Moate Agricultural Show to take place this Sunday
By Kayley Hardiman
The 177th annual Moate Agricultural Show will take place this Sunday.
First held in 1839, it is one of the oldest shows in the country and attracts patrons and exhibitors from across Ireland.
Preparations for the agricultural show get underway long before the show takes place with an AGM being held in November and meetings to mark out schedules every four to six weeks.
Three all Ireland finals will take place on Sunday with the Filly Foal competition sponsored by Anthony Browne, the Tea Time cookery final and the Quality Onion Championship. Qualifiers from all over the country will be in attendance. There will be a number of competitions taking place including the cattle and horse classes and a rare breed section.
Judging will begin in the horse ring at 10am, the cattle section will begin at 12pm and the sheep will be judged at 11.30am.
Farm produce will be judged and on display from 10am to 4.30pm. There will be classes in fruit, vegetables, cookery and preserves. Photography, adult art, craft, cut flowers, floral arrangements and needlework will also all be judged on the day.
Children have not been forgotten about either, with competitions for poetry, handwriting, cookery, junior photography, artwork and pony jumping being held.
Kids are free into the show and there will be plenty of entertainment to cater to their needs with pony rides, a bouncy castle, facepainting and costumed characters appearing this Sunday.
Other show favourites taking place are the dog show and the poultry show and the usual trade stands selling various goods. There will also be a vintage display.
A huge draw to the show will be the Moate Summer Market which has been running for the last three years. The market will showcase the finest Irish made produce from the local region and across the country. Irish handmade crafts, art, foods, jewellery, fashion, plants and flowers will all be for sale.
The market village will include live music, a bar and BBQ.
Public Relations Officer Pairic McNeill is hopeful that the crowds will turn out for the show again this year. On average 4,000 people attend the event annually.
This year will see the introduction of new classes such as the working hunter classes and a rare breed section. Buffaloes, donkeys, llamas and rare breeds of sheep such as Lleyn, Suffolk, Texan and Jacob pedigrees will all be entrants in the show this year.
The showgrounds is located past the roundabout on the old Dublin road to the east of Moate.