4000 Animals On Parade At The Royal Highland Show June 19-22

4000 Animals On Parade At The
Royal Highland

Well over 4000 head of the country's finest
cattle, sheep, goats and horses will be on parade at this year's Royal Highland
Show.

The show -
major sponsor The Royal Bank of Scotland - takes
place at the Royal Highland Centre near Edinburgh on
June 19-22.

The exact livestock entry figure is 4390
comprising 1560 light horses, 1465 sheep, 907 beef cattle, 330 heavy horses and
128 dairy goats.

Although the figure is down on last year's record
when pressure on stall and pen space meant numbers had to be restricted, the
overall entry, once dairy cattle, poultry, heavy horse turnouts, driving and
show-jumping are included, will be well over 5000.

Fears that Blue Tongue disease might have had a
dramatic effect on entries have not materialised with less than 30 cattle and
around 30 sheep unable to travel to the show.

Show Manager David Dunsmuir said: "For four
days we will be the focal point for the whole of the UK
livestock industry. For the expert or the simply curious, we can guarantee an
unrivalled display of stocksmanship, spectacle and quality.

"We are thrilled with the response to our new
section for mountain and moorland working hunter ponies which has more than 80
entries and in the cattle lines, Simmental breeders are supporting their
breed's world congress with an entry of well over 100."

There will be 115 Simmentals forward but Limousins
head the beef section with 124 entries. Top native breed is the Highland
with 91. In the sheep lines, Texel
and Beltex rule the roost with 190 and 132 entries with Shetland at 104.

The light horse section is now the largest in
the show with the big numbers in Hunters under Saddle where there are 157,
Coloureds with 138 and Working Hunter Ponies with 129.

*Show website: www.royalhighlandshow.org

May
19 2008 rhs08prentriesstock

Royal
Highland Show 2008 - Livestock Entries
Beef
Cattle
2008 2007

Beef Shorthorn 42 53

Aberdeen Angus 87 114

Galloway 24 30

Belted Galloway 31 32

Highland 91 91

Hereford 56 59

British Charolais 57 117

British Simmental 115 76

British Limousin 124 121

British Blonde 42 53

British Belgian Blue 49 75

Salers 21 44

Longhorn 33 36

Commercial 77 97

Beef Breeder 58 56

Total 907 1054

Dairy Cattle

Entries have still to be finalised

Sheep 2008 2007

Blackface 72 93
NCC - Park 60 91
NCC - Hill 47 44
Border Leicester 41 41
Suffolk 92 102
Cheviot 25 36
Blue-faced Leicester 89 71
Jacob 58 74
Texel 190 206
Ryeland 47 67
Charollais 68 72
Shetland 104 100
British Rouge 27 25
Berrichon Du Cher 29 27
Scotch Mule 56 59
Beltex 132 151
Lleyn 56 49
Hebridean 27 41
Bleu Du Maine 20 29
Hampshire Down 31 37
Swaledale 43 41
Zwartbles 48 62

Commercial 103 97

Total 1465 1615

Dairy Goats

Adults 57 58

Kids 32 31

Milking 39 40

Total 128 129

...2

Heavy Horses

Clydesdale Males 36 35

Clydesdale Females 68 76

Highland
Ponies - Males 63 70

Highland
Ponies - Females 107 111

Shetland Ponies 56 78

Total 330 360

Light Horses

Hunters in Hand 74 83

Hunters under Saddle 157 160

Highland
Ponies under Saddle 64 67

M & M Lead Rein & First Ridden 58 54

M & M under Saddle 118 105

Riding Ponies in Hand 60 44

Hunter Pony Breeding 21 24

Eriskay 21 18

M & M in Hand 58 57

Welsh Mountain A 86 93

Welsh Mountain B 37 36

Welsh Mountain C & D 73 64

Arabs under Saddle 40 42

Arabs in Hand 64 59

Ridden Ponies 34 29

Lead Rein & First Ridden 17 17

Working Hunter Ponies 129 133

Open Show Hunter Ponies 61 84

Riding Horses 60 60

Coloureds 138 136

Side Saddle 26 29

Donkeys 23 9

Ridden Clydesdales 14 17

Sports Horse Youngstock 41 30

M & M Working Hunter Ponies* 86 -

Total 1560 1450

(*new classes)

Private Driving 31 49

Heavy Horse Turnouts 77 83

Harness Grooming &

Decoration 22 22

Poultry 458 470

Dairy Products 167 159

Farriery 175 127

Entries for the honey, shearing and fleece
competitions have still to be finalised.