royal Highland Show, but the reality is that the site hosts a wide range of events throughout the rest of the year including specialist trade shows and rock and pop concerts.

In addition a large number of organisations have their headquarters at Ingliston. These include NFU Scotland, Quality Meat Scotland, the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society, the Institute of Auctioneers and the Scottish Countryside Alliance.

Around 150,000 visitors are likely to visit this year's show. The first two days tend to be for industry specialists but the Saturday and Sunday will see huge crowds from Edinburgh and further afield flock to what is by common consent one of the most attractive show venues in the world.

The crowd numbers of the current era are in marked contrast to the very first show which was staged in Edinburgh in 1822 when the attendance was a mere 1,030, with gate receipts totalling 51.50.

In 1859, again in Edinburgh, 35,000 visitors paid 2,343 to attend the event. However, the record attendance figure, and it still stands to this day, was in 1957 at Dundee when 163,917 paid at the gate.

Indeed, the total attendance for the event was probably some 20,000 higher since in those days the number of RHASS members who visited the show was not included in the official figure.

Traffic congestion is an increasing problem in and around Edinburgh and there can be considerable delays in gaining access to the show and, later, when it comes to leaving.

However, Lothian Regional Transport provides an excellent and frequent bus service which departs from the Waverley Bridge and picks up at stops right out to the Maybury roundabout before dropping passengers at the main gate. A return service also operates on a regular basis.