Balmoral venue for inaugural calf fair and beef expo on November 14

The Balmoral Showgrounds in Belfast is set to stage a multi-breed beef calf show and industry forum on Saturday 14th November.

Billed as the first of its kind in Ireland, the one-day show will be known as Pedigree Calf Fair @ Beef NI Expo 2015, and is organised in partnership with the Livestock and Meat Commission and the National Beef Association.

The schedule features classes for ten beef breeds, both native and continental, and also includes showmanship classes for handlers 12 to 25-years-old. Judging will commence at 10.00am, and with two showrings operational throughout the day, and separate judges for each breed, the event will reach a climax with a parade of champions at approximately 4.00pm.

Prize money in each class includes: 1st £100, 2nd £75, 3rd £50, 4th £30, 5th £20, 6th £10.

The event has attracted sponsorship from Tesco, Crystalyx, Isuzu, HVS, and Bovipast RSP, and will give pedigree breeders from throughout the province an opportunity to showcase their high-calibre beef calves.

The Simmental section includes six classes for calves born on or after 1st September 2014, and will be judged by Scotsman Hector MacAskill from the Woodhall Herd based at Innerwick, Dunbar, East Lothian.

Entries close on Saturday 17th October.

Schedules, entry forms and trade exhibitor information is available to download from the website: www.pcf-beef-expo.co.uk .

Alternatively, contact chairman David Connolly on 07920 599422, or secretary Ann Orr on 028 6634 2967.