The 184th annual Ballinasloe Horse and Agricultural Show returns this Sunday, September 24th, 2023, with a jam-packed schedule.
Centre of the show will be five hotly anticipated All-Ireland championship finals with classes for ponies, horses, cattle, sheep, and dogs.
The event was initially established in 1829, making it one of the country’s oldest shows.
Among the classes within the cattle section includes the best heifer calf born in 2023, best heifer in show open (not more than two teeth), best butcher heifer, best breeding heifer, the ISA/DAFM Breeder’s Choice Continental 4 or 5-Star Breeding Heifer, best bull calf born in 2023 (non-ped), best continental bullock of any age, bullock without permanent teeth, and best young stock person.
Some of the final cattle classes of the day include champion bullock, champion heifer, and champion beast of the show.
In the sheep section, there will be classes for pedigree Galway rams, ewes, ram lambs and ewe lambs.
Other classes include best pair of store lambs – commercial, best pair of ewe hoggets – commercial, best pair of breeding ewes – commercial, with other categories for young handlers, best export lamb, and best butcher lamb.
In addition, the show will place host to the All-Ireland Native Breed Dog Championship, presented by the Irish Shows Association (ISA) and Ballinasloe Show, with a €400 cash pot.
Besides, there will be classes for the best puppy, the best toy dog, the best collie dog, the best terrier, and the best working dog, among others.
Horses and ponies
In addition, the show will feature a number of classes for show ponies, including pony 2 years and up not exceeding 138cm, show in-hand, pony 3 years and up not exceeding 148cm, show in-hand, best Welsh pony of any age show in-hand, and family lead rein.
One of the main highlights will be loose lunging for 3- & 4-year-old ponies and horses with €1600 in prize money up for grabs.
Ridden pony classes, on the other hand, will see categories for the first ridden pony, open 133cm show hunter pony, open 143 cm show hunter pony, and open 153cm show hunter pony.
The All-Ireland championship in the equine section will see classes for Connemara three-year-old filly and mare of the future, Irish Draught colt foals, Irish Draught filly foals and All-Ireland champion donkey.
In addition, there will be a host of classes for registered Connemaras in-hand, with categories including a 2-year-old filly, 3-year-old filly, colt foal, filly foal, and filly or mare bred and exhibited by the owner, among others.
There will be registered ridden Connemara classes and riding horse classes for cobs, lightweight hunters, middle-weight hunters and heavy-weight hunters, among others.
Further details can be found on the show’s website. Admission is €10 with under 16s free.
There will be free parking on the Fair Green opposite to the showgrounds.
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