The Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS) today (Monday, December 8) confirmed that there will be no cattle classes at this year’s Royal Ulster Winter Fair.
The RUAS said the decision was taken “due to the ongoing risk and uncertainty regarding bluetongue in Northern Ireland”.
However the 39th show will go ahead at the Eikon Exhibition Centre on Thursday, December 11.
RUAS group operations director, Rhonda Geary, said: “It is extremely regrettable that there will be no cattle at this year’s show but, as widespread testing is continuing for bluetongue and due to our very close proximity to the temporary control zone, it is our priority to protect the welfare of the province’s top dairy stock”.
She said the show would proceed because of what the RUAS director described as its importance to Northern Ireland’s “local agri industry” and its place in the “rural calendar”.
RUAS
The impact of bluetongue on the Royal Ulster Winter Fair is a major blow for the RUAS.
Competition is usually intense for championship prizes at the fair including the highly sought after Supreme Interbreed Champion of the Show title.
The one day show usually attracts around 5,000 visitors and organisers have said there will still be more than 200 trade stands at the event this year.
Alta Mae Core from Kentucky had been due to be this year’s livestock judge – 25 years following her debut at the original venue for the show, the King’s Hall.
She had been expected to be joined to adjudicate the showmanship classes by Jane Steel from Glasgow and Rob Wills from Devon was set to judge the best trade stands and best kept dairy stalls at the event.
Bluetongue
The NI Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) confirmed over the weekend that a new suspected bluetongue case had been identified on a farm in Co. Down.
Vets in Northern Ireland were investigating the suspect case of the virus in a cow near Greyabbey on Saturday (December 6).
No futher update has been provided by DAERA on those tests.
