Details of this year’s Strokestown Show were revealed at a launch held recently in the Percy French Hotel.
Speaking at the launch, committee chairperson John O’Beirne said: “This year we are running a one-day show on Saturday, September 10th on the grounds of Strokestown Park House and are grateful to the Callery family for this is a beautiful setting for a show”.
The show chairperson detailed the wide range of classes on offer this year including the All-Ireland Beef Bullock Final, which is sponsored by the Sweeney family and boasts €6,000 in prize money.
The €2,000 Greenvale Animal Feeds All-Ireland Beef Heifer Final and the €2,000 Sweeney family Breeding Heifer class are also among the highlights.
Mr. O’Beirne highlighted the breeders’ associations involved in the show and in particular the €12,000 Angus finals. The Irish Simmental All-Ireland finals, and the Irish Shorthorn Premium Beef Bull Championship (sponsored by the Shorthorn Marketing Company) will also be popular attractions on the day.
“We also have Pedigree Charolais, Limousin and Hereford and the Breeders’ Choice,” Mr. Beirne continued.
“The traditional four- or five-star Breeding Heifer is a new class and that’s sponsored by the Department of Agriculture and Minister Charlie McConalogue.
“We also have four calf classes, two of which are All-Ireland finals sponsored by Hanly’s Hardware and Spar Supermarket with a €1,500 prize fund”.
The Horse Show will take centre stage on the day and features 17 classes including Tom Rogers’ Irish Draught with a prize fund of €500. There are also classes for half-bred mare, yearlings, and two and three-year-olds which are all to be shown in hand.
“The highlight of the Horse Show is the Strokestown Park Irish Draught Broodmore All-Ireland Championship with Foal at Foot with a first prize of €5,000,” Mr. O’Beirne said.
“This class and the one, two, and three-year-old Draught Fillies are sponsored by Jim Callery and family with a handsome €12,000”.
There are also 20 Pony classes at this year’s show including the Registered Connemara Pony section, which is sponsored by Tony and Blaithin Stevenson to the tune of €1,000.
“We also have a spectacular Dog Show once again this year with 23 classes and Champion and Reserve with a prize fund of over €1,000,” Mr. O’Beirne added.
“Our Sheep section also looks to be as big as ever with Commercial, Suffolk, Texel and Charollais classes”.
