Tanáiste Simon Harris will be among the thousands of visitors to Clonmel Show this Sunday

Tanáiste Simon Harris will be among the thousands of visitors to the 160^th Clonmel Agricultural Show this Sunday, July 6.

Volunteers are putting the finishing touches on preparing Powerstown Park Racecourse to host the show, which is one of Munster’s biggest showcases of agricultural and rural life.

The organisers are pulling out all the stops to ensure it’s a great day out for both competitors and visitors even providing a big screen in the bar so visitors can watch the much anticipated Tipperary versus Kilkenny All-Ireland Hurling Semi-Final at 4pm.

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Victor Quinlan of the Clonmel Show Committee said they have around 60 volunteers working each evening this week preparing the racecourse for the show. A large number of volunteer are young people in their mid-20s, which he believes augurs well for the future of the event.

Show Committee members are praying for good weather both before and after the show as it makes all the difference to the experience for visitors and participants.

Tanáiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade & Defence Simon Harris is expected to visit the Show between 11am and 1pm

The Show, which boasts a prize fund of about €80,000, will feature competitions and events to suit every age and taste from the traditional cattle, sheep, pony, horse and poultry classes to showjumping, a dog show and pet show, flower arranging, vegetables, fruit, baking, arts and crafts classes and exhibitions.

It’s now the top agricultural show for sheep competitions with entrants from all over country competing in 118 classes. There has been a massive increase in the number of horse and pony show competitions with 108 classes planned. Mr Quinlan said a number of the classes will be qualifiers for major English shows this summer and next year.

Clonmel Show will also feature 57 cattle classes, 37 poultry classes and 21 horse and pony jumping competitions with the Grand Prix the most prestigious event.

Other attractions will be a food village with seating and live country music entertainment featuring The Waheys, a digger challenge, a large children's entertainment section, a pet show, Junction Festival circus acts and Garda, Emergency First Responders and Farm Safety demonstrations.

Sheaf Throwing

There will be an international fencing competition with the winning team qualifying for a final in England. A sheaf throwing competition is a new addition to the Show's novelty competitions.

Donkey Derby

The biggest crowd pleaser of the day will be the Show’s famous Donkey Derby, which is celebrating its 46th year. It will be the final big event of the Show.
Clonmel Show takes place from 9am to 6pm on Sunday. Tickets cost €20 with an online discount of €18 up to Sunday morning. Children under the age of 16 are free. Tickets for students and Old Age Pensioners cost €15.

There will be overflow car parks open with park-and-ride transport to and from Powerstown Park.

For more information check out www.clonmelshow.ie 

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