Record entries at Saintfield Show

Record entries at Saintfield Show

22 June 2016

SAINTFIELD Show enjoyed record visitors on Saturday at the Balmoral Park venue near Lisburn.

Show chairman Brian Hunter said gate receipts were up significantly but he added the costs of staging the show and he called on politicians to do more to support agricultural show organisers.

Mr Hunter said everyone involved with Saintfield Show does so on a voluntary basis and it requires 

hundreds of man hours to put the event on.

“Each summer sees agricultural shows taking place the length and breadth of Northern Ireland,” he said. “Each event plays a critical role in promoting the farming and food sector within its respective locality.”

Mr Hunter said Saintfield Show Society has a plan to bring its annual celebration of farming and food to the next level.

“We want to engage more with young people,” he stressed.

“This year has seen us strike up a very positive working relationship with Moneyreagh Young Farmers’ Club. We now want to build the same type of association with the other clubs in our catchment area. Young people are the future of agriculture: we need them on board.”

But he urged councils and the Stormont Executive to do more to support these annual evens.

“We also need to generate new income streams in order to maintain the financial sustainability of Saintfield Show. I strongly believe that local councils and the Stormont Executive can do more to support the invaluable work carried out all the local show societies.”  

Northern Ireland Shows Association chairman Robert Dick visited last Saturday’s event at Balmoral Park and agreed that government should do more to support the activities of all the agricultural show societies.

“The shows must be officially recognised for the strategic role they play in promoting farming and 

food here in Northern Ireland,” he stressed.

Out in the Saintfield show rings, the judges were dealing with a record entry of beef cattle and sheep. The beef inter-breed championship was won by the Connolly family, from Ballynahinch, with their eye catching Charolais heifer. They had won the equivalent class at Armagh Show the previous week with the same animal. 

The inter-breed sheep championship went to Co Down flock owner Diane Christie with a majestic Charollais shearling ram. Judge Brendan Arthurs described his champion as a tremendous example of the breed.

“He has just about everything you would want in a breeding ram: very correct in all aspects and great skin,” he said.