The Farmers' Country Showdown

Busy tenant farming couple David and Charlotte rear their sheep and cattle in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales with help from their young, enthusiastic children and are so determined to build a secure future for the farm that they both hold down second jobs. With their finest sheep in tow, the family are pinning their hopes on winning at Kilnsey Show, and to up their chances, they're entering 18 different classes!

Meanwhile, near the North York Moors, father and daughter James and Hannah are pulling out all the stops with a photoshoot of their first-class flock, in the hope that they can hold onto their championship trophies at Kilnsey Show this year. Being Dales country, though, competition is extremely tough among the hundreds of sheep farmers being judged today.

New farmer Greg has spent the past two years transforming a derelict council plot into a fruit and veg haven. After missing the countryside while working as a yacht crew member, and then overcoming heart surgery, Greg's mission now is to provide fresh quality food to his community. As a new business making little profit, selling at award-winning Lavenham Farmers' Market is a vital source of income, so creating an eye-catching stall to show off his colourful harvest is key.

Nearby, hard-working tenant farmers Sophie and Tim have brought a full range of dairy and meat, from milkshakes to burgers, to bag as many sales as they can on a hot summer's day. With young son Henry on the till, Sophie is freed up to go on the charm offensive with potential customers.

Committed horseman John is devoted to his shire horses Richard and George, who live at stables near Grimsby that John built for them. Shires are now a rare breed, and John fears for their future. By competing at Lincolnshire's Heckington Show, he hopes to raise awareness of their champion qualities and rack up some rosettes with help at the reins from friend Terri, who is showing for the first time.

Also competing are farming couple Lucy and Oliver, whose family farm is starting to reap the rewards of their hard work in breeding healthy shire foals, one of which will be making a star appearance with her mum in the judging ring. Show day has its stresses but also its successes for these determined competitors.

Hard grafters Gussie and her mum Susan are a driving force on their family livestock farm in East Sussex, where three generations muck in every day to get the work done. Gussie's passion is her Welsh pigs, and she his as keen for her pedigree team to scoop up awards at Edenbridge & Oxted Agricultural Show.

Meanwhile, Kent farmer Hayley and dedicated daughter-in-law Amy round up the finest members of their flock, hoping they can rack up some top rosettes for their badger face and Kerry Hill sheep. Although farming is in Hayley's blood, she's a newcomer to the judging ring. Armed with courage and a competitive spirit, these farmers face some of the best breeders in the region.

Diana and Nigel are devoted to all the animals on their Devon farm, but Diana's shire horses hold a special place in her heart. After an impressive career in the competition ring with beloved horse Tilly, this year's Melplash Show will be their swansong, and emotions are running high.

Meanwhile, Barry and Jess are gearing up to leave their Dorset farm for the day. After Barry has calmed down his bees and treated his pig to some homemade jam, this committed duo can finally get their heads in the game and try their best to rack up some rosette wins with their finest Suffolk sheep.

Morgan and Tasha have only been pig farmers for a couple of years, but with over 100 pigs on their rented land near Prestatyn, they definitely mean business. However, funding their young farm is a constant concern. As first timers at the Royal Welsh Show, they want their Duroc pigs to turn the judge's head, in particular their favourite boar, Sully.

Meanwhile, Amanda's farm near Abergavenny is home to her beloved Saddleback pigs. Looking after her latest litter of curious piglets is a full-on task, but she is passionate about rearing the best of breed and is a past master in the competition ring. She also wants rosette wins at the Royal Welsh to seal her reputation as a pedigree breeder.

Show day brings the hottest temperature ever recorded in Wales, and the pigs need to be kept cool and comfortable while the farmers weather an unpredictable day of judging.

Brothers Denis and Eric have lived and worked on their Herefordshire family farm for nearly 40 years. As well as rearing their native breed cattle, they're proud of the orchards they've tended over the decades, which they now use to make award-winning cider and perry. As experienced sellers at Ludlow Food Festival in Shropshire, they know that serving up plenty of samples and flavours will be a magnet for buyers.

