David Cunningham has been appointed as Deputy President of the Royal Ulstert Agricultural Society on eve of Balmoral Show
Killinchy businessman David Cunningham is looking forward to a busy few days at the upcoming Balmoral Show located at the Eikon Centre near Lisburn.
He has been appointed as the Deputy Chair of the Royal Agricultural Society and will serve for two years.
David Cunningham, an IT consultant and web designer, has been a Life Member of the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society since 1964.
The Cunningham family can trace their RUAS connection back for five generations. His grandfather, Lt Col James Cunningham OBE VL was President from 1964-67 and his father, Roly Cunningham, was President from 2002-04.
David has stewarded in the horse rings since the 1970’s and in the 1980’s began to focus his attention solely on the Main Arena.
In 2003 he became Chief Arena Steward at the Balmoral Show and took on responsibility for recruiting and training an excellent team of arena stewards.
David was elected to Council in 2002 when he joined the Horse Committee followed by the Show Jumping Sub Committee and Show Safety Committee, which he chaired from 2008-13. He is actively involved in showing cattle and sheep at Balmoral Show and often cites the Cattle Parade in the Main Arena as his annual Show highlight.
A graduate of CAFRE’s Greenmount Campus, David was involved in the family printing business for many years before setting up his own IT business which he still runs.
David has served on the Board of Horse Sport Ireland and represented Northern Ireland at the Federation of Small Business nationally.
Also, he is active in the Irish Long Distance Riding Association sitting on its Board and Regional Committees for many years, and served as Chef D’Equipe of the Irish Home International team for a number of years.
Married to Julie and with a grown-up family, David will act as RUAS Deputy President for the next two years.
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The Balmoral Show 2024
Come Join the Fun at the Balmoral Show 2024
Northern Ireland’s pinnacle agri-food event is just around the corner as the 155th Balmoral Show, in partnership with Ulster Bank, will return to the:
Eikon Exhibition Centre, Lisburn,
from Wednesday 15th to Saturday 18th May 2024.
As always, the Show is sure to be bustling with families, foodies, and farmers as they come together to celebrate award-winning livestock and mouth-watering local food and drink, not to mention a host of family friendly entertainment across the packed programme.
This year the Main Arena will play host to the thrilling Bolddog Lings Motorcycle Display Team, Pony Club Games, a full programme of show jumping classes and the spectacle of the Cattle Parade as the fitting finale to the Show.
The Show is renowned as a fantastic day out for families and the new Children’s Area will be a hive of activity across the 4-day event.
Located beside the Poultry and Rabbit pavilions, the Kidz Farm will host an array of animals from the farmyard to more tropical climates, giving children the opportunity to learn about their different natural habitats.
The exciting new Glenarm Castle Mini Land Rover Experience, sponsored by NFU Mutual, will allow future farmers to get into the driving seat and explore the bespoke adventure trail alongside their parents.
For older children, there will also be a climbing wall to challenge even the most adventurous visitors.
With new wood carving demonstrations taking place in the Healthy Horticulture Area and sheep dog displays in the Cattle Lawns, there really is something for everyone across the vast showgrounds.
The 2024 Balmoral Show will also debut the new Strategic Power Connect Sustainability Village within the Annex building. With a focus on the future and becoming more sustainable, visitors will be able to tap into expert knowledge on household energy bills and more efficient solutions.
As always, keen shoppers will be spoilt for choice as they browse hundreds of stands within the popular Makers’ Market and Eikon Shopping Village.
For food enthusiasts the Show wouldn’t be complete without the tantalising tastes of the NI Food & Drink Pavilion as well as the catering areas across the showgrounds.
From mini tasters to food on the go and cooking demonstrations within the Pavilion, food lovers can enjoy an array of treats and tastes each day.
As is tradition, animals and agriculture will remain at the heart of the Show and visitors can expect to see over 3,000 head of livestock across the highly competitive classes.
The calibre and quality of entries year on year is a testament to the exceptional quality of local produce in Northern Ireland and the competitive spirit only adds to the excitement across the showgrounds.
Rhonda Geary, RUAS Group Operations Director said: “We can’t wait to welcome everyone back for the 155th Balmoral Show this May!
“The legendary ‘Balmoral Buzz’ is already evident across the showgrounds and with so much to see and do, this year’s Show is set to be a special one as the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society celebrates its 170th anniversary.
“From exceptional livestock to fantastic local food and electrifying entertainment, the Show really does have it all!”
This year’s Show will take place from Wednesday 15th to Saturday 18th May at the Eikon Exhibition Centre, Lisburn.
Come along and visit us this year, whether you’re from the city or countryside, a first-time visitor or repeat show-goer, we hope to see you there.
All tickets must be purchased online at:
To find out more about the 2024 Show follow us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok
