Latest news with #RoyalUlsterAgriculturalSociety
Belfast Telegraph
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Belfast Telegraph
Balmoral Show: ‘Dancing diggers' steal the show on opening day
Live | Thousands of visitors are flocking to the 156th edition of the Balmoral Show, being held across the next four days at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn. Organised by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society, it is Northern Ireland's largest agri-food event and will feature over 600 trade stands. Balmoral show returns for 2025 Over 100,000 people are expected to enjoy the show, which also includes livestock competitions from showjumping to sheepshearing, vintage machinery and live music, between Wednesday and Saturday, 14-17 May. Catch some of today's highlights by following our live blog below. 19 minutes ago Not sure what to caption this... It looks like a couple of grannies riding around on modified Segways? Sure, why not. 22 minutes ago Dancing diggers continuing to thrill the crowd! The dancing diggers are in full swing showing off some moves! Today 11:29 AM Katie Nallon wins the 1.35m RUAS national championship Today 11:23 AM Llamas in the house! Today 11:15 AM DUP MLA Edwin Poots meets some new friends... Today 11:05 AM Young Farmer Club of Ulster sheering competition fully under way Today 10:47 AM 🐑 1st place in the Beltex category! Today 10:43 AM Plenty of kit on display for the next generation of farmers Today 10:39 AM Quite the selection of hats on display at this stall 🎩 Today 10:37 AM Irish Moiled Cattle getting judged now Today 10:28 AM Sandbox skills on display Today 10:25 AM Dressed for the occasion Our reporter Abdullah Sabri understood the assignment with today's outfit 🧑🌾 Today 10:08 AM Unlucky! Our man Abdullah had a crack at spin to win at the Ulster Scots stand, but didn't take a top prize. 📖 Today 09:54 AM Bus loads of visitors continue to pour into the car park Today 09:41 AM NI Secretary makes an appearance Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn visits the Ulster Bank stand. . Press Eye Today 09:34 AM National Show Jumping 🏇 It's over to the main horse ring now as 'Tokyo Drift' and her owner make leaps and bounds. Today 09:28 AM Beef Shorthorn podium time! Beef Shorthorns secure podiums spots at the cattle ring breeding competition with first (#313) and second (#321) place.
Belfast Telegraph
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Belfast Telegraph
Balmoral Show: Sheep shearing, cattle judging, and show jumping under way on opening day
Live | Thousands of visitors are flocking to the 156th edition of the Balmoral Show, being held across the next four days at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn. Organised by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society, it is Northern Ireland's largest agri-food event and will feature over 600 trade stands. Over 100,000 people are expected to enjoy the show, which also includes livestock competitions from showjumping to sheepshearing, vintage machinery and live music, between Wednesday and Saturday, 14-17 May. Catch some of today's highlights by following our live blog below. 10 minutes ago Katie Nallon wins the 1.35m RUAS national championship 16 minutes ago Llamas in the house! 24 minutes ago DUP MLA Edwin Poots meets some new friends... 35 minutes ago Young Farmer Club of Ulster sheering competition fully under way 46 minutes ago The winner doesn't look too pleased, though... 52 minutes ago 🐑 1st place in the Beltex category! Plenty of kit on display for the next generation of farmers Today 10:39 AM Quite the selection of hats on display at this stall 🎩 Today 10:37 AM Irish Moiled Cattle getting judged now Today 10:28 AM Sandbox skills on display Today 10:25 AM Dressed for the occasion Our reporter Abdullah Sabri understood the assignment with today's outfit 🧑🌾 Today 10:08 AM Unlucky! Our man Abdullah had a crack at spin to win at the Ulster Scots stand, but didn't take a top prize. 