150,000 visitors brave rain for Royal Highland Show

Visitors to the four-day celebration of food, farming, entertainment and shopping, which came to an end yesterday, enjoyed a programme of events ranging from a chain saw relay to rural crafts.

• In Pictures: Wet weekend at the Royal Highland Show >>

Thunder and lightening cut short the parade on Thursday but organisers said apart from a few horse-jumping classes which were cancelled, the show went ahead as planned.

Eighty tonnes of bark, tankers to suck up excess water and a dedicated team on the ground ensured that the showground held up well considering near-constant rain and heavy traffic from both hooves and feet.

Stephen Hutt, Chief Executive of The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, organisers of the event, said: “I am delighted to pay tribute to the resilience of our exhibitors, directors and staff who worked so hard to make the experience a positive one.”

With heavy downpours on Thursday and Friday, it was the car parking that caused the organisers the biggest headache. Neighbours, Edinburgh Airport and RIBS, helped the Society by opening up their car parks to visitors.

Mr Hutt added: “I would like to thank both organisations for their assistance at a crucial time for the show.”

The Royal Highland Show has been voted the UK’s top agricultural show and Scotland’s best outdoor event.