The Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS) has announced that there will be no poultry classes at this year’s Balmoral Show.

The show is set to take place from 13 to 16 May 2026 in partnership with Ulster Bank.

RUAS said that the decision has been made on the back of uncertainty on when any ban on bird gatherings may be lifted.

ADVERTISEMENT

However, the show will feature a display of birds from the same flock during the four days of the show, alongside the popular egg and decorated egg classes.

Poultry gathering ban

A ban on the gatherings of poultry, galliforme (including pheasants, partridge, quail, chickens, turkey and guinea fowl) and anseriforme (including ducks, geese and swans) has been in force since 4 March 2026, when a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza was detected on a commercial poultry premises near Omagh, Co Tyrone.