Experience Country Life at Randox Antrim Show
Experience Country Life at Randox Antrim Show
A host of family-friendly country fun will descend on the majestic setting of Shane’s Castle on Saturday 27th July as Randox Antrim Show comes to town.
The event offers an enjoyable day out in the country as the best horses, cattle, sheep, fruit, vegetables, craftwork and baked goods are brought to one location for a public showcase. It also involves children’s entertainment, dog agility displays, a petting zoo, live music, sheep shearing, and stalls, to name just a few of the things made possible by the support of many sponsors, including that from Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.
In the ‘Festival of Food’ marquee local produce will be promoted by celebrity chef Paula McIntryre and local chef Jonny Clarke from The Holestone, Parkgate, who will be hosting cookery demonstrations throughout the day. They’ll be joined by local food producers keen for the public to sample their wares.
The show is indebted to the Northern Ireland Regional Food Programme for providing sponsorship in this area, which has also enabled, in conjunction with the McKeever Hotel Group, a schools’ competition to promote local produce. The top three entrants in the primary and secondary sections receive complimentary access to the event to discover who won.
Randox Antrim Show is an event where children and pets are welcome. The popular Children’s Pet Show accepts £1 entries from U16s on the day, just ahead of the 1.30pm judging in the cattle ring with the ‘Pet Show’ sign. Note, large animals may be refused entry for health and safety reasons. A free Children’s Treasure Hunt for U12s has also recently been introduced.
The entertainment marquee is home to live music and the jiving competition that annually crowns the Show’s ‘King & Queen of the Castle.’ The show’s entertainment is made possible by support from the Enkalon Foundation. For the winning jiving couple there is a cash prize of £200 on offer, £100 for second and £50 for third place. Entries are taken on the day of the show.
In the Horticulture and Home Industries section, as well as a new ‘Jim McKay Trophy’ for best exhibitor in the vegetable section, there is a new Young Farmers’ Clubs Craft class to make a ‘Kitchen Memo Board’. The section includes a range of new classes including some in Photography.
As one of Northern Ireland’s leading regional one-day agricultural shows, Antrim is delighted to be hosting four Northern Ireland championships in its cattle section: The Thompson’s NISA Dairy Cow Championship; the Aberdeen Angus Ulster Championship; the Dexter Group’s Premier Show; and the Northern Ireland Limousin Championship.
Visit the show’s website for the full schedule and ultimate close date for entries, however, entries for the horticulture section are still accepted up until Friday 26 July by contacting that section direct on 075 2609 9966. Only show jumping classes (and in exceptional circumstances other equine classes) can be entered on the day of the Show. For enquiries email secretary@antrimshow.com.
Randox Antrim Show takes place on Saturday 27 July at Shanes Castle, from 9am until 5pm. Admission at the gate is £10 per Adult, £5 per Youth (12-17 years), YFC member is £5 by showing card, and Under 12s go free when accompanied by a paying adult. Car parking is free. Discounted Adult tickets are available only in advance until 25 July on the show website.
For further information about the Randox Antrim Show please contact the Randox PR team by emailing randoxpr@randox.com or phoning 028 9442 2413.
Over 100 Dairy Cows put down following Ergotism Outbreak in New Zealand
This week over 100 cows on a farm in New Zealand had to be put down after digesting fungus from an infected feed supply. The herd in the Southland and Otago regions was suffering from ergot toxicity. Randox Food Diagnostics have developed the only test for this fungus on the market, which can protect your animals from injury or death.
Ergot Alkaloids are a naturally occurring fungus most commonly found in grains and grasses. Produced by a group of fungi called the Claviceps species, they infect seed heads of plants during the flowering period. The fungus replaces the developing grain with toxic ergot. The dry summer and wet autumn this year provided the optimum growing conditions for the fungus.
Typically, it causes lameness and swelling of the fetlocks and hock joints but in the most severe cases animals can lose tips of their tails, or ears or even their hooves. As in this case, it can result in animals being put down.
While all animals are at risk of contracting ergot, it is most commonly found in cattle.
According to the report, VetSouth Winton veterinarian Hayden Dore confirmed four cases have been reported in Southland and South Otago with a large number of infected cows.
“Over time it effectively causes one or more of the limbs to become gangrenous. Signs of ergot toxicity generally start with a disinterest in feed, before moving to lameness in the limbs, which presented similarly to foot rot, but without the separation of the toes. Once the limbs go cold from lack of blood supply, it would take about a week before the limbs began to fall off,” he said.