Meanwhile, for Powys livestock farmers Joanne and Nigel, it's all hands on deck getting their hot food stand ready for the hungry hordes of festivalgoers. Luckily, their children, now in their twenties, are on hand to help. For both these farming families, the hard work of being at the festival will be worth it if they win the loyalty of new customers and take home a healthy profit to plough back into their businesses.

Tracey and Graham only became farmers 13 years ago, and in that time have invested everything to establish their thriving goat herd. They need to earn a living from their homemade goat's cheese and soap, so Ripley Farmers' Market in Surrey is a vital lifeline. Run by volunteers, this village market has not only won awards but gives them out, and Tracey and Graham receive some surprise news.

Meanwhile, young farmer Ellie is pulling out the stops to support the family business and has to go it alone on market day for the first time, as mum Penny and partner Nigel are needed on the farm. With a few hundred kilos of home-reared beef, pork and chicken in tow, Ellie's under pressure to get ready on time, win over her customers and bank plenty of sales.

Cheesemaking couple Allison and Jonathan in Teesdale are determined to work and live sustainably on their smallholding and do it with gusto. But with a dairy, café and glamping huts to run, as well as animals to feed, selling their award-winning cheeses at Barnard Castle Farmers' Market in County Durham is a vital source of income.

Jonathan is armed with samples of their new dessert cheese and is keen to coax customers to try before they buy. Meanwhile, near Darlington, Olly and Francesca, with help from mum Heather and their young daughter, are bottling up their home-grown rapeseed oil on the family farm. Francesca's keen eye for design means she's focused on making sure their bottles catch the eye of passing customers. Both families rely on Barnard Castle Farmers' Market for their livelihood, and it's full-on for five hours to secure a successful day's takings.

Annie has rung the changes on her Warwickshire tenant farm by introducing and breeding a fine herd of Highland cattle. Her majestic animals have appeared in fashion photoshoots and picked up several awards in the judging ring. With help from her sons and other young helpers, Annie is hoping for repeat success at the Moreton-in-Marsh show in Gloucestershire.

Meanwhile, Tanya and her sons are getting their sociable pygmy goats in the mood with some music and walking practice. Juggling jobs off the farm with raising a family, Tanya is keen for the boys to rear their gentle goats so they can take them into care home and hospices for others to enjoy.

For both families, facing the judges leads to some surprising results.

For city farmer Claire, looking after the animals at Surrey Docks Farm in south east London is her life's work. It's a vital place for the local community to experience farming life, but making it pay for itself is a constant challenge. For Claire, winning prizes for her sheep at the Lambeth Country Show will not only be recognition for her breed, but also help with funding to secure the farm's future.

Across the River Thames, Tom is in the same boat at Stepney City Farm and hopes he can rack up some rosette wins for his rare-breed flock. With a heatwave on the way, both farmers need to keep their show teams cool and calm in the competition ring.

For dairy farming duo Debbie and Arthur in Cornwall, their lives revolve around their cows, family and competition. With determined daughters and grandchildren in tow, they're heading across the border to Devon's Okehampton Show to try to retain their championship title and prove their cows are this year's cream of the crop.

Meanwhile, Ada and Russell have drafted in daughter Jen and their granddaughters to make sure their team of south Devon cattle rack up as many rosette victories as possible. Set on the edge of Dartmoor, it's their local show, so success in the judging ring is all important for their reputation.

Along with the heat of competition, show day brings intense sunshine and thousands of spectators keen to see who walks away a winner.

Robert and Catherine are determined that their family farm in Kent should move with the times. On top of growing wheat, in recent years they've branched out into making craft cider, inspired by family tradition and their Tamworth pigs. Today is their very first time trading at Kent's award-winning Lenham Country Market, and armed with plenty of bottles and samples, they hope the cider will go down well with new customers and bring home some welcome profit.

