The Royal Ulster Agricultural Society’s decision in 2012 to move Balmoral Show from its home of 107 years, beside Kings Hall, to a totally new site at The Maze, near Lisburn, has well and truly paid off.

No wonder when I spoke with the society’s new chief executive Alan Crowe at last week’s 150th anniversary running of the event he was in a very positive and optimistic mood.

“The correctness of that decision to move is borne out by the number of visitors we are attracting to the show.

That last year we had to go to four days is based on the fact that the site is central to all directions. We have visitors from all over the island.

In relation to the size of the site, he added that at the Kings Hall they had 32 acres while in the new Balmoral Park they are operating on 65 acres, not counting the car park which accommodates 4,000 vehicles.

During the final years at the old Belfast venue, they were catering for about 65,000 visitors over three days. This has now mushroomed to over 115,000 and growing.

“Everybody has room to breathe. There is a great buzz out there – a celebration of the excellence of Irish agriculture and of family,” he declared with the enthusiasm of a man that took up this new challenge as CE just three and a half months ago.

Over the past year a huge new hall has been added to the Eikon Exhibition Centre which was opened two years ago.

The addition is named for Dr Ernie Logan, who during his lifetime was very much involved to show jumping sponsorship. On the day I visited, it housed over 500 animals entered for the showing classes.

Surface praised

Among show jumpers there has been high praise for the superb quality of surface in the grass main arena.

Well known pocket steward John Chambers put this in context when he told me: “I have officiated at two Olympic Games and the arena we have here surpasses both of them. It is great in any weather.”

Alan Crowe concurred: “It is a top-level grass venue for the whole of the island. We are very much going to look at greater use of it, particularly for international show jumping.

Once the show is over, I will be having loads of conversations with a lot of people to see how we can develop all of our activities and that would include equestrian events.

Asked about possible increase in prize money for the main jumping classes, he said: “I am not closing my eyes to anything. We have to see what is deliverable at what I see as an international hub of excellence.”

We will eagerly watch this space since Ireland is in need of one more major international show jumping event.

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