The 81st annual Virginia Show is set to kick off at the Showgrounds in Virginia, Co. Cavan, this morning (Wednesday, August 21).
The annual event is set to attract huge crowds of people from the surrounding region and further afield to the end of summer showcase of agriculture and rural life.
While the many livestock classes are of course one of the the key attractions of the show, the social aspect of the event as well as the trade stands, machinery, home industries, food and drink on display are all big attractions also.
The Virginia Show is a popular event in the Irish dairy sector as it plays host to the Diageo Baileys Champion Dairy Cow competition, which has a total prize fund of €15,000 and is open to members of both the Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA) and Holstein NI.
The competition’s top category, the Diageo Baileys Champion, comes with a €3,000 cash prize.
As well as the many other dairy-breed classes on the day including the Tirlán Friesian in-calf-heifer and the Lakeland Dairy Champion of the Show, there are also a range of beef-breed classes with significant prize money up for grabs.
Other major competitions in the livestock section include:
- The Carnaross Mart All-Ireland Male and Female Weanling Championship (total prize fund of €5,000);
- The Liffey Meats €2,000 Champion Beef Bullock;
- Francie Brady Charolais Champion of the Show;
- A.W. Ennis Interbreed Champion of the Show;
- Lisgrey House Restaurant Commercial Champion of the show
- Young Handlers in Dairy, Beef and Sheep.
According to the organisers, there are dairy and beef classes “for all types of cattle”.
The ever expanding classes for sheep will see strong competition in the pedigree Suffolk, Texel, Charalois and Vendeen, as well as recent additions of Native Galway, Blue Texel and Dassenkop breeds that will compete for the Paddy Keoghan Cup for Pedigrees.
In the crossbred section, there will be strong classes with the overall winner receiving the Hugh Faulkner Cup. There are also classes for goats.
In total, almost 500 classes showcasing the finest of agriculture and lifestyle will be on display at the show today, not forgetting the over 200 trade stands to meet all tastes.