EQUINE classes at Malvern’s Three Counties Show are proving more popular than ever.

There are a record-breaking 2,975 horse entries at this year’s three-day event – 50 more than last year.

Organiser, the Three Counties Agricultural Society, is opening the show earlier to allow the enthusiasts to come and watch the early morning competitions which start at 7.30am.

“The show continues to draw impressive numbers of equine competitors which is a credit to all the hard work and dedication that has gone into creating the wide range of classes, improved facilities and enhanced online entry systems,” said Sharon Gilbert, press and PR manager for the society.

“We are delighted that the equine village is proving such a draw and because of the popularity of Malvern’s classes, we’ve even had to open the show a bit earlier to accommodate all our enthusiasts.”

The equine centre at Malvern is already the largest of its kind in the Midlands, catering for largescale competition events.

Significant improvements have been made to the facilities, including the installation of an Olympic-size arena measuring 6,500 square metres.

A full programme of equine competitions will run across each day of the show, which begins on Friday, including show jumping, in-hand and ridden classes, heavy horse turnouts and side saddle – some of them taking pride of place in the main arena.

There are competitions for all kinds of breeds, including Welsh, Irish Draught, British Morgan, Dartmoor, Connemara, Arab, Haflingers and Mountain and Moorland, together with classes for donkeys and retired racehorses.

The 2012 event has more than 250 classes and several Horse of the Year Show qualifiers, including the Cuddy Supreme In- Hand. The Three Counties Show runs from Friday to Sunday, June 15 to 17 at the Three Counties Showground, malvern.

For more information, call the hotline on 01684 584924 or visit threecounties.co.uk.