This year’s AGM was held in Maginns, celebrating the success of another Show and set sights on 2017 which will be the 50th anniversary. Outgoing chairperson Francis McAlinden thanked the many people who through their involvement in committees and on Show day continue to make the event so enjoyable for visitors. The AGM remembered Roy Graham, former sheep chairperson who passed away earlier this year. Show Secretary Jackie Fitzpatrick highlighted our involvement with Northern Ireland Tourism’s Year of Food & Drink and praised the standard of all of our local food and beverage exhibitors. She thanked our many sponsors large and small who enable us to put on such an attractive show. Guest speaker Raymond Bready focused minds on the future – not just the 50th anniversary year but the next 50 years. Asking the question where will agriculture be over the next five decades – he highlighted the strength of family farming and the need to celebrate it more. He challenged the Show Committee on the potential for using the field differently and extending the show, profiling it increasingly to the wider urban communities. In his role as a Show commentator, he commented, “what I try and do as the commentator – never quite know what I am going to say - I want to inform people what’s happening, I want to educate our visitors on what agriculture is all about, I try to entertain people. When I talk to people, they are from all over the world and often people who come home to see family co-incide with the Show”.
The Rathfriland Farmers Co-op Promotion Awards were presented
Individual: 1. Kerryhill, Dale Wylie 2. Lleyn, Fiona Cunningham 3. Rare Breed, RJ McCauley
Club: 1. Charollais, Sheila Malcolmson 2. Castlewellan Blackface, John Brennan
The new committee were elected as follows
Chair – Fiona Patterson
Vice Chair – Alan Cleland
Assistant Secretary – Alex Woods
Treasurer – Michelle McCauley
Press & Publicity Officer – Fidelma Carolan
Assistant Press & Publicity – Alex Woods
Safety Officer – Gerard Higgins
Horse Committee Chair – Francis McAlinden
Cattle Committee Chair – Arthur Malone
Sheep Committee Chair – Arthur Kearney
Goat Committee Chair – Geoffrey Ringland
Poultry Chair – tbc
Home Industries Chair – Helen McKee
Show Ground Manager– Rodney Hamilton
Assistant Show Ground Manager – Anthony Kelly
Traffic Manager – Eddie Laverty