With the entries all in and cattle exhibitors preparing their stock, the 36th Royal Ulster Winter Fair gets underway next Thursday, December 8 at Balmoral Park, Lisburn.

The Winter Fair, solely sponsored by Danske Bank, returns to the Eikon Exhibition Centre from 9am to 5pm. 

This one-day event has become a firm favourite in the agricultural calendar in the run up to Christmas, having established itself as the meeting place for the dairy industry in Ireland.

There are many classes being judged throughout the day.

These include the Showmanship Classes for young exhibitors. These start off with the class for juniors under 13 years, continuing with the Intermediate class for 13-15 years, senior class for 16-20 years and mature class for 21-26 years.

The breed sections then continue starting with the Dairy Shorthorns with Classes 5-8 for maiden heifer, heifer in milk, junior cow in milk and senior cow in milk.

The Jersey section will have classes 9-13 for maiden heifer, heifer in calf, heifer in milk, junior cow in milk and senior cow in milk.

The Ayrshire section will run from class 14-18 again for heifers and cows in calf and milk.

The Holstein section is the largest of all running from class 19-29 for heifers, junior, intermediate and senior heifers and cows at various stages of lactations.

For all the breed sections there will be special prizes given.

This year’s Royal Ulster Winter Fair will have 200 trade stands and an expected 5,000 people attending over the one-day event.