'Military operation' as thousands descend on Balmoral Show

Thousands are expected to attend this year's Balmoral Show, which kicked off on Wednesday and runs until Saturday.

With thousands of animals on display and 500 trade stands, the 157th edition of the show is the culmination of months of hard work by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society.

Hannah and Stephen Maginn's pedigree Salers bull, Sidney, stole the show last year when he was crowned Champion of Champions by guest judge Olympic gold medallist Hannah Scott.

Sidney also picked up the prestigious interbred champion, and now his offspring are vying for prizes.

"Sidney's done his time so he's out living his best life with the cows producing good heifers and strong bulls," said Stephen.

"This year we will be showing a few of Sidney's offspring including a junior heifer and two junior bulls."

Hannah described the Balmoral Show as a "shop window" where farmers get a chance to show off their livestock.

"Quite often you'll get a sale off the back of the show," she said.

"We've a busy week ahead getting the cattle settled and ready for showtime.

"Wednesday is a big day for us, it's a bit of a military operation with just one after the other needing to be ready for the ring."

The show is also a busy time for the Young Farmers' Clubs of Ulster (YFCU) with clubs from across Northern Ireland battling it out in various competitions.

Sophie McAllister is assistant club leader of Lisnamurrican Young Farmers' Club who are the reigning tug of war (male and female) and women's football champions.

"We are out in force this year with three tug of war teams, three football teams and three members taking part in the YFC stock-judging," she said.

"Every club wants to see their name on the shield. It's a reward for all the training and dedication and we hope to inspire younger members to step up and get involved."

McAllister hopes to play a part in this year's success.

"I myself will be pulling tug of war and taking part in the stock judging – we've been preparing and training plenty in the build-up and attending sports nights to try and get ourselves in the best possible shape."

The Ballymena woman also has a keen interest in the animal side of the show and has been exhibiting sheep and cattle there for as long as she can remember.

"This year we will be taking a team of sheep consisting of Charollais and Beltex.

"Preparation is key to them having the best chance at success. They'll have been washed, trimmed and coloured before showtime and then it's over to the judges."

For those looking for a souvenir to take home from the 157th Balmoral Show, it is not going to be one of the maps that have historically helped visitors navigate Northern Ireland's largest agricultural event.

As part of the show's "sustainability journey", 2026 will be the first year physical maps will not be available.

Instead operations director Rhonda Geary explained that maps and timetables will all be available on the Balmoral app.

Geary said this year's show will include, among other things, a motocross display, cooking demonstrations and a children's sensory trail.

Precautions will be 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," said Geary, who said this year's competitions will be 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.

The total number of entries across all categories is more than 3,600.

The show caters for people of all ages, as the newly-elected president of the Ulster Farmer's Union (UFU), John McLenaghan, can attest to.

"I was asking my mother last night - I think I probably first came here over 50 years ago, being pushed round in a pram by my parents," he told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.

"It's very different to be here in the role that I'm lucky enough to now be currently in."

He said the show is a chance for the UFU to hear from farmers about the challenges they face and this year the price of fertiliser and fuel is a "massive challenge".

"The American war in the Middle East started on a Saturday and fertiliser prices went up the following Monday – fuel prices immediately as well," McLenaghan said.

Consumers will face higher food bills as a result, and he argued the UK and Ireland need a higher level of food security to insulate consumers against food inflation.

"The last fertiliser plant in the UK shut down, I think, in 2023 and since then we have been totally reliant on imports," the UFU president said.

"It does highlight that need for that level of security and home production."

One County Down sheep farmer said becoming more self-reliant is helping to protect the environment as well as keep costs down.

Louise Skelly raises "100% grass-fed lambs" on her farm in Katesbridge, which skirts along the banks of the River Bann.

"We took a view after the Ukraine war a few years ago to look at how we made our farm more resilient to these big global issues," she said.

"We moved down the road of nature-friendly farming – we moved towards regenerative which meant we now don't sow any fertiliser."

Skelly said they use "rotational grazing" and have also reduced the amount of concentrates they use when feeding ewes during lambing season.

Skelly argued farms of all sizes can make similar changes to protect their wealth and soil health.

"We are moderate-sized farm but there are much bigger farmers than me working the same way.

"And I'm actually learning from those farmers within the network, so that's working really well for us."

Northern Ireland's agricultural and environment minister said the challenge of higher fertiliser price rises could also present an "opportunity" for local farms.

Andrew Muir said work was ongoing to examine the feasibility of producing organic fertilisers using the slurry and manure that is already produced in Northern Ireland.

"We need to look at things from a different perspective in terms of how do we ensure that resilience and environmental sustainability, but most importantly, that thriving, profitable future for farming."

However Muir added he did not "underestimate the challenges" farmers are currently facing with the price of fuel, feed and fertiliser.

"Those cost pressures are going to feed themselves through in terms of food inflation and people are going to be paying up to 10% more by the end of this year."

The minister said he will meeting UK government representatives again on Thursday when he will urge them to "step up and support the agricultural industry".