“One herd with 900 milking cows had around 130 cows infected by the poisonous fungus, with subsequently 61 of them being put down.”
Testing for Ergot Alkaloids
Randox Food Diagnostics offer the only array on the market to test for Ergot Alkaloids. Validated for flour and seed, the ELISA test offers excellent limits of detection for the toxin Ergotamine at 1ppb.
Click here for more information on the Ergot Alkaloid ELISA kit or email info@randoxfooddiagnostics.com and your area’s Business Development Executive will contact you.
Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs visits Randox Antrim Show
With 111 years of events under its belt, the Antrim Agricultural Show is one of the longest running and most highly regarded of Northern Ireland’s regional agricultural shows.
Now in its 112th year, and with the backing of a new title sponsor in the form of Antrim-headquartered Randox Laboratories, the show has drawn in its largest crowd to date, with thousands of guests turning up for the Randox Antrim Show 2017, held in Shane’s Castle on Saturday 22nd July.
A special guest to this year’s event was Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Michael Gove, visiting the Randox Antrim Show to show his support for the local farming community. During his visit to the popular agricultural show, Mr. Gove stopped by the Randox marquee to chat to Managing Director Dr. Peter FitzGerald, and Senior Manager Mark Campbell, about the company’s patented Biochip Array Technology.
With applications in human health, animal health, and food safety, the Biochip has revolutionised the diagnostics industry because it allows multiple tests to be carried out from a single sample on a single testing platform. Of particular interest to the Secretary of State and to the guests in attendance at this year’s Randox Antrim Show, was the Mycotoxin Biochip, capable of detecting all ten of the world’s most prevalent toxins in animal feed.
Stuart Penrose, Global Marketing Manager for the Randox Biochip, commented;
“Not only does the Randox Antrim Show offer us the opportunity to support the local community in which Randox has grown and flourished over the years, but through this partnership we can also offer that very same community the very latest in diagnostic technology to keep their livestock safe, happy, and importantly, healthy. What your animal eats plays a huge role in their health so with Randox Food Diagnostics you can rest assured that what you are giving your livestock is of the highest quality.”
Also on offer in the Randox marquee at the Randox Antrim Show was a free health analysis, conducted by the Randox Health team. Guests to the tent had the opportunity to find out their true body age – determined by weight, height, blood pressure, fat distribution and muscle distribution, among other measurements taken by a member of the team from Randox Health, the world’s most comprehensive and personalised health screening programme.
Designed to determine the status of your current health, but also to map out your future health, Randox Health constantly works to keep your body healthy. Unlike any other health care, Randox Health doesn’t wait until you are sick to make you better. Hundreds of guests at the Randox Antrim Show queued up in their droves to find out more, and so can you. Simply click here.
For more information about the Randox Antrim Show, please contact Randox PR: email randoxpr@randox.com or phone 028 9442 2413.
Randox announced as the principal sponsor for the 2017 Causeway Coast and Glens Business Awards
Causeway Chamber of Commerce has announced Randox as the principal sponsor for the 2017 Causeway Coast and Glens Business Awards. The awards were officially launched today, Friday 2 June, at Dundarave Estate.
The awards are organised bi-annually by Causeway Chamber of Commerce and demonstrate the very best of business from across the region, highlighting the positive contribution that businesses make to the economy and to society as a whole.
Dr Peter FitzGerald, founder and MD of Randox, said:
“We are delighted to be sponsoring these awards for the first time, as they play a very important role in the Borough and beyond. One of the most important things the private sector can do is to celebrate and support each other. By highlighting our achievements and innovations we can inspire and motivate others, as well as increase our reach beyond these shores.”
Anthony Newman, President of Causeway Chamber, said:
“The awards have been in place since 2005 and since their conception they have prospered and become the leading event of their kind in the Borough. The Chamber Awards recognise and celebrate the contribution of businesses to their local community and the wider economy. Within our Borough we have dynamic companies that are making a positive contribution to their local communities and finding new markets for their products and services at home and further afield. Our awards acknowledge the relentless efforts of these businesses and their talented employees and it is great to see the mix of businesses at the awards, representing sectors from services to manufacturing to retail.”
Companies can enter into eighteen categories, covering business growth, new business, people development, customer service, innovation and life time achievement.
