THIS is an exciting year for the North Devon Show as its moves to a new venue at Umberleigh Barton Farm, Umberleigh.

The site off the A377 is set in the beautiful Taw Valley and is a completely level site of 50 acres with adjacent car parking fields.

From the moment the North Devon Show opens at 8.30am on Wednesday, August 4, there will be a stream of events, attractions, trade stands and competitions to keep visitors entertained.

Horses will be the major feature in the main ring.

There will be high speed action from Amanda Saville with her riveting, fast and furious Chariots of Fire driving display with a team of stunt ponies.

As always, there will be lots of cheering and shouting from supporters when five local teams of young riders on very fast ponies, display their riding and athletic skills in a series of obstacle and relay races in the Pony Club Games.

At the other end of the spectrum will be the gentle giants of the horse world: the Heavy Horses.

Victor Pitts is a working sheep farmer in Devon and has over 10 years experience with sheepdogs.

Working with border collies he creates a realistic demonstration of these dogs at work using ducks.

Audience participation is often involved, bringing this skilled profession as close as possible to the public.

Expect howls of excitement when the ExeterXFactors Flyball Team perform.

Flyball is a dog team relay where dogs race against each other from a start/finish line, over a line of hurdles, to a box that releases a tennis ball to be caught when the dog presses the spring loaded pad, then back to their handlers while carrying the ball.

Two very different types of musical entertainment will set your feet tapping.

The Torrington Streetz Dance Crew is a dynamic company of street dancers accompanied by up-beat music while the Bideford Youth Pipes Band, with a skirl of the pipes and the swing of the kilt, will play familiar favourites for you all.

With the surge of interest in keeping chickens, members of the Taw & Torridge Poultry Club will be offering expert advice at the Poultry marquee.

The Rural Skills arena will have local craftsmen showing off their skills including wood turning, basket weaving and thatching and even the chance to make your own bird nesting box.

While in the Craft Tent demonstrators will show you how to spin, paint and make lace and felt.

In the Country Pursuits Arena you can cheer the racing ferrets, admire the trained gun dogs at work and even try your hand at fly casting.

You can learn about pigeon decoying and watch the falconry display — an area not to be missed if you want to learn more about work and leisure in the countryside and how you can take part.

Sheep shearing always looks easier than it is!

For around 6,000 years, sheep shearing and wool production has been an important part of this country's sheep industry.

Shearing is necessary to prevent the animal from overheating either when indoors, or outside during hot summer months.

And you can see just how it's done, in the Fleece Tent at the Show!

The biggest factor in shearing is how to hold the sheep and where to move your feet; you never stand still because the animal is always moving.

The shearing itself is all down to a pattern devised by Godfrey Bowen to ensure it is done in as few blows (strokes of the shears) as possible, without cutting the animal.

The normal shearing method is to start sitting the sheep on her rump, clip the belly, open the wool on her throat and then shear the left side of her body, then rolling and turning the sheep until the whole body is clipped, the sheep should then leap up and leave the entire fleece in one piece behind her.

Blink and you will miss it as it only takes about 48 blows in two minutes to complete!

Thirty vintage cars and motorcycles will be on display all lovingly restored and polished by their owners along with 25 vintage tractors, a part of the show where grandad can reminisce.

To find out what the Young Farmers' Clubs are up to at the show – visit them in their tent and see the huge range of competitive classes ranging from cookery to needlework, photography to creative writing.

They finish the day with games and a tractor pull in the Main Ring from 4.15 pm onwards.

The Horticultural Show will have classes for children 12 years and under and there are classes for Young Handlers/Junior Showman who want to show their calf, sheep, goat or alpaca.

Show jumping classes will run from midday onwards including the final of the Tarka and Taw & Torridge jumping competitions plus numerous classes for children and their ponies.

And to keep the younger children happy there will be traditional fairground rides, face painting and a Punch & Judy show so there is plenty to entertain all the family.

A show is not complete without animals and there will be competitive classes for alpacas, cattle, goats, sheep and horses plus a top class dog show.

With more than 1,400 entries there will be plenty of animals to see either in their pens or in the show ring.

Don't be afraid to ask the farmers about their animals for they are their pride and joy and they are always delighted to introduce you.

There will be 40 food exhibitors in our 90-metre-long marquee offering oodles of tempting local produce including ciders, chutneys and cheese.

The beer tent is being run by Barum Brewery from Barnstaple and they have a huge range of beers from six local breweries. With names like "Oliver's Nectar", "Hartland Blonde" and "Maid of Devon" you are sure to find something to tickle your taste buds.

Delicious ice creams will be on sale from Hockings Dairy Cream Ices of Appledore and Styles Farmhouse Ice Cream from Rodhuish plus a huge range of fast food outlets across the show field.

A family picnic area has been created next to the Tarka Ring and traditional fast food units can be found across the showground.

Sarah Pepper will be in the Flower Tent demonstrating the art of flower arranging and will hold workshops throughout the day so why not have a go at creating an arrangement.