Key date in the show calendar approaching as farming community gears up for Charleville
Supreme champion cow at Charleville Agricultural Show 2023, with winning owners John, Brian and Clodagh O'Connor, with handler Paul Murphy and judge Graham Kirby.
With a wide variety of events and attractions to suit all, the Charleville Agricultural Show committee is gearing up to welcome thousands of rural and urban people alike to its event at the end of June.
According to the committee, the number of sections in the show is increasing each year and the show now covers 70 acres with ample offroad parking to accommodate all its visitors.
Show chairman Billy Biggane said that "there is something for everyone to enjoy" at the two-day event on June 29 and 30.
"The pets corner will attract all the young people, horses and ponies go through their paces both days, and a farm advisory clinic on Saturday and a health and wellbeing advisory clinic - both will be major attractions and relevant in the times we live in," Mr Biggane said.
"Over the next four years, the Agriculture Minister has announced that €250,000 will be invested in the grassroots showing sector with the rolling out of a brand new class aimed at showcasing the best of beef breeding heifers and Charleville, [which has] a very strong beef section, will benefit greatly from this.
"I look forward to meeting and welcoming everyone to our show at the showgrounds on the N20, south of the town of Charleville."
The show was established in 1979 and the cost of running the show that year was €22,000 - compared to last year when the show cost in excess of €250,000 to stage, according to the show's committee.
The judging of the dairy section will take place on Saturday, June 29, with a total of 20 classes, including the Irish Holstein Friesian Association Young Members Association Showmanship League 2024.
This year’s classes are for pedigree Holstein and Jersey cattle.
A highlight of the day will be the judging of the all-Ireland junior cow confined to second calvers with a prize fund of €2,000 sponsored by Kerry Agri.
The total prize money in this section is in the region of €11,000.
There is a wide variety of beef classes at the show – Limousin, Belgian Blue, Charolais, Simmental, Angus, Hereford, Salers, and commercial cattle will all be competing.
The Munster Branch of the Irish Hereford Breed Society will hold its Munster heifer and bull of the year competition.
Among a number of other important competitions, the Aldi All-Ireland Bull Calf Championships 2024 in association with ABP and the Irish Angus Cattle Society will have a prize fund of €31,500.
The sheep classes at the show will be judged on Sunday, June 30, starting at noon.
The Irish Texel Sheep Society will host its national championship.
Judging of the other pedigree classes of Charollais, Vendéen, Texel, any other pedigree breed and commercial cross-bred sheep will be at the same time.
The pedigree showing classes consist of ram and ewe classes of various ages while the commercial classes concentrate on breeding females and lambs for the butcher and factory trade.
