The show was officially launched at a sumptuous Sponsors' Reception generously hosted by the Mayor of Antrim Borough Council on a glorious evening in the beautiful surroundings of Shane's Castle's Carriage Room where the guests enjoyed a splendid supper prepared by Allen Park Restaurant.
The new site at Shane's Castle is more spacious so the Society have added a couple of sections to their already jam packed schedule.
Beef Shorthorn classes have been included for the first time thanks to generous support from Maizetech and SAMCO Ltd. James Porter has offered to put up a cup for this section and prize money for the Best Beef Shorthorn Pairs. It is hoped that this Section will attract a good deal of interest to establish it in the Antrim Show Schedule.
Novice classes have been added to the Holstein section thanks to increased sponsorship from Firmount Veterinary Clinic.
Now that space is available the Society are very pleased to be able to run Working Hunter Horse & Pony competitions again. The generous Working Hunter prize fund of £1000 would not be possible without the support of sponsors Clonkeen Equestrian Supplies, Dunadry Hotel & Country Club and McCavana Timber Frame Homes Ltd.
Miniature Horse exhibitors will have the opportunity to take part in classes which could make them eligible for the MHCGB Miniature Horse National Championship Show. These extra classes and qualifiers and the prizes and trophies offered by Glenhollow Stud, Norman Graham Re-Design Specialist and Warwick Engineering will hopefully attract an increased number of exhibitors
Very soon the comprehensive and enticing Antrim Show Schedule will be delivered. To avoid disappointment entries for inclusion in the Catalogue should be submitted by July 1 at the latest. Only Equestrian, Horticultural & Childrens Pet Show entries can be taken up to and including Show Day. If you have not competed at Antrim Show before and would like to ensure you receive a full schedule for this year's Show contact Linda on 9084 9466 or antrimshowsec@hotmail.com.
Show Chairman, James Clements welcomed the excellent crowd to the Carriage Room and conveyed the Society's thanks to Antrim Borough Council, Shane's Castle and all the sponsors, supporters and stewards present.
Linda Davis, Show Secretary in her Show Launch report added: "We are greatly indebted to the council for their assistance both financial and practical through their long association with our Society. To Shane's Castle who have provided the excellent venue and to Allen Park Restaurant for putting on a delicious spread, we express our most grateful thanks.
"Without the generous support of our sponsors Antrim Show would not be financially viable. We hope the impressive array of awards and prizes in our Schedule, made possible through the support of our Sponsors will continue to attract many exhibitors to come and exhibit their livestock, retaining our reputation as one of the top One Day Agricultural events in the province."
Cattle Section
In the Cattle Section the Northern Ireland British Blue Club bring the final of their very successful Heifer Derby again. Antrim is again a qualifier for the Ulster Bank/NISA Pedigree Beef Cow Championship 2009, the Semex Dairy Cow of the Year Competition and the Tesco Rare Breeds Cattle Derby. Points can also be accumulated at Antrim show in the Ayrshire, Blonde, British Blue, Jersey & Limousin sections.
The show welcomes Fane Valley Co-op Society as sponsors of the Holstein Championship and classes and are also grateful to Firmount Veterinary Clinic for increasing their sponsorship to cover the new Holstein Novice Classes.
The Champion Inter Breed Dairy Exhibitors will benefit from sponsorship from Northern Bank and Genus ABS. While Moores Animal Feeds look after the Heifer Championship, Semex NI supply the best pairs with vouchers and McLarnon Feeds finance the prizes for the top groups.
The Ayrshire Section benefits from generous sponsorship from John Thompson & Sons Ltd, Ulster Ayrshire Cattle Club and OB Construction. The Holstein classes are supported financially by Emerald Isle Recycle and OB Construction. The Champion Ayrshire & Holstein go home even happier thanks to Robert A Duncan & Co. who are again sponsoring a Pollocks standard brush. In the Jersey Section Thornton Roofing are providing cash prizes for the Champion & Reserve Jersey while the classes are sponsored by the Templeton Hotel.
AI Services are giving more exhibitors a bite at the cherry by offering vouchers to the Ayrshire, Holstein & Jersey exhibitors with the highest accumulated points in each of the Dairy breeds.
New for 2009 at Antrim, will be Beef Shorthorn classes thanks to generous support from Maizetech and SAMCO Ltd. James Porter has offered to put up a cup for this section and prize money for the Best Beef Shorthorn Pairs. Hopefully this Section will attract a good deal of interest to establish it in the Antrim Show Schedule.
Beefing up the rewards in the Beef Section is Ulster Bank who generously sponsors the Supreme Pedigree Beef Champion. George Hamilton Machinery ensures that the winners in the Beef Stakes & Beef Heifer Derby go home well rewarded. The Beef Breed Classes are boosted by support from A Hyde Farm Feeds, Christies Direct, Crumlin Insurance Partnership, Dorepoll Herefords, Ernest Hall Menswear & Dress Hire, Frank Warwick Agricultural Merchants, J A McClelland & Sons, Macrete (Ireland) Ltd, Marquess Farm Meats, McCormack Family Butchers, Mel Lucas UPVC Windows and Doors, NI Limousin Cattle Club, Randox Laboratories Ltd, The Meat Joint, Warwick Engineering NI Ltd and W J Ervine Bitmac Contractors.
