FOR what could be the last time, country came to town yesterday with the start of the three-day Balmoral Show.
From early morning there were steady queues of people eager to get inside and experience the unique atmosphere – while scores of farmers and exhibitors were busy putting the finishing touches to their wares.
Among them were numerous examples of the next generation of farmers, including 10-year-old Gary Bradley, who was captivated at the sight of some pedigree white pigs – belonging to his grandfather William T Bradley – getting a good wash.
“He’s definitely a farmer in the making,” said William, from Knockloughrin near Maghera.
Meanwhile, William Currie from Randalstown shared the secret behind the shiny coats of his Saddleback pigs – baby oil.
Squeaky clean from a good power-hosing the night before, his glossy 300kg sows were more than ready for the judges.
But the hottest topic of discussion in the enclosures was the possible venue of next year’s Balmoral Show.
Members of the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society are set to vote in the coming weeks on a move to the derelict Maze site.
David Connolly from Ballynahinch, who was showing a selection of eight Charolais cows and calves, told the News Letter that he was worried that if the show moved to the Maze it would lose the support of Belfast residents.
“I’ve been coming here for the last 30 years. I’ve noticed a change in that you now get a lot of city people coming in,” he said.
“That’s all part of the fun – I would worry if it moved that we would not get as many city folk coming in.”
Moira farmer John Henning agreed the grounds of Balmoral held a lot of happy memories.
This year is his 19th Balmoral Show with his own animals but he can recall attending his first show in 1966.
“There are a lot of memories in the Alexander and Londonderry halls – I think I’ve walked a lot of miles over the years wandering up and down them,” he laughed.
Showing that the animals demand hours and hours of dedication, John explained that he had been preparing his Drumcorn Angus since Monday and yesterday he had been up since 5am.
Being around so many other animals can often upset the cattle and some farmers still sleep in the stalls overnight during the show to care for their livestock.
“I haven’t stayed myself for quite a few years but this year, like all years, some did,” he said.
“Mine are all settled, we have ways of keeping them settled down, they like listening to Radio 5 Live and we have a fan blowing to keep them cool too.”
Sheep farmers were also facing the challenge of keeping their animals settled. Comber man Jim Fletcher was looking on as his son David showed one of their Hampshire Down lambs.
“They can be hard to hold steady – the more you handle them, the more they are used to it – but this one is just five months old so he is more of a challenge,” he said.
The judges also have a hard task – egg judge Ian Sissons had hundreds of entries to examine, weigh up and decide which were best.
Surrounded by plates of eggs of varying colours and sizes, Ian said a good texture, cleanliness and shape were important.
History was made in the horse paddock as Tully’s Dream, belonging to Katesbridge woman Esther Skelly, won Irish Draft Champion Mare.
The horse’s grandmother April Storm won the same award in 1990 and its great-grandmother Silver Dawn also scooped it in 1979, the first year the category existed.
However, it was not all happy faces. Outside the front of Belfast City Hall, some local traders held a protest at not having been able to secure a pitch at the show.
It follows a city centre protest on Tuesday involving a cortege of ice cream vans.
Van owner Jim Robinson said the public are behind them and they had received positive feedback from those going into the show yesterday.
“We all have mortgages to pay and we are not able to go inside the biggest agricultural show of the year,” he said.
“The people are behind us and telling us we are in the right.”
Hamilton Kirk, who handle the catering for the show, have said they stand by their decision over ice cream vendors.