Across the four days of Balmoral Show there is a consistent flow of competitions, displays and events, which showcase the very best of local agriculture.

In the main livestock competition schedule, there are over 70 different prizes on offer to exhibitors of sheep, beef, dairy and pigs, as well as rabbits and eggs. The only farm animal missing is poultry, after RUAS announced in February 2025 there would be no poultry classes at this years’ show amid uncertainty caused by avian influenza.

In the sheep section, there are competitions across 23 different breeds, while for beef cattle there are 11 breeds listed. In dairy, prizes are on offer across the four main breeds of Holstein, Jersey, Ayrshire and Dairy Shorthorn. There are young handler competitions across sheep, beef, dairy, goats and pigs.

Shearing

Aside from livestock showing, there is also a packed itinerary in the shearing pavilion across all four days, culminating in the open final of the international sheep shearing championships on the Saturday afternoon.

Plan

For those with a particular interest in certain sectors, many of the main beef classes tend to be on a Wednesday, with Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster (YFCU) activities on a Thursday and the main dairy classes on a Friday.

On the Saturday there are various young handler competitions followed by a cattle parade in the main arena in the afternoon.