Diary from the show

Senior official Dai Lewis said he hoped swift action would be taken to solve the problem which saw some motorists caught in 10-mile tailbacks on Monday.

As the rain-hit showpiece came to a close, the puddle-strewn main ring, where horses were being judged, bore the brunt of the weather.

A total of 200,965 people attended over the four days, down by 40,000 on 2006.

More than 41,000 were at Thursday's show, but officials said they were pleased with the overall figure.

Although it fell from last year's 240,140, officials said this year's attendance was typical of the figure since 1989, when it first hit 200,000.

Royal Welsh Agricultural Society board chairman Mr Lewis said officials would meet next Wednesday to talk about a "variety of measures" aimed at reducing traffic problems in time for next year's event.

Stuck in the mud

The society usually holds a board meeting after the annual show.

Everybody was expecting us to cancel the show. That was never on the cards Dai Lewis, chairman, Royal Welsh Agricultural Society

On Monday, traffic jams stretching 10 miles both north and south on the A470 and continued bad weather marred the start of the Royal Welsh Show.

In parking areas, tractors were used to tow some vehicles stuck in the mud.

Some of the worst-affected parking areas were closed and dozens of acres of rented fields were opened to cope with visitors' vehicles.

In addition, officials were forced to repeatedly deny rumours that the rain would force the show's cancellation.

But Mr Lewis said it would have been a "catastrophe for the nation" if Wales's premier show had been cancelled.

"Everybody was expecting us to cancel the show. That was never on the cards," stressed Mr Lewis.

Meanwhile, another show official has appealed to the public to submit ideas about how it could be improved next year.

Haydn Jones said "all suggestions would be looked at".

The bad weather, coupled with traffic problems, also affected this year's daily attendance figures.