Sheep & Goats
The top sheep in the country should be flocking to Antrim as they are again host to the Northern Ireland Blue-faced Leicester Ram Classification and Progeny Show as well as the Mules Progeny Show helped along by sponsorship from The Blue-Faced Leicester Sheep Breeders' Association. In the Sheep Section Antrim is a qualifier for the Cydectin Young Handler of the Year, Tesco Rare Breeds Sheep Derby. Points can also be attained towards the Border Leicester Exhibitor of the Year Award, A T Robinson Perpetual Trophy in the Charollais classes, the Ile de France Breeders Cup and the Rouge De L'Ouest Show Flock of the Year.
The prizes in the Sheep Section are something to "bleat" about thanks to sponsorship from Northern Bank for the Champion of Champions, John Thompsons Ltd for the top groups and Greenmount Country Stores who have come on board to provide the prize money for the best pairs. In addition the breed classes attract support from A Hyde Farm Feeds, Campbell & Hoy, Firmount Veterinary Clinic, GDF Constructions, J J & S E McBride Vets, Ballycastle, McLarnon Feeds, NI Texel Sheep Breeders Club, Ollardale Ltd, Randox Laboratories Ltd, Ulster Bank and Warwick Engineering.
The Goat Section was greatly increased in 2008, so hopefully entries will be as good if not better this year at Shane's Castle.
Young Handlers
Interbreed Young Handler Competitions were first run at Antrim's Centenary Show and thanks to sponsorship from Northern Bank these will run again for the Dairy and Beef sections. Geoffrey Fleck - GDF Construction generously provides the prize money for the Sheep Young Handlers, both sponsors realising the benefits in encouraging the show stars of the future.
Horses & Ponies
The splendid venue at Shane's Castle affords a little more space, so this year Antrim Show are very pleased to be able to run Working Hunter Horse & Pony competitions, this would not be possible without the support of our sponsors Clonkeen Equestrian Supplies, Dunadry Hotel & Country Club and McCavana Timber Frame Homes Ltd.
The rest of the equestrian schedules sees Corbo Property Developments sponsoring the Supreme Champion & Reserve In Hand and Castledawson Pharmacy are ensuring the Champion Cob and Reserve go home better off, while Danny Kinahan Fine Art sponsors the Champion & Reserve Hunter. The Irish Draught Horse Society is continuing sponsoring excellent prize and appearance money for their foal class. While Dennison Commercials Ltd supports the Thoroughbred section. Antrim is a qualifying show for the County Londonderry Horse Breeding Society Clydesdale/NISA Championship 2009.
After an excellent turnout in 2008 Antrim are again running classes affiliated to the British Miniature Horse Society, competitors this year will also have the opportunity to qualify for the Miniature Horse Association of Ireland Championship Show and take part in classes which could make them eligible for the MHCGB Miniature Horse National Championship Show. These extra classes and qualifiers and the prizes and trophies offered by Glenhollow Stud, Norman Graham Re-Design Specialist and Warwick Engineering will hopefully attract an increased number of exhibitors; they always prove popular with the spectators.
The Pony section also had a very successful revamp last year to include Show Hunter Pony and Mountain & Moorland Classes. The Family Pony classes have also been extended and will include a small obstacle course to test the ponies "bomb proof" qualities. Prizes for the champions in the Pony classes are being provided by Laurel View Equestrian Centre.
The Society is delighted to welcome back the Pony Club Games to Antrim Show after a successful debut in 2008. Mervyn Turtle, Antrim have joined as sponsors of this fast paced crowd pleaser.
The Show Jumping events should be well supported thanks to the tremendous prize fund provided by Easi Park, F G Dubois & Co, Islandbawn Stores and Stonebridge Horse Feeds. The fund has been further boosted this year by Gamble Photography joining the sponsors allowing the Show to organise events to attract a wide range of riders. Home Industries, Horticulture & Schools
In the Home Industries and Horticulture marquee there is always great competition and a fabulous array of exhibits. The strong competition in the Schools section looks set to continue with "In the Garden" being the theme this year. The Show is greatly indebted to Colemans Garden Centre, Logwood Plant Centre, Standing Stone Potatoes and Tesco, Antrim for their sponsorship in this marquee.
Sponsorship of all varieties has and will be gratefully received, supporting the show for the first time this year are Bairds Funeral Service Ballyclare, Glenburn Veterinary Surgeons who have increased their contribution to offer sponsorship this year and Norman McCammond, Parkgate. Other sponsors promising or providing support to Antrim Show to date are Bairds of Antrim, Ballymena Meats, DARD, Five Corners Guest Inn, Glenfarm Holdings Limited, Harman Fine Furnishers, McBurney Heating & Plumbing Ltd, McCombe Bros (Antrim) Ltd., NFU Mutual - Kernohan, McConnell & Kelly, O'Rorke, McDonald & Tweed, Ballyclare, P&O European Ferries (Irish Sea) Limited, Pollyanna Giftware Specialists, Ross Farm Supplies, S R & W J Johnston, Agricultural Contractors and T H Duffin.