The Emerald Expo, an all-breed dairy cattle show, returns to the Lake county this weekend after a two-year absence due to Covid-19.
This year’s show will take place on Saturday, April 23, at the Virginia Show Centre in Co. Cavan.
The Expo will be the first in-person dairy show in over two years to take place in the Republic of Ireland.
Virginia Show centre will also see the return of the Virginia show, for the first time since August 2019, later this year. The Virginia show hosts another notable dairy cow competition, the Diageo Baileys Irish Champion Dairy Cow.
Emerald Expo
The annual show returns after a two-year absence and is organised by the Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA), in conjunction with the title sponsor FBD Insurance.
As the first show of the year for dairy stock, it kicks-off the showing season for the year and is an important date for many on their annual agricultural calendar.
There will be a number of classes on the day, including youngstock classes, colour dairy breeds, an economic breeding index (EBI) championship and Junior and Senior Holstein Friesian in-milk classes.
There will also be judging categories across classes for Young Members’ showmanship.
A prize fund in excess of €28,000 is on offer across the show day.
There will also be a class confined to Cavan-Monaghan Holstein Friesian breeders taking place on the day. This is to commemorate the 50th anniversary year of the local Breffni Oriel Holstein Friesian breeders club.
The Expo gets underway at 10:00a.m on Saturday, April 23, at the Virginia Show grounds. Judging begins with Showmanship classes and entry to the event on the day is free.