Carnew
IT will be a more sombre Carnew Show this year, although the Wicklow fixture is set to celebrate its 75th show on Saturday, July 20th.
Over the past decade, one of the most coveted pieces of silverware to win at Carnew was the Neville Lazenby Cup, presented to the connections of the broodmare champion. Sadly, the local show and entire agricultural show scene has lost a great stalwart in the late Dorothea Lazenby, the first lady president of the Irish Shows Association (ISA).
“Dorothea was one of a kind, helping wherever was needed and had a great connection with everyone, whether you were an exhibitor or spectating. She was our go-to person for many a query,” said Carnew Show secretary, Noelle Keogh.
“The committee had decided at our AGM to have both Dorothea and Patrick Wafer conduct our opening this year, as between them, both had well over 80 years of dedicated service to Carnew. We will celebrate with a heavy heart on July 20th, but I have no doubt that Dorothea will be with us in spirit on the day.”
Entries closed on Thursday for the various horse and pony categories, with lots of horse, pony and livestock classes for interested onlookers. The show will also host the final of the Irish Draught Horse Breeders’ Association’s south-east ridden Irish Draught championship. There’s still one more opportunity to qualify at tomorrow’s Wicklow Hunt Show at Barnadown.
www.carnewagriculturalshow.com or Facebook
Granard
There could be no more apt setting for an Irish show launch than The Bay Horse pub in Granard, synonymous with Irish show jumping legend and local heroes: Eddie Macken and Boomerang.
This midlands show plans to celebrate its 73rd show this year and is a weekend-long event, with the agricultural show taking place on Saturday (July 20th) and show jumping on the following day (Sunday, July 21st).
Horse and cattle classes are traditionally the strongest at Granard, which, in a wise move, has added on a young stockmanship challenge and competitions for local schools.
Plus, the all-essential dog show, which can often attract more entries than some horse classes.
According to the show’s Gerry Tully, another innovation was introducing a Granard Show mini members section to get children involved at a young age and to ensure the survival of the show.
Held in an area linked to more equestrian household names, such as Brian Gormley and the late Harold McGahern, Irish Draught breeding and exhibitor numbers have also held up at Granard.
All enquiries to Hazel McVeigh (087) 3129847 or see their Facebook page.
Loughrea Show’s new secretary Jean Costello meets CSF Telly Cruz, dam of Paris Olympics-bound James Kann Cruz \ Susan Finnerty
Loughrea
The era of the Moran family’s Clover Bishop was recalled in the just-published Dublin Horse Show Magazine and that ‘family horse’ was one of several successful Clover Hills bred by the late Jim Staunton, who served with An Garda Síochána.
A native of Claremorris, Lisduff - the dam of the Clover Bishop line - is a nod to Jim’s Mayo roots and he was the honorary secretary of Loughrea Show for many years.
That duty was then carried out by Joan Hardiman, who did stellar work and who has now handed over the secretarial reins to Jean Costello for this year’s show, which takes place on Sunday, July 21st.
Entries close next Tuesday for the usual range of broodmare, young horses, ridden horses and ponies, plus some All-Ireland qualifiers and pony show jumping classes too.
Follow the Loughrea Agri Show Facebook page for all the details.
Louisburgh
Louisburgh was set to celebrate its 15th anniversary last year before last ‘summer’s’ weather conditions derailed show day.
Now set to take place too on Sunday, July 21st under the stewardship of chairman Tommy Bennett, Louisburgh has over 50 horse and pony classes on its schedule, plus show jumping, all overlooking the Blue Flag Carramore Beach.
The Louisburgh Show USP is its Irish Draught section, consisting of a range of mare and foal classes and championships.
Without doubt, the most scenic show in the country, with the show field beside a Blue Flag beach and with views of Croagh Patrick and Clare Island. It’s one of those shows that families can pack both water buckets for the four-leggeds and buckets and spades for the beach, should the weather gods oblige.
See the Louisburgh Show Facebook page.
Crossmolina
The western show circuit continues northwards to Mayo, where both Crossmolina (Saturday, July 27th) and Erris (Sunday, July 28th) agricultural shows take place on the following weekend.
Crossmolina will just have completed its weeklong Nephin Festival (July 13th-21st), which wraps up the previous weekend, before the town’s show takes centre stage.
Revitalised in recent years, the show celebrated its 65th anniversary last year and is now held in the community field on the Ballina Road.
Yet another of the unending parts of Ireland to produce a number of noted horsemen, this corner of Mayo is renowned for sport horses, Connemara and Irish Draught breeding.
Entries close shortly for Crossmolina Show, which also hosts local and home-made produce stands, plus music galore.
Email: agriculturalshowcrossmolina@gmail or check out their Facebook page for more details.
Crossmolina Show committee member Des McDonnell will have a busy stretch ahead with his local show and at Dublin, where he and son Paul qualified Miss Manhattan and her Vancouver foal for at West Clare Show last Saturday \ Susan Finnerty
Erris
And then there’s always the option of continuing on a Wild Atlantic Way show weekend, as the Erris Agricultural Show takes place near Belmullet the following day (Sunday, July 28th). The show is another to rank amongst the most unusual locations, as it is held on Carne Air Strip.
Showing (horse, Connemara and pony championships), plus show jumping are all part of the schedule, as well as all the bells-and-whistle events at country shows.
Entries close on July 21st for this north Mayo show, which recorded its largest attendance last year.
See: www.errisagriculturalshow.ie or the Erris Agricultural Show Facebook page.