Entries open for annual show

DAIRY CATTLE

This year Antrim are a qualifying show for the McLarnon Feeds/NISA Dairy Cow Championship with the final being held at Clogher Valley.

The show will continue to host the Danske Bank Champion Dairy Cow or Heifer with Open Classes being sponsored by United Feeds and Moores Animal Feeds. LacPatrick and Semex are sponsoring the Interbreed Pairs Championship and McLarnon Feeds look after the Dairy Group Champion.

As usual, the Ayrshire Classes promoted by John Thompson & Sons, the Ayrshire Cattle Club and AI Services will have a strong representation at the Show.

Fane Valley Co-Op Society backs the Holestein Section and Templeton Hotel and Nampak back the Jersey section.

BEEF SECTION

Linden Foods/NISA Pedigree Beef Heifer Championship will host a qualifier at Antrim, with the final being held at Fermanagh Show.

Antrim are pleased to support the Bank of Ireland/NISA Pedigree Junior Bull Championship for the best Junior Bull born on or after 1st January 2015, with the final being held at Antrim with qualifiers from eight regional shows.

The Beef section will also host the First Trust Bank Supreme Pedigree Beef Championships. Other classes include the Commercial, Irish Moiled, Belted Galloways and Native and Traditional Breed Derby.

The Bank of Ireland are a main sponsor for the Hereford, Charolais, Simmental, Aberdeen Angus, British Blonde, British Blue and Beef Shorthorn,

Other sponsors include Macrete Ireland, J A McClelland, Meat Joint, George Hamilton Machinery, Frank Warwick Agricultural Merchants, A Hyde Farm Feeds, David Porter, Ernest Hall Menswear, Crumlin Insurance Partnership, W J Ervine Bitmac Contractors, Maizetech, Randox, Laurel View Farm, James Porter, Ulster Bank, Glenfield Renewables and Jacksons Butchers, Ballynure.

The British Blonde Cattle Section sponsored by George Stirling Frames, will also hold the NI Blonde Oddball Engineering Champion of Champions.

The NI Dexter Group have chosen Antrim to host their Premier Show 2016, with eight classes and two young handler classes. This is expected to significantly increase the Dexter entries for Antrim.

For the third year, Antrim Show will host the Northern Ireland Limousin Championships, sponsored by the NI Limousin Cattle Club. Entries for these classes are expected to be high therefore, judging for Limousins will commence at 9.00am.

SHEEP

Antrim Show is renowned for the turnout of sheep attracting the top sheep in the province across all breeds with last year seeing just over 900 entries. This year Antrim will be a qualifier for the Danske Bank/NISA Sheep Championship with the final being held at County Londonderry Show on 30 July.

The committee will continue to run the Danske Bank Champion of Champions, along with the Group and Pairs Championships.

Renewable Energy Systems are a main sponsor for breeds including Perth Blackface, Lanark Blackface and Greyface Sheep.

Other Breeds include Border Leicester, Texel, Blue Faced Leicester, Ile De France, Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset, Kerry Hill, Mules, Charollais, Beltex, Lleyn, Zwartbles, Swaledales, Jacob and Rare Breeds.

The NI Texel Young Breeders will host a Tag Show Gimmer Class with a Sale in September and Interbreed Young Sheep Handler Competition.

Rouge de L’ouest have eight classes sponsored by the NI Rouge Club and five additional classes in the Rouge Crossbred, sponsored by the British Rouge Society.

Other Sheep sponsors include Greenmount Country Stores, Geoffrey Fleck Construction, Ross Farm Supplies, Warwick Engineering, Dennis Hamill, Firmount Veterinary, Connon Feeds, Ollardale, G E McLarnon, A Hyde Farm Feeds, J & R Harkness and Newell Contracts.

A new breed added to Antrim Show this year is the Blue Texel with six additional classes.

This year the Show will also include the Northern Ireland Sheep Shearers Association, Sheep Shearing competition, commencing at 1.00pm.

Goat classes include Pedigree, Non Pedigree and Pygmie Classes. There will also be eight classes for traditional pigs promoted by O’Rourke, McDonald & Tweed.