📖 Today 09:54 AM Today 09:41 AM NI Secretary makes an appearance Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn visits the Ulster Bank stand. . Press Eye Day one of the Balmoral Show. Press Eye Today 09:34 AM National Show Jumping 🏇 It's over to the main horse ring now as 'Tokyo Drift' and her owner make leaps and bounds. Today 09:28 AM Beef Shorthorn podium time! Beef Shorthorns secure podiums spots at the cattle ring breeding competition with first (#313) and second (#321) place. Today 09:23 AM The cattle judging has begun! Dexter cattle, once an endangered species, are now lining up to be analysed by a judge. He's the looking for the proportions and mannerisms of the cow to match the breed. Today 09:17 AM Our reporter is on the ground Our man Abdullah Sabri has arrived and will be keeping us up to date with all the going on! Today 09:15 AM The gates are open! PressEye Live Blog Software
Belfast Telegraph
14-05-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Balmoral Show: Cattle judging and show jumping underway on first day
Live | Thousands of visitors are flocking to the 156th edition of the Balmoral Show, being held across the next four days at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn. Organised by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society, it is Northern Ireland's largest agri-food event and will feature over 600 trade stands. Balmoral show returns for 2025 Over 100,000 people are expected to enjoy the show, which also includes livestock competitions from showjumping to sheepshearing, vintage machinery and live music, between Wednesday and Saturday, 14-17 May. Catch some of today's highlights by following our live blog below. 4 minutes ago Bus loads of visitors continue to pour into the car park 18 minutes ago NI Secretary makes an appearance 25 minutes ago National Show Jumping 🏇 It's over to the main horse ring now as 'Tokyo Drift' and her owner make leaps and bounds. 30 minutes ago Beef Shorthorn podium time! Beef Shorthorns secure podiums spots at the cattle ring breeding competition with first (#313) and second (#321) place. 36 minutes ago The cattle judging has begun! Dexter cattle, once an endangered species, are now lining up to be analysed by a judge. He's the looking for the proportions and mannerisms of the cow to match the breed. 42 minutes ago Our reporter is on the ground Our man Abdullah Sabri has arrived and will be keeping us up to date with all the going on! 43 minutes ago The gates are open! PressEye PressEye Today 07:46 AM What should I do at the Balmoral Show? The 156th Balmoral Show is promising four days of farming, food and fun at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn and we're bringing you some of today's highlights.
Belfast Telegraph
14-05-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Balmoral Show: Popular celebration of NI farming and food underway at Eikon Centre
Live | Thousands of visitors are flocking to the 156th edition of the Balmoral Show, being held across the next four days at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn. Organised by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society, it is Northern Ireland's largest agri-food event and will feature over 600 trade stands. Balmoral show returns for 2025 Over 100,000 people are expected to enjoy the show, which also includes livestock competitions from showjumping to sheepshearing, vintage machinery and live music, between Wednesday and Saturday, 14-17 May. Catch some of today's highlights by following our live blog below. 6 minutes ago NI Secretary makes an appearance 12 minutes ago National Show Jumping 🏇 It's over to the main horse ring now as 'Tokyo Drift' and her owner make leaps and bounds. 18 minutes ago Beef Shorthorn podium time! Beef Shorthorns secure podiums spots at the cattle ring breeding competition with first (#313) and second (#321) place. 24 minutes ago The cattle judging has begun! Dexter cattle, once an endangered species, are now lining up to be analysed by a judge. He's the looking for the proportions and mannerisms of the cow to match the breed. 29 minutes ago Our reporter is on the ground Our man Abdullah Sabri has arrived and will be keeping us up to date with all the going on! 31 minutes ago The gates are open! PressEye PressEye Today 07:46 AM What should I do at the Balmoral Show? The 156th Balmoral Show is promising four days of farming, food and fun at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn and we're bringing you some of today's highlights.
