A DETERMINED effort to retain the traditional food and farming focus of a long-running agricultural show is finally paying dividends for the organisers, the Three Counties Agricultural Society.

Livestock entries for the Three Counties Countryside Show from June 18-20, badly hit first by the dairy depression in 2000 and then by foot and mouth the following year, are up by around 500 on 2003, in spite of ongoing difficulties facing the industry.

The healthy increase in numbers, coupled with the return of big-name tradestands, are, according to TCAS, sure signs that the event is well on the road to recovery.

Spokesman Sharon Gilbert said: "Our June show has really gone through the mill in recent years and like all agricultural events entry levels and content have been dictated to a great extent by what's been happening to farming and other land-based industries."

She explained: "We have, however, endeavoured to retain the rural heart of the show by concentrating on countryside issues and activities when livestock was absent and re--building the core now that animals are back."

She said livestock entries were in excess of 2,000 this year and horse entries around 1.900, which promised well for the future.

New for this year is a dedicated technical area for smallholders aimed at the hobby farmer looking for practical advice on everything from trimming a sheep's foot to maintaining a tractor. Other first include the introduction of cider and perry classes organised by the Three Counties Cider and Perry Association and a visit from a group of Maasai warriors.

Regular features include a cookery theatre, sheep shearing Guild of Crafts, Young Farmers, a Gardening Village, WI. Poultry show, bees and honey and an action-packed main arena programme.