Presidential Theme: Your Voice Matters
It was a great honour to be elected as President of the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society, your Society, at our AGM in March and I am very much looking forward to the next two years working alongside the Council, staff, stewards and you, our members, across the many activities of the Society.
As we look ahead to the 157th Balmoral Show this May, preparations across the Society are well underway. Livestock entries are up and trade stands are at full capacity ensuring something for everyone.
This year we can look forward to a number of new attractions and developments across the Show. Our Main Arena attraction for 2026 will be the Bolddog FMX team, whose high-energy motorcycle stunt display is certain to be a major draw for visitors of all ages.
There will also be a revamped Horticulture Hub, formerly known as Healthy Horticulture, which will offer a refreshed space highlighting horticulture, sustainability and growing initiatives. The new Hub will also be supporting Horatio’s Garden. This worthy charity established and now maintains a tremendous garden at the Spinal Cord Injuries Unit (SCIU) in Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast.
A number of other developments will also be introduced this year. These include new closing times for the Show as well as the introduction of a new Balmoral Show app which is designed to help visitors navigate the showgrounds and keep up with schedules. In addition, our International Show Jumping competitions have been refreshed, continuing the strong equestrian tradition that is such an important part of Balmoral Show.
For those interested in sheep and wool production, the Shearing Pavilion will also feature two exciting highlights. Not only will visitors be able to enjoy the thrill of the Six Nations Blade Shearing Championships this year but it will also host the launch of our Honorary Vice President Edwin Adams’ book, Shear Success. This charity publication highlights Edwin’s experience as a competitor in the first Machine Sheep Shearing competition at Balmoral in 1960. All proceeds from this limited-edition book will go towards Air Ambulance NI and Cancer Research UK so don’t forget to get your copy.
While visitors see the finished event in May, what is sometimes less visible is the enormous amount of work that takes place behind the scenes throughout the year to make the Show possible. I would particularly like to recognise and thank our voluntary stewards, whose commitment, time and expertise are central to the smooth running of the Show each year. Your contribution is hugely valued by the Society.
Alongside preparations for the Show, the Society continues its work on the Strategic Plan and Governance Review. This will help shape how the Society operates into the future and it is important that members play their part in that process. Your Voice Matters, so please take the opportunity to respond to consultations and share your views.
For our members there is also an important update this year regarding membership cards. New cards will be posted to members in good time before the Show and these will be the only cards accepted for entry in 2026, so please do keep an eye out for them when they arrive.
As preparations continue over the coming weeks, I look forward to welcoming members, exhibitors, trade stand holders and visitors back to the Eikon Exhibition Centre for another memorable Balmoral Show.
David Cunningham
RUAS President
