ORGANISERS of this year's Royal Highland Show are preparing for what they reckon will be an 'exceptional display' of livestock, with a total of well over 5000 entries across all sections of the competition.

RHS manager, David Jackson, said: "The Highland continues to be the leading event for showcasing the very best the livestock industry has to offer, and it extremely rewarding that the industry continues to recognise its importance as a platform for the sector.

"We continue to see very strong entries with increasing numbers in many classes, especially in the commercial classes and I know we will see some fierce competition for a winning place."

The Highland Hall will again be at maximum capacity, housing almost 1100 beef and dairy cattle, with commercial cattle recording their highest number of entries in the last decade, standing at 93 animals up from 75 last year.

With 104 entries, the Shorthorn breed is set to dominate this year, up from 88 entries in 2017. But the Simmentals are hot on their heels with 103 entries, a 10-year record and an increase from 85 in 2017. The Charolais are also seeing a resurgence with a jump to 76, from 61 last year.

In the dairy section, entries total 109, with the largest class being the Ayrshire with 38, up from 29 in 2017. Holsteins total 29 entries, and the Shorthorns class has seen numbers more than double from 12 to 25 – and this year's Queen's Cup will go to an animal shown in the dairy classes.

Sheep entries stand at 2029 animals, the second largest number of entries for over a decade. Leading the way is the Texel section with 182 entries, with the Beltex close behind with 177. Elsewhere in the sheep sections, the Suffolks have their highest number in 10 years with 110 entries, while the Ryelands and the Rouges also see record numbers for the last decade, with 82 and 39 entries respectively.

Commercial sheep entries are also seeing increasing interest, with 104 entries, up from 85 in 2017. The North of England Mule class, which was introduced to the RHS in 2011, this year sees its highest ever entry with 69 in the class. The Young Handler competition has 56 entries, illustrating the continued interest from the next generation particularly in this the Year of Young People.

An exciting development for 2018 is the interest in the goat classes, with a ten-year high of 39 entries and the Boer breed increasing from 16 to 27. Six goat young handlers will also compete for the title.

The Heavy Horse section continues to have a strong presence, with 392 entries, with Highland females leading the way with 94, and Shetland females closely behind with 84. Over in the light horse section, 1665 entries have been received, with the HOYS qualifying Mountain and Moorland Under Saddle section again dominating with 197 entries.

"As an event, we grow year on year and attract new audiences as we widen the appeal for visitors from town and country," added Mr Jackson. "Yet, we remain true to our roots as an agricultural show and work hard to be truly relevant to all aspects of farming and rural life.

"The team look forward to welcoming all our exhibitors, from the Scottish Islands to South West England to Northern Ireland. They are dedicated to their craft, and I am extremely grateful for their continued support and wish them all the best of luck."

Supported by Royal Bank of Scotland, the 178th Royal Highland Show will take place at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh, on June 21-24.