Meanwhile, self-taught beekeepers Vince and Sue create a buzz with their local honey, which they harvest from hives they keep all over the county. As regulars at market, they're past masters at attracting sales with their passion for bees and their homemade honey products. However, as the day heats up to record high temperatures, all the traders need to keep cool to capture as many sales as they can before the market closes.

James, Louisa and their young children have a full workload running their farm in north Kent. The key to unlocking more funds in the future is their Jersey herd. They've recently ploughed money and energy into making ice cream. It's early days for these first-time competitors, so to win a seal of approval for their dairy cows at Edenbridge and Oxted Agricultural Show would be the ultimate sign of success.

Meanwhile, on Jill's smallholding near Canterbury, her finest goats are being primed for show day. While keeping their wilful characters in check, Jill tries her best to edge closer to a big win.

Sheep-farming couple Ben and Laura have struck out on their own, renting land and balancing holding down other jobs with raising their two young children. Life is full-on, but they're determined to build a name for themselves in the sheep-breeding world. They know the path to success involves top wins at the Tenbury Countryside Show.

Competition is also ramping up for Worcestershire farmers Vicky, Rob and 17-year-old son Dan, as selecting the best Border Leicester sheep to guarantee first-prize rosettes splits opinions. Both families have to contend with hot weather and the heat of judging, but they're pinning their hopes on their hard work being rewarded.

Shropshire cheesemakers Sarah and Paul use the milk from the family dairy herd to produce traditional farmhouse cheeses and butter. In recent years, they have picked up lots of awards, and they hope their tasty samples will go down well with customers at the Ludlow Food Festival so they can pocket plenty of sales and enjoy a rare day off the farm.

Meanwhile, Mike, Michelle and expert hound Oscar are digging for truffle treasure in the orchards Mike planted 15 years ago. He was hedging his bets back then, but now he sells his special fungi to chefs and restaurants. However, festival day is a chance for customers to try before they buy, and Mike's on a mission to introduce truffles to a wider audience.

Young farmer Katie from County Durham has just banked her A-levels and, alongside her studies, is devoted to rearing her herd of Jersey cows. As she heads to North Yorkshire's Wensleydale Agricultural Show with her parents, Katie rides the challenges of the morning rush to give her cows the best chance of making the grade in the judging ring.

Meanwhile, sibling duo Beth and Luke plan to take up the reins of the family farm in the future, and winning awards for their pedigree Limousin cattle is their passport to success.

For goat farmer Liz, starting her own pedigree dairy herd while holding down a job as a healthcare support worker and raising two children is a real achievement. To boost income for their family farm near Snowdonia, Liz sells her goat's milk and cheese. With dreams of growing her business, she's banking on rosette wins for her finest goats at the prestigious Royal Welsh Show, with the help of her kids.

Meanwhile, near the Brecon Beacons, farmer Kitty is a passionate promoter of Welsh ponies. As the third generation of her family to care for this rare breed, Kitty wants to maintain their reputation as top breeders. Success in the competition ring will help secure that this year.

Farming couple Sarah and Richard are proud owners of Lincoln Longwool sheep and are taking their flock to Lincolnshire's Heckington Show, a major competition for this rare breed. They'll be going head to head with friends and rivals Martyn and Sadie, who know the competition is fierce and how important a win for breeders is here. As they will have heavy fleeces to handle, both families have called on their children to help ensure the rain doesn't dampen their chances of success on the day.

Dorset farming couple Richard and Sophie milk their herd of almost 400 dairy goats every day, but the raw ingredient isn't enough to turn over a profit. To drive their small business forward, they think the recipe for success is to make goat's milk ice cream, and they are on a mission to convert the public's taste buds to their alternative to cow's milk. Armed with their range of tempting flavours, including one for dogs, it's all systems go for these first timers selling at the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show.

It's also an important day for young couple Tom and Emily. Their farming dream came true when they started working with veteran farmers Maggie and Quentin. They'll be joining forces to sell their organic beef to their country show customers.