YOUNG farmers carried on a long-standing tradition at this year's show parading top class sheep, pigs, cows, poultry and rabbits.

For many of the handlers it was their first show and weeks of painstaking preparation paid off as perfectly-groomed animals were led proudly around the show ring.

The Kent Federation of Young Farmers Clubs (YFC) area always draws a huge crowd, with children and adults alike enjoying the huge range of animals that can be touched and petted.

Exhibit numbers were up this year with 16 groups or school farming clubs battling it out to win best in show.

Schools taking part included the Astor of Hever School, Maidstone, Brockhill School, Hythe, Homewood School, Tenterden, The North School, Ashford, Kent College, Canterbury, Angley School, Cranbrook, Westlands School, Sittingbourne, Oldborough Manor School, Maidstone, the Axton Chase School, Longfield, and Meopham School, Meopham.

Young farming clubs from Ashford, Ash, Acryse, near Dover, Tonbridge, Meopham, and the Museum of Kent Life at Cobtree, near Maidstone, also took part.

Although teachers and volunteers did much hard work, the real stars were the handlers, some who were as young as 10 and were attending their very first show.

Young farmers had also swatted up on animal husbandry methods in case they were questioned by judges.

The YFC tent at the Kent Show is the country's largest annual collection of YFC animals and represents an array of treasured stock reared by children and teenagers.

The Kent YFC groups pride themselves on involving anyone, even if they have no previous involvement in farming.

"We've just been visited by the Duke of Kent who seemed very impressed," said YFC Kent Show secretary, Nicola Dean.

"He asked about young farmers and how many members we have and whether all our members were from farming backgrounds.

"This year entries are up and as usual the standards are incredibly high, with a lot of work going into presentation," she added.