Watch: Ulster Housewife heats are hotly contested at the Royal Ulster Premier Beef and Lamb Championships 2022

The Ulster Housewife Champion and lamb classes at this year’s event are being judged by Mr Andrew Burleigh from County Fermanagh.

Mr Burleigh made his selection from the heats, which got underway in the main cattle ring at 11am, with the championship taking place at 5.45pm.

He bought his butchers shop, Riverside Quality Meats in Ballinamallard, 31 years ago and runs a traditional type butchery using cattle from his own farm and matures them on the bone for 28 days.

The kind of cattle Mr Burleigh likes are R+U grade with 3-4 in fat coverage and 280 kilo to 350 kilo deadweight. In lambs, he prefers them to be 22 kilo, U+E grade and 3 in fat coverage.

When it comes to judging the Ulster Housewife’s Choice tonight, Mr Burleigh wants the champion to be long and clean on the middle with a deep loin and good fat cover, so that the animal can be hung on the bone for over 28 days.

The animal should also have a round back end with a second thigh and not too heavy or rough on the front.

Speaking ahead of this year’s championships, Mr Burleigh said: "I am delighted to have been nominated to judge at the RUAS Beef and Lamb Championship 2022 and I would like to thank the RUAS for asking me.”