Excitement builds for 2025 Lurgan Show

The competition amongst competitors is expected to be exciting. With thousands expected from near and far, the annual event will once again take place in the Showgrounds, the outstanding Lurgan Park.

Air Ambulance NI, the 2025 nominated Show charity will be located throughout the Showgrounds. Offering a critical lifeline to all communities, be sure to try to support on showday.

With recent restrictions on avian Influenza having just been lifted, Lurgan Show will be the first regional show in Northern Ireland to host poultry classes in 2025. A large display of poultry can be found in the poultry marquee adjacent to the Cattle Lawn.

This marquee will also be home to the rabbits and cavies section, something which will be of interest to the younger visiting the show. Over 350 exhibits in this marquee will be judged on show day!

The Show Committee are extremely appreciative of the generosity and sponsorship of the entire community and businesses with support offered enabling the successful operation of the show. A special word of thanks is extended to the main sponsors which include Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council, Translink, Ewing Bros Transport Ltd, Fane Valley, Thompson’s Tea and Danske Bank and a heartfelt thanks to the many dozens of others sponsors across all sections of the show.

With upwards of 80 trade stands, The Food Heartland will feature with local award winning artisan food and drink producers, with Lurgan Show providing a unique platform to work collectively to help drive this sector forward. Be sure to pop indoors to the Food & Craft Village marquee to visit this section alongside the many other traders.

The cattle section will be welcoming judges from across Ireland and as far as Germany. A fantastic line up of Dairy cattle will be on show and well worth a viewing is the milking demonstrations, located adjacent to the Cattle Lawn. Dungannon Veterinary Centre are sponsoring this section, with Lakeland Dairies, supporting the dairy breed champions. Over 100 classes, will see competitive competition, with the Lurgan Show Championship prize fund of £250. Woodside Farm will sponsor Young Handlers, whilst many other qualifiers will be held including Lakeland Dairies/NISA Young Handlers Competition/ Bank of Ireland/ NISA Pedigree Junior Bull/Thompson’s/ NISA Dairy Cow Championship and the All Ireland Intermediate Young Stockperson Championship and the Dunbia/ NISA Beef Young Handlers Championship. Danske Bank will also be sponsoring the Limousin Show Team of the Year, alongside the best pair of pedigree beef animals in show and the Danske Bank Champion Beef Animal in Show. Dunbia are very kindly sponsoring the 2025 Lurgan Show Cattle Championship. A must see is the display of over thirty Dexter animals, a native small Irish breed of cattle.

The 2025 Show will witness one of the largest sheep displays ever seen at Lurgan Show, across 125 classes and upwards of 600 . Ulster Wool Group will be sponsoring the Fleece section, with wool spinning demonstrations provided by Alex Kidd. Young Handlers entries will be accepted on show day.

Lurgan Show will host a number of sheep section qualifiers including the ISA/ All Ireland Intermediate 12-16 years Young Shepherd/ shepherdess qualifier and the Danske Bank/NISA Sheep Championship. Fane Valley Co-op will be sponsoring the breed champions throughout this section. Lurgan Show will be a points show for the NI Texel Show Flock competition, this running alongside

Judging will commence at 9.30am.

Equestrian section

With best thanks to section sponsor Ewing Bros Transport, Ros and Ciaran will oversee judging commencing in this section from 9am.

Well over 400 exhibits across 100 classes will be judged throughout Saturday, with the section competitions likely to run into early evening.

Secretary Ros Ewing commented: “Entries are strong across all classes again this year- we are hoping for the usual sunshine, a good day of competition and most of all, a bit of craic!”

Lurgan Show will host the prestigious RDS Dublin Horse Show Breeders’ Championship qualifers for foals at foot suitable for showjumping and eventing competition, with judges Maurice Coleman and Clare Ryan to oversee competition in Ring 5.

The 2025 equestrian section is hosting seven Irish Shows Association Qualifiers across young horse, mare, foal and Connemara sections.

Ring 1 will feature Ridden Hunters, side-saddle and racehorse to riding horse classes overseen by English judges Michelle Underwood and Emma Green.

Ring 2 will feature the mountain and moorland classes both in-hand and ridden and overseen by IPD judge Desna Lewis.

Commencing action in Ring 3 will be pony breeding in-hand classes followed by ridden show and show hunter ponies along with the popular family pony classes. Joan Boyd will adjudicate on this ring.

Legendary horseman Richard Iggulden and co-judge Jess Whitney will adjudicate on the Working hunter ring 4.

Julia Ryde Rogers on her first visit to Lurgan Show will be travelling from England to oversee judging in Ring 5 for youngstock in-hand, Connemara ponies, Shetlands and miniature horses.

Driving section

The driving section with 19 classes will be located in the Oval, adjacent to the Main Avenue and is a must see event. With competitors attending from across Ireland, section secretary Paul Trimble and the Whip and Collar Driving Club will commence judging at 10.30am

Donkey section

Donkey section judging will commence at 10.00am and exhibit entries will be taken on the show field. Secretary Jill Castles expects a great display across 8 classes.

Goat section

Mrs Pat McIver, judge for the Goat section will oversee 12 classes with competition expected across the Saanen, British Saanen and Toggenburg breeds. Mr Tom Houston and Trish O’Hara, section stewards will oversee the competition.

Pygmy Goats sponsored by Auctions NI, Lurgan will be judged by the Kelly Family, Carlow. An outstanding display of goats is expected, across 12 classes and Goat section Chairperson Jessica Magee is looking forward to a competitive days action.

Home Industries & Schools

With over 3000 exhibits, the Home Industries and Schools section is a must visit. Jain Wright and a fantastic support team have spent many months bringing together many school exhibits alongside the traditional baking and crafts, all of which can be viewed within the Home Industries & Schools Marquee.

Dog & Pet Show

Commencing at 2pm, the Pet Show will be accepting entries on the show field from 12noon. Mr Marty Potts, section judge will adjudicate across many breeds of dogs, with kind sponsorship offered by Lurgan Veterinary Clinic. Mr Marcel Mulholland will adjudicate the pet classes, which will bring the Pet show section to a close. James and Pauline McMahon will oversee this section offering 15 Dog and 5 pet show classes.

Vintage Vehicles

Owners of vintage/ classic, customised vehicles are encouraged to come along for a great day out. Vehicle admission is £10 per vehicle. Vehicles to arrive via Windsor Avenue entrance accessed from the Town Centre with the section commencing at 10am.

Other attractions

Many other attractions will feature on show day including the local Fire Brigade, Alpaca’s, funfair, side shows, soft play and various displays.

Show Vice Chair, John Harrison commented: “All credit is due to the fantastic team work across all sections and I personally wish to thank everyone for the time committed to ensure everyone is offered a superb day; our sponsors, exhibitors and the public to which I am indebted are key to Lurgan Show”

Show silverware

An appeal is made for holders of silverware from previous shows, to please return all cups/ trophies to the Show Office on show day or as otherwise arranged.

All vehicles should enter via the Avenue Road entrance and follow the instruction of stewards at all times. Show Catalogues will be available priced £2.

Be sure to pop along to Lurgan Park to enjoy a day of equestrian and livestock championships, home industries and schools displays, vintage vehicles, mouth watering local produce, side shows, funfair, trade stands and loads of family fun!

Admission Charges apply.

Show opening hours are: 8am- 5pm