Balmoral Show 2024: Thousands enjoy day three of Northern Ireland's largest agri-food event

Rhonda Geary, Group Operations Director at the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society, is thrilled with the show so far.

"The weather has been much, much better than expected and the crowds are coming in by their thousands here today again,” she said.

She believes the numbers attending are well on their way to the target of 100,000 over four days.

Some of the highlights on day three, she said, are dairy judging, the popular sheepdog display, the Clydesdale horses in the equine section and the finale of the international show jumping.

The 155th annual show has some 4000 head of livestock this year, with over 500 trade stands on the 55 acres site, the Eikon Centre outside Lisburn.

This year the show features a new Sustainability Village in the annex building, which will provide myriad advice on how to reduce household waste and be more energy efficient.

The Northern Ireland School of Falconry returns this year, as does the jaw-dropping Bolddog Lings motorcycle display team.

The horticultural area includes many trade stands, garden features, cookery demonstrations and planting demonstrations for fruit and veg.

There is the usual full programme of livestock competitions, showjumping classes and sheep shearing.

But this year will also display what happens after the shearing, with the Six Nations wool handling competition, showing how the wool is handled, prepared and rolled up to be taken away for processing.

The very popular NI Food and Drink drink pavilion returns with over 100 producers of local artisan foods and drinks.

And the Eikon Shopping Village features, as usual, beautiful local crafts, jewellery and clothes.

Translink is encouraging visitors to travel by bus or train with a free shuttle bus from Lisburn Train Station taking them directly to the show. See www.translink.co.uk/balmoralshow and www.balmoralshow.co.uk