Belfast Telegraph
13-05-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Balmoral Show set to dazzle as Northern Ireland's biggest agricultural event returns
The Balmoral Show is ready to roll into the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn, promising four days of farming, food and fun. On Tuesday organisers, exhibitors and farmers were busy putting the final touches in place. Running from Wednesday to Saturday, the 156th edition of Northern Ireland's largest agri-food event is shaping up to be one of the busiest yet. Organised by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS), the four day show is expecting 100,000 visitors coming to see over 3,500 livestock and 600 trade stands. From livestock competitions and showjumping to sheep shearing, artisan food, vintage machinery and live music, there's something for everyone. Parade rings will showcase the finest farm breeds, while stalls will offer everything from local crafts to cosmetics, all set to the backdrop of live entertainment. There's plenty to keep younger visitors entertained too, including the Kids' Farm, where little ones can get up close to a variety of friendly animals. While the Balmoral Show has something for everyone, its heart remains in the farming community. Rhonda Geary, group operations director with the RUAS, said it will showcase 'everything that's excellent about agriculture'. 'It's just a celebration of everything to do with agriculture,' she said. 'We will have food, farming, our livestock, our horticulture, our equestrian. There's just a bit of everything here at the Balmoral Show.' Rhonda said that in its 150-year history the show has 'grown and developed', expanding to twice its size since it was staged at the King's Hall in Belfast. 'We have almost 600 trade stands here as well - you can buy a hot tub here, you can book a holiday,' she explained. She added 'We have the NI Good Food pavilion, where there's over 65 trade stands. We have a nice cookery theatre where we will have people like Paula McIntyre do demonstrations throughout the day.' The event will showcase over 600 cattle across a range of classes, drawing competitors from across the region. Rhonda added: 'It's just the highlight of the year, it's the big thing in the agricultural calendar, where all the farmers come together, competing for that red rosette that they all want to take home.' On Tuesday as the final preparations were being made, farmers were arriving with their cattle, washing and grooming them before carefully settling their prized animals in their show pens. Gemma McCorry (21) from Ballinderry was among the early arrivals, getting a head start on the busy days ahead. Back for the first time since the Covid pandemic, Gemma is hoping to showcase her cattle in the junior heffer class this morning. But this will mean an early start. 'My plan would to hopefully wash her at 4.30 or 5 in the morning and then let her air dry for a bit. Then she'll need blown off and then groomed - the likes of shave and foam and a bit of spray - and I'll have her ready for 9 o'clock.' But despite the hard work, Gemma, who was there with her family, said she is looking forward to the start of the show. She said: 'It's a lot of hard work, and you couldn't do it without the society and the craic of all the other people here with you, like my family, there's loads of people here. It's a great week off work.' David Lest (39), from Armagh, was also busy preparing his Dexter cows and calves for the show — with plenty of help from his daughters, Lily and Sarahjane, who were kept busy caring for the young calves. 'That's their responsibility for the week, they have to look after them,' he said. This will be the family's third Balmoral Show with the Dexter breed, which he said they were quite fond of, 'especially for the wee ones'. It's not just cattle on display - visitors can also expect a variety of other animals, including rabbits, poultry and more. Mark Cairns (31) from Poyntzpass in Co Armagh arrived early and was preparing his four Dutch rabbits, explaining the care they receive ahead of the competition. 'We make sure that they are cleaned, that they have their nails clipped and their teeth are good and are in good condition because these are the things the judges will be looking for tomorrow,' he said. 'You're obviously up against other competitors who have other rabbits in the class to see who will be the best.' Mark explained his fiance introduced him to showing rabbits after bird flu restrictions prevented poultry competitors taking part. Once again this year, poultry showing will not take place due to restrictions. Mark added: 'It's good to see the people we would normally see and show against them but with rabbits and guinea pigs instead of poultry.' Food lovers can explore dozens of artisan producers in the Northern Ireland Food Pavilion, with plenty of free tastings on offer. Stephanie Buyers (33), representing Finnebrogue Naked, was among the early traders setting up their food truck. Planning to sell a selection of bacon, sausages and ham – made without nitrates and free from artificial additives – Stephanie said this was their first time with the truck. She said: 'I think it's a fantastic set up here at the show, the weather is amazing and we think it's going to be a great turnout. "We're really excited to get meeting some of our shoppers and get people trying some of our products.' 'From the Food Pavilion you will find loads of local artisan business, loads of local suppliers, some fantastic brands and lots of new ones you don't get to see in the supermarkets.' The Balmoral Show runs daily from 8.30am to 6pm. This year visitors can make use of the new event app, which features an interactive showgrounds map, a detailed timetable and full accessibility support. Full event schedules and parking information are available at Visitors are encouraged to arrive early, and use public transport where possible, as traffic delays are expected around Lisburn and the A1.
