Sun, Show & Smiles…..
There was everything to smile about at the 53rd Annual Castlewellan Agricultural Show held in the magnificent Forest Park in Castlewellan by kind permission of Newry, Mourne & Down District Council. After a 2 year break due to covid the show came back with blast, welcoming around 20,000 visitors there was lots to see, starting with the cattle section as you walked through the gate boasting an array of breeds and displaying the very best cattle in the country, this year the show very proudly hosted the Charolais World Congress, which saw Charolais classes at record numbers, delegates from 15 different countries enjoyed not just the Charolais but the entire show, after speaking Darwin Rosso & Eddy Loggairs from Canada they said ‘ we really enjoyed the drive to the showgrounds and then were amazed by the array of cattle on display and couldn’t believe that we even had a castle at our show too’. Frankie & Grace Reid from Ballynahinch won the champion Charolais with their bull ‘Brownhill Evenroe’. Overall interbreed champion was won by James Alexander from Randalstown.
Horse classes were busy all day starting with the Miniatures Champion Victoria & Ellen Hamilton, Agricultural Horse champion Eddie Murtagh, Non thoroughbred Mare & Foal was won by Paula Howard with Derahatten ‘Out of Touch’ and her Filly foal. Champion Irish Draught was won by Penny Campbell with ‘Bossoolty’ Young Horse Championship was won by Yvonne McWeeny, M&M Champion Lauren O’Rourke, Working Hunter won by Lorraine Hutchinson, Pony breeding champion won by J. Reid, Shetland Champion won by A.Steele, Connemara Champion won by Valerie McCracken, M&M won by Joel & James Cleland, Welsh Pony Champion won by A Steele, Show Hunter Pony Ridden won by A.Steele, Lead rein and first ridden pony won by A.Steele.
Donkey section with the Overall Champion Donkey won by Ann Brown with Jasmine Reserve Scot McMullan with Donnie with the driving class won by Declan Feeney with Camilla & Maude
Sheep Section overall champion with his Border Leicester was Mr J. Aiken from Dromara with reserve won by M McConville with his Texel and 2nd Reserve Mrs D. Christie with her Charollais. Individual Breed Promotion awards was won by Kerry McManus, Greyabbey with the Kerryhill Breed. The Club Promotion was won by NI Charollais Sheep Club.
Castlewellan Hosted the Danske Bank/NISA Sheep final which was won by Mrs Diane Christie from Comber with her Charollais. The Sheep section had great entries with over 700 sheep on show on the day.
We had 60 Pygmy goats on display, a great attraction for our visitors Amberly Alpacas from Dungannon had their 2 Alpacas on show.
The dog agility ran well the day of the show with over 400 dogs entered to take part.
Home Industries were bursting with exhibits as normal still one of our most popular sections with over 400 entries and 1500 school entries, cakes, flowers, photography all the best of arts & crafts on display.
Poultry had over 485 entries, 44 Cavies & 40 Rabbits. Mr Gordon Walker form Gilford winning the coveted ‘Best in Show title’ with his Black German Langshan. Reserve was Ryan McLaren of Adams & McLaren with their Indian Runner. Champion Eggs Champion was Ms Kiera McGarry Champion Pekin was Mr James Weatherup with his Black Pekin.
The Show welcomed ‘ Strings & Sings’ a musical group from Banbridge who during the pademic visited nursing homes and played music outside to cheer up residents while they were unable to see their families, the group have done such great work for the general mental health of so many with their amazing music.
The team from Cancer research Rathfriland Group sold our show programmes at our gate, brilliant team all supporting a great cause, Thank you.
Save the Children ran their sucessful vintage tea room cup & saucer and lots of sweet bites was the order of the day as ever.
Mr Edwin Poots Minister of Agriculture for Northern Ireland visited the show he was particularly interested in miniature farm display and he viewed the fantastic range of farmyard scenes and machinery on show, Gary McKinstry & Sons from Banbridge one of the exhibitors told minister Poots he had recreated a few scenarios on his home farm over the years in miniature and with less stress than the real thing. Minister Poots visited the Sheep, Cattle & Food sections of the show, he also met with delegates from the Charolais world congress as well as Castlewellan show official's & directors.
Council Chairman Michael Savage visited the show, he had a walk around and also met some delegates from far away fields, he was amazed at the size of the event and said how overwhelmingly proud he was to have that size of an event within the Newry, Mourne & Down District area, he praised the work the volunteers do and wished to express his willingness to assist in anyway he and the council could to secure the future of such an amazing community event ran soley by volunteers, now in its 53rd year.
The show committee would like to thank all our exhibitors and visitors for supporting our show, we were blessed with amazing weather which made our show even more special. We are indebted to our ground crew who have been amazing bringing our show-grounds to life over the last few weeks, our committee for all their hard work all over the year debating and planning to make show day happen, lastly but by no means least thank you to our show secretary Jackie Fitzpatrick, who keeps us all right. Unfortunately 2022 was her last show, we all wish her well in the future and thank her most sincerely for all her hard work over the past 8 years.
Save the date for our next show Saturday 15th July 2023
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