Countdown is on to show day with a good news story for charities

The Committee are especially pleased with good news that the Poultry section will be able to be held, this in light of the recent Avian Influenza outbreak.

This year, Lurgan Show will be held on Saturday, June 3 - promising to be a fun day out for all the family. The venue is Lurgan Park.

The show committee extend their appreciation to the generosity and sponsorship of the entire community and businesses.

They are especially indebted to main Sponsor, ABP Food Group, Lurgan and the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.

Lurgan Show will have a number of attractions this year and a slightly revamped layout. Amongst other things there’ll be the ever popular Pet Show, archery, traditional rural skills, numerous trade stands and the traditional funfair.

The show day event will also be supporting two charities, Marie Curie (Lurgan) branch and Guide Dogs for the Blind NI. Both charities will have representatives present within the showgrounds

Rural skills demonstrations will include saddlery, wool spinning, stained glass making, straw craft, felt making, basket weaving, wood turning and stone masonry.

A number of local businesses will be displaying and selling their products within the Craft Village marquee.

Back by popular demand to a differing format, will be the cookery demonstration. This year local chef Jenny Turley will present a range of inspiring cookery demonstrations throughout show day.

Ballyvally Archery Club will be on the showgrounds providing a chance for everyone to try their skills at archery.

For local amateur radio enthusiasts, the Mid Ulster Amateur Radio Club will be in attendance and the public will have a chance to interact globally.

The native and traditional breeds of cattle and sheep are once again proving very popular for this year, with Lurgan having hosted classes for many of these breeds for many decades. Local Lurgan breeder Ryan Lavery will be judging the traditional and native Dexters with animal identification supplier Roxan, kindly also sponsoring this breed.

The cattle inter-breed section will once again prove to be most competitive with a large number of exhibitors displaying their animals. Sponsored by Woodside Farm, the young handler competition will once again be sure to bring forward some new exhibitor talent.

The Lurgan Show dairy classes this year will be showcasing a number of breeds and show-goers will have the chance to see cows being milked adjacent to the Cattle Lawn showing arena. Dairy classes have been kindly sponsored by Genus and Kilco Dairy Hygiene and the Show Championship sponsored by Danske Bank. There will even be a chance to have a go at milking a cow yourself

McLarnon Feeds will be sponsoring the Champion and Reserve Champion Holstein in show.

Sheep classes this year will once again prove to be very popular with at least 14 breeds on display and around 300 sheep exhibits displayed. First Trust Bank will kindly be sponsoring the Sheep section Championship, whilst main show Sponsors ABP Food Group will be supporting all classes and with a special emphasis on Suffolk and Texel breeds. Natural Nutrition Ltd will also be sponsoring each section Champion. Mr & Mrs David Riley have offered very generous sponsorship towards the Texel and Rouge de L’Quest breeds. Meanwhile, local animal feed suppliers RJ Lyness have kindly offered sponsorship to a number of sheep classes.

It has also been good news for Lurgan’s Poultry section with the recent Avian Influenza restrictions now lifted, Lurgan Show will now be hosting one of the first poultry show’s of 2017.

Lurgan Show continues to attract large numbers of equestrian exhibitors, ranging from ponies to horses, with many classes and qualifiers throughout show day.

New for 2017 and well worth visiting, with be the Killultagh Pony Club with Pony jumping classes being held up on the hill.

With expanding activities, the equestrian section will now be held in two areas of the showgrounds. The main equestrian events will continue on the hill at Avenue Road, with the Carriage Driving and Donkey section now located beside the Jubilee Fountain at Windsor Avenue. All competitors/ exhibitors of driving classes and donkey classes, should enter and leave the showgrounds via the Windsor Avenue entrance.

This year sees 23 classes available for entry in the Goat Section, both in Pedigree, non pedigree and pygmy Classes with 12 items of silverware up for grabs. Separate showing classes will also be held for Pygmy Goats, with around 40 exhibits expected.

Lurgan Show thanks Championship prize fund sponsors Mrs M Bloomer MBE & the NI Pygmy Goat Club. Judging in all these classes will commence at 10am.

Home Industries and School exhibits section remains one of the most popular sections on show-day. Almost 3,500 exhibits will be on display this year featuring art, baking, knitting, photography, crafts, hand writing, eggs and the famous miniature gardens!.

The small pets and animals ‘Pet’ show is due to kick off on the Cricket Lawn at 2pm. This section has kindly be sponsored by Jollyes.

Around 12.30pm, the Lurgan Salvation Army Band will parade into the showgrounds from Brownlow House. The band will continue to entertain along the Mall during the early afternoon.

A special invitation is extended to vintage and customised vehicle owners to come along on show day and display their vehicle. All such vehicles must enter the showgrounds via the Windsor Avenue entrance. To enter your vehicle, simply enter on the showgrounds, with a fee of £5 per vehicle, which permits the vehicle and driver access to the full show. All entrants will also receive a specially produced Lurgan Show mug, this year featuring a Fordson tractor, celebrating the centenary of Ford/ Fordson.

The local Young Farmers club will also be in attendance and will be providing some fun activities so be sure to watch out for the club and hear what your local rural youth have to offer.

For those planning on visiting Lurgan Show, admission charges are: Adults £6; Senior Citizen £3; Under 16’s £3 or a Family Pass £20.

Lurgan Show offers free on-site parking accessed via the main show entrance at Avenue Road. Blue badge holders can access the showgrounds via Windsor Avenue entrance.

Check out the Show website for further information www.lurganshow.co.uk or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

The Show secretary can be contacted on: [email protected] or telephone 07732172214 after 5pm.