Rhonda Geary: 'Balmoral Show 2026 remains an amazing showcase for business, farmers and animals'
Rhonda Geary knows how vital the Balmoral Show is to all aspects of rural life in Northern Ireland.
The Group Operations Director at the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society, who hails from a farm in Doagh, Co Antrim, said: “I am very aware of the importance of the Balmoral Show for the industry, bringing everyone together from farmers to agri-businesses and all the livestock distributors.
"It is a big business and networking opportunity for all the traders,” she added.
"This year we have over 500 exhibitors and then 3,600 livestock on show,” she added.
"At the show some people meet up with friends they have not seen since this time last year, so there is a real social aspect to it.
"We also find that our first aid at the show is used as a casualty for some farmers.
“We also have farming families and rural support and all other organisations on site trying to reach out to farmers”.
She said that the old Kings Hall show outside Belfast “was half the size of what it is now” and “it is good that we are able to able to acommodate so much more”.
The 157th edition of the show is the culmination of months of hard work by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society.
"It is an amazing showcase for business and for farmers and animals,” she added.
"And for us it is about bringing it all together.
“You find that farmers are in great form as it is the start of the show season as we are the first of the shows.
"This is what they have been working for, getting their animals prepared.
"And for us it was fantastic to see so many top producers and showers coming along so we had some of the best livestock on show”.
For over three decades, Rhonda has been an integral part of the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS), dedicating her career to the advancement of NI’s agricultural showcases.
She added that few people know the extent of preparing animals for a show.
“It is amazing what goes on, as from 5am farmers could be out the back of the cattle hall getting their animals washed and prepared, even though judging doesn’t even start to maybe 9.30am.
“But it just takes so long to get the likes of dairy cattle in tip top condition for the judging ring, using anything from talcum powder to black boot polish and spray, it is amazing to walk around and see them all getting ready. It is a real eye opener.
“And in the equine section the horses are groomed to within an inch of their lives with their hair plaited and looking fantastic”.
She added that this year directions to and around the show were available on the Balmoral app.
Other aspects this year, included a motocross display, cooking demonstrations and a children's sensory trail.
Meanwhile precautions were put in place in light of prevailing livestock infection risks, including poultry flu and Bluetongue.
"Every year there seems to be something new in relation to animal welfare," she said, given that this year's competitions were without poultry classes.
"Obviously with Bluetongue, we've asked all our exhibitors to have all their cattle and sheep vaccinated."
This, she said, has had no impact on the cattle and sheep sections, with both categories hitting record numbers of entries this year and the total number of entries across all categories more than 3,600.
"Getting the show together is a team effort,” said Rhonda.
“We have a small team of staff, then committee members, stewards and then all the contractors and security.
“We all communicate well and make it work”.