It’s been running for over 200 years but this year’s Cork Summer Show is going virtual in line with Covid-19 restrictions. Last year’s show attracted crowds from all over the country to participate in national competitions in categories for cattle, sheep, goats, poultry and horse breeding.

Families enjoyed a variety of competitions, festival atmosphere with music and entertainment as well as cookery demonstrations, dog shows, gardening, machinery and motoring along with over 250 retail stands and a large artisan producers’ market.

The 2020 virtual show, which is focused totally on individuals participating from home, will include a cattle show, with sections for dairy, beef, sheep, goats and pigs and a young handler competition. There will also be competitions for ponies, horses and donkeys. The pet shows are attracting huge interest, with even snakes and fish catered for in the competitions.

Agri-innovation

There will also be a slew of agri-innovation awards. These will include: best agri-innovation award; best agri-tech award; young agri innovator award; best agri environmental enterprise award; and best farm diversification award.

For those who have found that the pandemic has deprived them of opportunities to show off their glad rags, there will be the chance to shine in the best dressed competitions.

Budding builders are catered for with Lego and Meccano competitions. Entries will close on Tuesday next, June 30, with the results announced on Saturday and Sunday, July 4 and 5, at the virtual show.

“Entries are coming in from all over including north America and other regions. There will be a €500 hotel voucher in a single prize for the best 10-minute chef and a total of €600 in prizes for agri innovations. Electronic rosettes will also be given out. All entry fees will go to charity,” said Gerard Murphy, show director.

There is huge interest in the virtual show and people can upload either videos or photographs for many of the competitions. The agri-innovation competitions and the 10-minute chef contest both require videos.

“The reaction from sponsors and people in general has been very positive. We wanted to keep the competitions and the Munster Agricultural Society 200-year tradition going and we have widened categories for the virtual show.

“The weather was mixed for last year’s show so at least we don’t have that problem this year. We have had a lot of enquiries so we are hoping everyone gets their entries in ahead of the closing date.”