The full list of categories this year is:
- Best Tourism Attraction/Service of the Year Award sponsored by TOURISM IRELAND
- Accommodation Provider of the Year sponsored by FIRST TRUST BANK
- Training & Development Award sponsored by ULSTER UNIVERSITY
- Innovation Award sponsored by CAUSEWAY COAST & GLENS BOROUGH COUNCIL
- Retailer of the Year Award sponsored by AUTOLINE INSURANCE GROUP
- Health & Wellbeing Award sponsored by PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY
- Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility Award sponsored by RIADA RESOURCING
- Small Business of the Year Award sponsored by BANK OF IRELAND
- Green Business Award sponsored by FIRMUS ENERGY
- The Creative Industries Award sponsored by ULSTER BANK
- Social Enterprise of the Year Award sponsored by MC DONALDS
- AgriBusiness of the Year Award sponsored by ATG GROUP LTD
- Best Start up Business Award sponsored by CAUSEWAY ENTERPRISE AGENCY
- Business Growth Award sponsored by DANSKE BANK
- Best New Product / Service of the Year Award sponsored by ARMSTRONG MEDICAL
- Lifetime Achievement Award sponsored by CAUSEWAY COAST AND GLENS BOROUGH COUNCIL
- Best Young Person in Business Award sponsored by NORTHERN REGIONAL COLLEGE
- Good Food Award sponsored by ELECTRIC IRELAND
The closing date for entries is Friday 21 July with entrants being assessed and the finalists announced in August 2017.
We are delighted that Sarah Travers will return to compere the Awards ceremony which will take place on Friday 29 September at Ulster University, Coleraine. This is now a major event in the Borough’s social calendar, so put that date in your diary now. The Chamber promises an excellent evening so come along, network and most importantly help us celebrate and reward all that is the best in business in the Borough.
To view the award categories, please visit www.causewaycoastandglensbusinessawards.com or for further information please contact Randox PR on 028 9445 1016 or email RandoxPR@randox.com
Randox announced as Antrim Show’s first title sponsor
Antrim Agricultural Society and Randox Laboratories have announced they’ve agreed a three-year deal whereby Randox will be the new title sponsor of the annual Antrim Show.
The Randox Antrim Show will take place this year on Saturday 22nd July at Shanes Castle, Antrim.
With 111 years of events under its belt, Antrim Show is one of the longest running and most highly regarded of Northern Ireland’s regional agricultural shows. It is a showcase of country life with an eclectic mix that includes the best of the best livestock competitions, equine events, local food and rural crafts, set amongst stalls, marquees and family entertainment.
Randox is one of the most important businesses in Northern Ireland. For over 35 years, it has been committed to transforming global healthcare. A world-leading medical diagnostics manufacturer, its products and services are used in hospitals, universities and laboratories in 145 countries. Spearheading the drive towards preventive healthcare, it opened Randox Health clinics across the UK to offer its diagnostic expertise directly to the public. Headquartered in Crumlin, Randox recently invested over £161m on Randox Science Park, redeveloping the former Masserene Barracks in Antrim into a state-of-the-art R&D, engineering and manufacturing hub.
Welcoming this show of support from Randox, a neighbouring company of the Show, Fred Duncan, Chairman of Antrim Agricultural Society, said:
“This partnership with Randox offers us a fantastic and refreshing opportunity to enhance our marketing plans as well as add to the Show’s offering of activities. We welcome the return of regular visitors and newcomers to enjoy our fun packed day in the country that we offer within the beautiful setting of the Shanes Castle Estate.
“Antrim Agricultural Society is a not for profit organisation. It’s thanks only to the support of sponsors and the hard work and dedication of a team of volunteers that the Show can continue to go from strength to strength.”
Randox is also well-known for its veterinary division and in line with its new commitment to equine events, through its sponsorship of the Randox Health Grand National, is developing a leading equine health programme. Show-goers are guaranteed an eye-opening experience when they visit the interactive stands at the Randox Health marquee at Shanes Castle on the 22nd July.
Randox’s Founder and Managing Director, Dr Peter FitzGerald, said:
“This partnership means a great deal to Randox and we’re delighted to work with the very committed team behind this event. Our success is in no small way down to the support we’ve received from the local community and the people who work with us, and we believe that it’s vital to give back wherever possible. This is one way of the ways we are doing that and we’re all looking forward to the very first Randox Antrim Show.”
Coinciding with the news of this valuable support from Randox, the Show has unveiled a new logo as part of a rebrand that will also include an update of the website in time for the opening of competition entries in the early half of June. To stay up to date with Randox Antrim Show’s news, visit www.facebook.com/AntrimShow.
For more information about the Randox Antrim Show please contact Randox PR on 028 9445 1016 or email RandoxPR@randox.com
