There was livestock, produce, and a stunt show at Gwent's biggest agricultural show on Saturday. NATHAN BRIANT reports.

A RECORD-BREAKING crowd of 25,000 people turned out for the 170th agricultural show in Usk at the weekend, organisers said.

The Usk Show’s general secretary Faye Mear said Saturday had been a “perfect show day” and, ideally for a livestock show, not too hot and not too cold. She said 300 traders – some from as Yorkshire and Cornwell - and the largest crowd in living memory had made it an excellent day.

She added: “We are really fortunate to have such a reputation. It is really our volunteers, our exhibitors and our visitors that make it.”

The show was held at the Usk Showground, in Gwernesney, for the 25th consecutive year. The show adopted e-ticketing and mobile banking for the first time this year.

The organiser of the handcrafts tent, Usk resident Penny Davies, said the event had attracted entries from as far away as Nottingham and Swansea. It was the 19th show she has been involved with, she said.

And entries to the tent have been increasing markedly over the last few years. In 2011, there were 1,285 entries – this year’s entries were thought to have exceeded 1,500.

Other groups from around Gwent said they would stand to benefit from their presence at The Showground. Gwent Beekeepers’ Association’s treasurer, Russell Flynn, said attending and displaying a small hive was always a good draw to get more members to add to their group of about 150.

He said: “It’s brilliant for us. We give all our leaflets and we pick up a lot of people.”

Other attractions include the Jez Avery stunt show, in which the daredevil driver entertained crowds by driving on two wheels around the show’s main ring. After, vintage tractors were paraded around the ring, followed by prizewinning animals in the show’s agricultural section and, at the end of the day, a hot air balloon display.

While in the Countryside Ring, groups including the Usk Valley Working Gundog Display and the Welsh Axemen showed off their skills.

Meanwhile, a volunteer from the Usk Life Museum Linda Haywood said she thought the show was busier than last year – demonstrated by the longer queues in getting into it.

She added: “We are helped by the weather brightening up too.”

On the museum’s stall, children and adults had the opportunity to milk their Bessie the cow model and turn and learn about a butter churn.

Usk’s Youth Brass Band was also out in force to entertain the crowds, playing hits including the Bee Gees’ Tragedy.

In the show’s vegetable category, its prize-winning pumpkin was so big and clearly heavier than its rivals that it was not even weighed, secretary Ceri Goring said. Other winners included Verity Vater, from Abergavenny, who took home the prize for the biggest marrow in the competition.

And part-time international poultry judge and chef Keith Brain said entries were up on last year’s, which he had also marked. He said the show remained popular with people from around Wales and that the reserve champion in the pigeon competition he judged was from Cardigan.