Running for over 30 years, Tullamore Show is continuing to grow bigger and better each year, highlighting the very best of what the Irish agricultural industry has to offer.

The show attracts visitors from all over the world and really does have something to offer for everyone.

The 2023 FBD National Livestock Show will take place on Sunday 13 August at the Butterfield Estate, Blueball, Tullamore, Co Offaly, and will feature over 1,000 classes, with a massive prize fund of €175,000.

Tullamore Show held its annual show launch at Butterfield Estate in Blueball, Co Offaly, on Tuesday 2 May, with members of the show committee, livestock committee and members of the FBD team all in attendance.

Each year, the show committee brings forward an animal for the launch by someone who has supported the show well throughout the years and this year it was decided by the livestock committee to invite William (Billy) Gubbins from the Cush commercial and pedigree herd in Kilfinane, Co Limerick.

Success stories

Tullamore Show secretary Chelsea Cox said: “The Gubbins family have had many success stories at Tullamore Show from supreme champion in 1992 on their very first visit to the event and picked up the same title at the show in 2002 and 2012, as well as claiming red rosettes at the 2022 show.”

At the launch, Tullamore Show chair Joseph Molloy added: “We are delighted to have FBD as our main sponsor of Tullamore Show. I would like to thank Billy and Avril Gubbins for joining us today and for their continuous support of Tullamore Show."

'Proud partner'

Chief commercial officer with FBD Insurance John Cahalan said: “FBD Insurance is proud to partner with FBD Trust to support the Tullamore Show for 2023.

"At FBD, we are extremely proud to be the sponsor of the FBD National Livestock Show and we are delighted to be working with the Tullamore Show committee in the lead-up to this year’s show.

"On behalf of FBD, I wish everybody involved in organising Tullamore Show, as well as the competitors, exhibitors and attendees, all the very best from the team at FBD Insurance.”

Classes

The Tullamore Show and FBD National Livestock Show will play host to a number of classes, from dairy cattle, pedigree cattle, commercial cattle and sheep.

Tullamore Show is home to the national show for the Irish Simmental Cattle Society, the Irish Charolais Cattle Society, Irish Limousin Cattle Society and the Irish Hereford Breed Society.

There will be over 12 breeds of pedigree cattle on display and as well as the array of commercial classes that already attract hundreds of exhibitors, the show will also host the commercial Blonde d’Aquitaine-sired calf extravaganza for its first year, which has a prize fund of €2,000.

John Keenagh vice chairman of Tullamore Show, Pat Gilligan Tullamore show, Eimear O'Byrne FBD, Joe Molloy Tullamore Show, Kalen McNamara head of pedigree livestock, Peter Donohoe Tullamore Show, Michael Dolan Livestock chairman and head of commercial cattle Tullamore Show, William and Avril Gubbins, Chelsea Cox Tullamore Show secretary, Rodney Cox Tullamore Show and Amanda Brennan FBD with Cush Smartie at the Tullamore Show launch held at Butterfield Estate, Tullamore, Co. Offaly

Head of the commercial cattle section and chair of the livestock committee Michel Dolan exclusively told the Irish Farmers Journal: “Billy was selected to launch our 2023 show because he has been exhibiting at Tullamore Show since the very beginning.

"He had the overall champion in 1992, 2002, 2012 and featured in the final commercial cattle line-up at our 2022 show.

"Billy is regarded as a leading light in the commercial and pedigree cattle showing world and it was an honour to ask him to be involved in launching our show this year.

"Billy is very well respected in the industry among his peers and has been an ambassador for all that is good about showing cattle in Ireland and further afield.

"He has travelled the length and breadth of the country supporting shows big and small and has a helping hand or a word of advice for anyone who might need it.”