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Royal Adelaide Show a testing time for Urrbrae agriculture students

Some Adelaide secondary students have spent months preparing for their big school project, taking their animals before the agricultural judges at the Royal Show.

This year's show opens its gates to the public on Friday and there are more than 33,000 entries to be judged across a range of competitions.

Urrbrae High School student Talia Donald, 17, will be helping showcase the school's Poll Hereford cattle.

"They can be a little bit difficult when they're not cooperating but it's a little bit of fun when they're mucking around," she said of the preparations in the cattle sheds.

The students have spent months working with their cattle, poultry and sheep to go up against some of Australia's leading primary producers.

Tenelle Simons has been one of those getting the chooks ready to face the judges.

"Twice a week we come and do the food, water, clean out the cages and make sure they don't have lice," she said.

The students' hard work will be stepped up in the days ahead as they strive for a coveted blue ribbon.

Ashlee Rayner expects a busy time ensuring the cows are at the peak for judging.

"They're being judged on Friday so we'll be up really early and washing a team of six will take quite a few hours," she said.

"You've got to wash them all and blow-dry them and get their halters on."

Assistant principal Peter Smith is proud of his students' efforts.

"A lot of these people are the future leaders in agriculture and we've got the chance for them to see what it's like, to have a look at the industry," he said.

It is the Royal Show's 175th anniversary and this year it will run for 10 days, one more than previously, with organisers hopeful half a million people will pass through the gates at Wayville.