
A sell-out Saturday, a dedicated family day today and selfies with Saturday night TV star, Sheli McCoy, made for a spectacular and successful Royal Highland Show as the very best in farming and rural life gathered at Scotland’s largest outdoor event venue, Royal Highland Centre, across the last four days.
Over 210,000 people came together to enjoy everything the Show had to offer this year, with agriculture at its heart.
From champion livestock and competitive equine classes to the latest in agri machinery, equipment and technology, the Show once again brought together the people, businesses and innovation driving Scotland’s rural economy.
Visitors were able to see first-hand the skill, standards and expertise across the sector, from the show rings and judging lines to machinery displays, practical demonstrations and conversations around the future of farming.
Alongside the traditional displays, families and visitors enjoyed a packed programme of activity including sheepdog trials, mountain bike displays, hobby horsing, fly fishing demonstrations, wood carving, and choreographed stunt displays from Outlander-inspired rival clans.
Food provenance also took centre stage in Scotland’s Larder, where exhibitors showcased local produce alongside cooking demonstrations exploring everything from the superpower of seaweed and ingredients from the north east, to big-flavour cheeses and food science.

Scottish BAFTA winner Sheli McCoy met with excited fans as she gathered outside Ingliston House beside the giant ‘RHS’ letters to capture selfies on Sunday.
The Show came to a sensational conclusion with a stunning display by the Lonach Highlanders and Lonach Pipe Band as they participated in a parade of the Show’s Main Ring and President’s Salute as part of the event’s Presidential Initiative’s Aberdeenshire showcase.
Children 15 and under were able to attend the Show for free and over 23,000 children attended over the four days.
The Saturday evening of the Show saw the Royal Highland Show present The Reeling, bringing some of Scotland’s biggest contemporary folk acts together, including Skipinnish, Breabach, Elephant Sessions, Kinnaris Quintet, Dlù and Dougie MacLean.

Other well-known visitors to this year’s Show included First Minister, John Swinney who, whilst on-site, sampled haggis as the US legalised Scotland’s National Dish. TV presenter, Michael Portillo, was also at the event filming for his Great British Railway Journeys series.
The Royal Highland Show is the biggest fundraising event for organisers, RHASS, (the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland) with the week of the Show seeing the event site become the sixth-largest population centre in Scotland, bigger than Paisley and Dunfermline.
With 197 hectares of entertainment (the equivalent of 180 football pitches!) there was something for everyone to enjoy.

David Tennant, Head of Show for RHASS said: “After a rainy start, the sun shone over the final two days, helping to quite literally shine a light on the very best of Scottish agriculture and the hard work, dedication and resilience of our farming community.
“As well as celebrating those across the sector, we were delighted to welcome more young people than last year to the Show as part of our dedicated Family Day on Sunday. Activities such as live milking and shearing demonstrations and hobby horsing gave children and families the opportunity to enjoy hands-on agricultural experiences that they may not otherwise have encountered.
“While the Show remains renowned for its rich heritage, livestock competitions and iconic parades, it has evolved into so much more. Each year, we build on previous successes, introducing new attractions, showcasing innovation and creating fresh opportunities for people to connect with agriculture.
“I would like to thank everyone who played a part in making the 2026 Royal Highland Show such a memorable occasion, from our members, exhibitors and competitors to our staff, volunteers and visitors. Your support, enthusiasm and commitment have helped make this year’s Show truly unforgettable.”

The 2026 Royal Highland Show – facts and numbers:
– This year marks 45 years of The Royal Bank of Scotland supporting the Show, with the bank reaffirming its commitment to its longest-standing corporate partnership last year for an additional three years.
– 327 prestigious trophies and a prize fund of £195,000 were competed for and awarded at this year’s Show
– Queen’s Cup winner 2026 is Irish Draught Light horse, Corkeeran Willow, by William Moran.
– The Royal Bank of Scotland Trophy rotates to a different section each year. 2026 was presented to sheep and was won by W Ramsay & Sons for Milnmark.
– The John Miller Perpetual Challenge Trophy, awarded in rotation to the best stocksperson was this year presented to beef. Moralee Hereford won the trophy.
– The Sanderson Trophy was won by Paul and Matthew Bedford with Roughlands Graceful Lady. The trophy is a major mark of excellence in Scotland’s equine community.
– Inter-breed sheep champion was the Blackface winner from the Ramsay family, Milnmark. The family have also won the breed championship ten times in total.
– Over 6,000 livestock were welcomed, including 700 cattle, 2000 sheep, 400 heavy horses, 1,680 light horse entries, from 2,500 competitors
– Texel, Beltex and Blackface sheep classes among the largest sections. Newer breeds such as Dutch Spotted sheep have also continued to grow in popularity.
– Dairy had cattle had the highest number of entries in over 10 years
– Highlands remain the leading cattle breed entered (100), alongside strong numbers of Beef Shorthorn (93) and Aberdeen Angus (77)
– 1,680 light horse entries
– Over 700 exhibitors, stretching across food, drink, clothing, artisanal crafts and agri-trade were in attendance.
– The Sir William Young Award, which recognises exceptional contributions to the world of livestock breeding and celebrates the enduring legacy of the late Sir William Young, was presented to Hugh Ramsay MBE.
– Over 200 volunteer stewards were involved in the RHS, as well as over 150 judges from all across the UK from Thurso to Devon
– A record 7,000 school pupils from 250 school groups came along for free through RHET (Royal Highland Education Trust), trying their hand at milking Mabel the (fiberglass) cow, planting peas, learning about peat and tasting and exploring seafood in the RHET Discovery Centre.
– Over 60,000 pints were poured over the four days, and over 10,000 glasses of Pimms were drunk.
– The classic burger was the most popular dish served up across the four-day event with 16,326 burgers flipped, and visitors kept energised with over 23,600 cups of coffee poured.
Super early-bird tickets for the 2027 Show are now on-sale.
You can buy tickets here: https://www.royalhighlandshow.org



























