Plans are underway for this year’s Lurgan Show being held on Saturday 6th June 2015 and the official launch and sponsor’s reception was held recently in The Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, Lurgan.
Chairperson, Winston Humphries welcomed all to the reception with a particular thanks to all the sponsors of the show event and the many volunteers who give of their time freely to ensure the show continues to be a success.
Winston Humphries welcomed new committee members into the sheep section and hoped they would be of great assistance to the show in years to come and on this subject, Winston also issued an appeal to all of the committee to encourage more folk to become involved, whilst the Chairman continued to welcome on board a number of new sponsors including Sawyers Transport, Morgan McLernon Transport and the Traditional Farm Livestock Foundation.
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, DARD, Danske Bank, First Trust Bank and the Bank of Ireland have also committed to generous sponsorship and continuing support for this country life rural festival.
Show Secretary, Michele Doran, commented that ‘the primary reason for the show was to showcase rural life and the committee has witnessed a show growing year on year and now attracting visitors and judges from across the British Isles’. The voluntary organising committee are indebted to the numerous sponsors and their individual support is greatly appreciated.’
For the first time in Lurgan Show’s history, a ‘Lord’ mayor officially launched the Lurgan Show. The title for the first citizen of the area has traditionally been Mayor, but with the recent council amalgamations, Lurgan Show was honoured to have a Lord Mayor Darren Causby present.
Lurgan Show is always greatly supported by a high number of exhibitors from throughout and thus highlighting what is best about the agricultural and equestrian sector in Northern Ireland.
Sections include poultry, sheep, goats, cattle, horse and pony classes, carriage driving, donkeys, home industries, crafts, floral art and schools exhibits, all with significant prize money and trophies available in all sections.
Over recent years there has been a steady increase in trade stands, food and craft producers and more focused family entertainment with the ever popular funfair to make a welcome return.
The Home Industries section, located in Kings Park Primary School, adjacent to the Park and sign posted from the showgrounds, will again be home to several thousand exhibits focusing on crafts, floral art, Home Industries and Schools exhibits.
The Cattle section welcomes the return of a number of principal sponsors including Genus, Kilco Dairy Hygiene, McLarnon Feeds and Woodside Farm.
The Traditional Farm Livestock Foundation will be kindly providing sponsorship for the Irish Moiled cattle classes. Judges will be travelling from across Ireland to air their opinions on animals exhibited in over 100 classes and representing some 13 breeds.
The Northern Ireland Holstein breeders Club will be offering an award for the Champion Female pedigree Holstein exhibited by a member, whilst the Simmental Club will be hosting the Woodcraft Kitchens Junior Heifer derby.
A number of cattle qualifiers will also be hosted and which include the MINSUPS Charolais Championship, the NI Blonde Cattle Club Bank of Ireland Calf Competition, the McLarnon Feeds/ NISA Dairy Cow Championship, the Linden Feeds/ NISA Pedigree Beef Heifer Championship and the Bank of Ireland/ NISA Junior Bull Championship.
The Prize fund for the Lurgan Show Championship is £150, with the Harrison Centennial Cup awarded to the Show Champion.
Lurgan Show has long been re-knowned for its poultry section and the 2015 show promises to be no different.
Some 112 classes are available for a mix of Waterfowl, soft feather, hard feather and bantams. Lurgan Show also hosts a junior exhibitor class.
The Goat section will this year welcome Mr Edward Lenehan from Co Kildare, to judge the exhibits in some 16 classes.
A new addition last year, was the Pygmy goat classes, a minature domestic goat and with this addition, a strong exhibition of goats is again expected throughout this section.
Mrs M Bloomer MBE has kindly provided sponsorship for the Champion and Reserve Champion.
In the sheep section, some nine cups will be available to the winners of various breeds, whilst judges will travel from near and far and including Co Carlow, Co Wicklow and Ballymena.
Almost one hundred classes are available to over nine breeds, with special classes for crossbreeds, butchers lamb and junior handlers. Two qualifiers will also be held in this section including Danske Bank/ NISA Sheep Championship and the ISA Continental Sheep qualifers.
Mr David Riley has kindly supported the prize fund for the Texel breed, whilst the Charollais breed will provide a Rosette to the overall Champion.
The Horse section will again host many qualifers for finals to be held both in Ireland and England. Over 100 classes are available to a wide variety of breeds and including Ridden Hunters, working hunters, Connemara ponies, shetland ponies and donkeys. Mandalay Pony Stud will be supporting the prize fund for the Welsh Pony classes.
The equestrian section will this year feature two new classes which include veteran horse and pony classes for 12 years and older and a part bred Arab class.
Qualifiers will include NI Association Welsh Pony & Cob society Championships, Kelly Thorpes Moulin Rouge Supreme Ridden Horse Championship, The Thorne Valley Supreme Mountain and Moorland Championships, the ISA All Ireland Yearling Colt/ Gelding Championship and the ISA Yearling Filly Championships.
Private Carriage Driving will again feature strongly with 17 classes featuring an array of style of equine driving.
Vintage vehicles are always welcome at Lurgan Show and a mix of vintage commercial, agricultural and classic cars are always on display. Each vehicle exhibitor receives a specially commissioned show mug and admission to the show at the reduced rate of £5 per vehicle. All classic/ vintage vehicles must enter from Windsor Avenue, accessed from the town centre.
Limited space at present remains in the ever popular and growing craft village marquee, whilst the rural skills village will double in size this year and be located in a marquee on the edge of the Cricket Lawn.
A fun pet show will be held on the Saturday afternoon, commencing at 2pm on the Cricket Lawn.
The emphasis will be very much on fun so it is hoped that all pet owners will come along and enter this competition where prizes will be awarded for many categories.
Advise on micro-chipping and the care of your animal will also be available.
Lurgan Show is being held on Saturday 6th June from 9am.
For further details, prize schedule and entry forms or the latest news, visit www.lurganshow.co.uk or e-mail info@lurganshow.co.uk. The Secretary can be contacted on: 07732172214
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