FOR the first time in its 214-year history, posh frocks and pretty hats will be as much a part of the Three Counties Show as prancing ponies, mooing heifers and shearing sheep.

The three-day event is being held on its spectacular showground at the foot of the Malvern Hills next weekend and the first day, Friday, June 15, will be ladies’ day.

Members, exhibitors, competitors, judges and visitors are being invited to dress up to the nines in the prettiest dresses and hats they can find.

Event organiser the Three Counties Agricultural Society is joining in the royal birthday spirit and hoping that its very own ‘first ladies’ will scour the shops, raid the wardrobe, dust off their hats and emerge radiant to mark the special day.

Sharon Gilbert, press and PR manager for the society, said: “The Three Counties Show is a lovely summertime celebration of the best of British and many of the ladies who visit do go to town and dress up for the occasion.

“As it’s the Diamond Jubilee this year and the Queen’s official birthday on June 16, we thought it would be nice to encourage more of our female visitors to make a real effort in the fashion stakes to bring a little bit of Royal Ascot and the Chelsea Flower Show to Malvern.

“Hereford’s Hat Trick and Cherry Savidge designer clothing are sponsoring the event and will be looking for the ‘best hat’ and the ‘best dressed lady’ during the day. There are two £200 vouchers up for grabs, and complimentary tea and strawberries in the salubrious surroundings of the members’ marquee, with its ringside view of the main arena from the members’ lawn.”

In conjunction with Ladies Day, there is an opportunity to enter a draw to win a spectacular Jubilee hat in red white and blue, made specially for this year’s Chelsea Flower Show and donated by its creator Emma Lewis, of Ulifas, Hereford, to raise money for charity. Women wishing to register their interest should go to the information stand at the opening of the members’ marquee to find out more.

In more traditional areas, the show is hoping to build on the success of last year’s event, which had the best feel-good factor for some time and was generally considered to have got the Three Counties back on track after a difficult period for the farming industry.

Entries are up in all sections, with sheep showing the most significant increase, and 10 breed societies have chosen to stage their national events at Malvern this year. The show is preparing to welcome about 920 heads of cattle in 2012 and is the venue for the national shows of the Longhorn, South Devon, British White, Dexter, British Blonde, Gloucester and Murray Grey breed societies.

In the sheep section, the Ryeland Flock Book Society, the Zwartbles Sheep Association and the Beltex Sheep Society are also staging their national shows.

Away from the livestock sections, the show is aiming to live up to its reputation as a day out for all the family.

Topping the bill in the main arena is the daredevil White Helmets Motorcycle Display Team and the Devil’s Horsemen with their exhilarating Wild West Show.

Overhead, the Red Devils Parachute Display team will be performing a series of airborne manoeuvres with courage and precision.

New for 2012 is the WI cookery school, with celebrity guest chefs Marcus Bean and Sophie Grigson, who will be creating delicious dishes in the Heart of England Fine Foods cookery theatre, and visitors can sample local produce in the cheese and cider shows, the farmers’ market and the regional food and drink hall.

Showgoers are invited to put their fitness to the test with the power, blood, strength, reaction and speed zones as part of the London Olympic Experience, but if that’s too energetic, then how about a relaxing bird’s eye view of the showground, courtesy of the Big Wheel?

Other attractions this year include gundogs, falconry, ferrets and owls, fishing, threshing, stick making and dog agility. With about 600 trade stands selling everything from crafts and plants to fine antiques, there’s also a chance to indulge in a little shopping.

There’s good news for families too – as it’s the Queen’s birthday, children will be admitted free on Saturday, June 16.