One of the country’s longest continuously running agricultural shows, the Ossory Show, will take place at Coolfin, Rathdowney in Co. Laois on Sunday, July 23, from 11:00a.m.
With 287 classes and challenging Tullamore Show for quality cattle according to its organising committee, the 125th show will feature seven all-Ireland cattle classes.
Classes include the FBD Belgian Blue All-Ireland Pedigree Calf Class; Ashbourne Meats All-Ireland Pedigree Belgian Blue Breeding Heifer; AIB All-Ireland Inter Breed Calf Class; Tirlan/Gain All-Ireland Holstein Calf Championship; Mockler and Corcoran Veterinary All-Ireland Commercial Calf Class; Chanelle Animal Health All-Ireland Commercial Breeding Heifer; FBD All-Ireland Crossbred Belgian Blue Championship; Meadow Meats Super Beef Bullock and Meadow Meats Super Beef Heifer.
Sheep classes are also a key part of the packed programme. They include Suffolk, Texel and Charollais, Beltex and commercial sheep.
The McCartney Cup will be presented to the champion Beltex while the Sheep Champion of the Show will take the Ossory Perpetual Cup.
There will be a €3,500 prize fund for the All-Ireland T.I.H. Hunter Brood Mare-registered championship, supported by Friends of Ossory.
Also featuring will be the Ladies Side Saddle Ossory Show €400 Working Hunter Champion, nominations to top stallions and the Timmy Sullivan memorial trophy.
Other horse categories include best Laois Hunt Pony Club member for the George Roe memorial perpetual cup and the Campion Cup in memory of Kathleen Campion, Kyle, for the champion pony.
Another of the main attractions is the hunt chase, run over a course of eight to 10 fences, with teams from all over Ireland competing. There will also be goat classes and canine cuteness will be recognised in the dog show.
Competitions
Competition is expected to be intense in the classes for poultry; flowers; vegetable; baking; crafts; produce; and photography, as the Ossory Show is a place where the owner of Blonde d’Aquitaine cattle, Texel sheep and Boer goats to mention but a few, all compete alongside jam makers, scone bakers and photograph takers.
Junior classes ensure all ages are facilitated.
Classes introduced in recent years include carriage driving. The Ossory Show tractor display will showcase the technology and sheer scale of modern machinery which can be compared to the machines of yore, exhibited in the show’s vintage and classic, car and tractor show.
South Laois Vintage Club vintage corn cutters will work over 8ac, with 12 vintage combines featuring. The working display of vintage threshing is expected to draw a big crowd on the day.
There will also be tug of war competitions; a draw for €1,000; trade stands; amusements; live music; and a new caterer.
Hugely popular too are the competitions for the most suitably dressed lady; the most glamorous granny; Little Miss Ossory; and most appropriately dressed boy at the show.
The truck show will again be hosted by The Highwaymen Ireland, following up from its enormously successful event last year. Truckers will compete over 25 categories, ranging from best new truck to best pre-1992 truck.
Show chair Peter Ging, said he was very impressed with last year’s livestock section which had a strong entry in all categories. This year’s show looks set to be even better, he contended.
Ossory Agricultural Show
The Ossory Agricultural Show can trace its roots right back to 1898. It has taken place every year without a break, apart from enforced cancellation due to the pandemic.
It persevered through two world wars, the War of Independence, the civil war and years blighted by foot-and-mouth disease.
The show was originally named after Lord Castletown, its local patron, who was the Baron of Ossory. He lived at the nearby Granstown Manor, part of which is still standing.
It originally took place at the now Donaghmore Workhouse Museum and moved to Rathdowney in 1915. In the same year, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine for Queen,s County as Laois was previously known, gave a grant of £100 towards the running of the event.
The show moved from the showgrounds in Rathdowney to a temporary site at Ballacolla in 1999. In 2000, it moved to its present permanent position at Coolfin. Entry to the show is priced at €15, with children admitted free of charge.