Finishing touches put in place for the 181st Fermanagh Show

As the last show of the season it is hosting a raft of prestigious finals and point competitions.

Fermanagh County Show boasts the driest showgrounds in Northern Ireland with a sand based Prunty Pitch for showing cattle.

A free shuttle bus will be running over the two days and visitors are advised to use the efficient service which will have a drop-off at the entrance.

A raft of new sponsors have been introduced this year: Turning Point Property Sales, Boehringer Ingleheim Ltd, Excel Cladding & Roofing, G R White & Son, TopFlock, Balcas, Leam Agri, Paul & Vincent Ltd, Aurivo Cooperative Society Ltd, TEC Professional Hoofcare, Robert Brownlee – Natural Nutrition, R A McClung & Co, Gillaroo Pedigree Livestock, Balcas, Tracey Concrete, Killyhevlin Hotel, Passion Hair Salon, Prezzie Pouches, Flowers by Ruth Hood, Color by Elle.

Livestock

Two new pedigree beef sections have been added to the schedule of classes to draw in more cattle and more pedigree beef breeds; Shorthorn and Limousin.

Along with the main breed championships there is the overall dairy, pedigree beef interbreed and Drumlin Veterinary Commercial Champion of Champions. Also featuring will be the Lochside Garages Suckled Calf, the Paul & Vincent Dairy Heifer Championships, NMR Dairy Babe of the Year, The NISA/Linden Foods Pedigree Beef Heifer Championship, the NI Simmental Finals, the NI Danske Bank Male and Female Competition and the Ivomec Super Pair of the Year sponsored by Merial Animal Health.

The Vaughan Trust financially supports Fermanagh Pedigree Livestock Breeders who are encouraged to enter confined classes and championships with extra classes added in for homebred continental and native cattle and sheep, with special bonuses in young handlers and beef dairy and sheep sections. Goat classes are sponsored by NIWIPP.

Danske Bank are sponsoring the new Champion’s Parade and presenting awards to the champion and reserve champion of each breed of pedigree beef and pedigree dairy along with the champion and reserve in the commercial beef section. This parade is the grand finale and should make a great spectacular of top stock at the last show in NI.

There is a £500 prize fund in the Donkey Derby and organisers are calling for as many donkeys as possible to be entered to make this a memorable occasion. The Jollyes Pet Food Stores Dog Show always attracts a great crowd. Sponsorship is in place for the Vintage Draw and the Weight Judging Competition.

The Vaughan Trust School Art Competition was won by Miss Rebecca Sanderson from Enniskillen Model CPS for the best themed design for use on the catalogue cover. Other finalists were Anne Armstrong, Queen Elizabeth 11 CPS, Cathy Fallis Derrygonnelly CPS, Matthew McCormick Maguiresbridge CPS, Joshua Granleese Brookeborough CPS, Joshua Bell Florencecourt CPS. Erne Insurance Services is the main sponsor in the popular school section. The theme this year was poultry.

The Artisan Fermanagh Foodhall has 30 speciality stands with an area for sit down snacks. The organisers are delighted Coole Swan, O’Doherty Black Bacon and Donegal Rapeseed Oil are sponsoring the Cookery Demonstration Marquee with celebrity chef Stephen McFarland and with additional demos by City Cheese & Cakes by Annika Latime.

The Best Food stand Competition is sponsored by Killyhevlin Hotel & Lakeside Lodges and will be judged by Ms. Lindsay Curran, NIgoodfood.

There will be a fine range of trade stands with bookings only from speciality food stands and a wide range of good agricultural machinery, new and used vehicles and service providers.

Trade Stand Competition, indoor and outdoor, is sponsored by Bank of Ireland.

The Fermanagh Show Queen Miss Kay Johnston will have a busy schedule at the show.

New classes have been added in the Home Industries section: Rhubarb, garlic, crochet table centre, decorated apron, book folding art, fruit curd, decorated and filled sponge cake and for the juveniles cake pops, fruit kebabs, individual trifles, painting any medium and more. SD Kells is sponsoring the Vintage Tea championship in the cookery section.

As well as the usual show catalogue a free fold up programme of events will be available for families at the gate.

Pre show tickets priced at £8 are available in local outlets: Fermanagh Lakeland Tourism, NFU, Dowlers Garden World, Erne Veterinary Group, Tom Read Menswear, Fermanagh Cottage Industries, Lisbellaw Medical Hall.

Charity of the Year for 2017 is Enniskillen Rotary Club.

Tickets online

Turning Point Property Sales are sponsoring the newly introduced online tickets. These will be scanned at entrance. These can be sourced through the show website. Turning Point are also running a competition to win sets of show tickets.

The new Armbands system is sponsored by Fermanagh & Omagh District Council. Children under 16 are free if accompanied by a paying adult.

Thanks

A spokesperson for the show said: “Thanks go to all our sponsors who keep the show on the road, judges who give their time and friends who just turn up to help, to so many brilliant young people who assist on the ground and in the office. We thank all our stewards and sub groups and management committee for all their work throughout the year. As always some stewards are away on holiday at show time, so if you know someone who wants to volunteer please get in touch.”

For information see www.fermanaghcountyshow.com