Entries for all cattle, sheep, pigs and goats will close on 9 July 2016.

EQUINE

Antrim show is a major event in the local equestrian calendar and promotes numerous classes including Thoroughbreds, Non-Thoroughbreds, Irish Draught and Heavy Horses. Supreme Ridden Horse classes including Hunters, Cobs, Coloured Horses, Racehorse to Riding, Irish Draught Ridden and Heavy Horse Ridden. Also, Supreme Pony of the Show, Show Hunter Pony Classes, Mountain & Moorland Classes, Family Pony Classes, Supreme Champion Miniature/Shetland Championship and Shetland Pony Classes.

Antrim is a qualifying show for A N Irwin/NISA Championships for the Clydesdale Classes.

Entries for horse and pony, to be included in the catalogue will close on 9 July 2016, but late entries will be taken on the day.

Sponsors include Corbo Properties, Irish Draught Horse Society, Danny Kinahan, Smyth Pharmacy Castledawson, Doagh Farm Feeds, Warwick Engineering and Country Sport & Tackle.

Show Jumping entries will be taken on the field, please note declarations for show jumping to be made via the SJI on-line system by 4.00pm on the 21st July. A substantial prize pot of just over £2,000 has been received from Islandbawn Stores, D Tumelty, Billy Adrian, Barron Transport, Interfrigo, W S Dennison, Dunadry Hotel, Stonebridge Premium Feeds and Hyde AirPark.

Home Industries

The Horticulture and Home Industries section will have a very impressive and colorful array of entries, providing new and innovative competitions for all the family. In 2015, total number of entries exceeded 1,000. The main sponsor for Home Industries is Tesco’s Extra, Antrim.

Classes include Decorative and Floral Art, Flowers and Pot Plants, Vegetables, Fruit and Allotment Section. Home Industries categories include Home Made Preserves, Home Made Wine, Eggs, Baking, Craft Work, Photography and Honey.

Special prizes will be given to the Young Farmers, Women’s Institute, Primary Schools, Allotment and Children’s Sections.

For the second year, the County Antrim Shows Chocolate Cake of the Year final will be held. Qualifying shows are Ballymena, Ballymoney and Antrim.

And new for 2016 is the County Antrim Shows Craft Final featuring a decorated stuffed cushion cover. Again qualifying shows are Ballymena, Ballymoney and Antrim.

Sponsors include J R Frew Accountants, W G Crawford Joinery, Standing Stone Potatoes, Logwood Nursery, Country Estates, Colemans Nursery, B Craigs Gift Ware, Flowery Potters, Ballygarvey Eggs, The Factory Craft Shop, Neills Flour, Stephen Caldwell Photography, Wilsons Fireplaces and Calor Gas and Thompson’s Farm, Crookedstone.

Judges appointed for this year have been picked for their supreme knowledge in their appointed areas, including expertise from Northern Ireland along with judges from Scotland, England, Wales and the South of Ireland.

YFC

The YFC County Games Competitions Day will be held at Antrim Show with Tug-of-war, Tractor Handling, Gator Challenge and Slippery Football just to mention a few of the games. Sponsorship is provided by Tesco’s and Samuel Small of Style N Sport.

General

Antrim Show is a great family day out with an assortment of trade stands including a craft marquee, and the return of the Food Village showcasing hot and cold food and drink traders, machinery agents, local industries and agri-business. If any business requires a Trade Application Form, do not hesitate to give the secretary a call.

The green field site offers space for various demonstrations and displays from the Men’s Shed Antrim, Antrim Floral Art Club and Antrim Camera Club along with amusements, live musical entertainment provided by the Ulster Scots Juvenile Pipe Band and the Jive Chicks jiving competition. Also on the day will be a dog display and petting area by the local hounds.

Last year, the organising committee had an excellent, well supported family event, attracting 6,000 spectators and exhibitors. They intend reaching these goals this year again by promoting a good family day out in the historic and scenic grounds of Shanes Castle.

A copy of the show schedule can be obtained by contact the show secretary on [email protected] or 07899 746542.