From lovely hens to heavy heifers, there are hundreds of attractions and events at this year’s FBD National Livestock Show.

Check out the timetables for each section, so you can plan your day before you attend the event to make sure you don’t miss out on anything you want to see.

Experience Offaly Pavilion

Sponsors: Local Enterprise Office Offaly, Offaly Local Development Company and Offaly County Council

A must-see at this year’s show is the dedicated Enterprise Office, Offaly Village, where you can taste a range of delicious, locally-produced food while also discovering custom-made furniture, handmade jewellery, soft furnishings and gift items, all showcasing the diverse and artistic talents of Offaly Enterprise.

The Experience Offaly Pavilion is sponsored by the Local Enterprise Office and Offaly Local Development Company Ltd and aimed at giving local food and craft entrepreneurs the best opportunity available to promote and sell their produce.

Offaly County Council will be supporting all the tourism-related activities in the county.

Their motto is: “There is so much to see and do in Offaly. You will want to stay longer.” This is one of several initiatives designed to help people setting up or growing their business.

The Experience Offaly Pavilion will give an insight into all that is good in the county to make your stay in the area a thoroughly wonderful experience.

Arena sheepdog trials demos

This demonstration tests both the speed and the skill of the handler and the dog.

It is run in an enclosed arena, measured 60 x 120 yards. The handler must complete, without error, a prescribed course against the clock. This course consists of driving four sheep in a figure of eight around two barrels, twice through a Maltese cross and into a small pen, without penalties, in the fastest time.

Sheep shearing demos

The skill of sheep shearing is alive and well in Ireland. While competitions will not be held this year, George Graham will be doing demonstrations throughout the day, as well as giving talks on the management of sheep to comply with new regulations relating to presenting clean sheep.

Dog show

  • Sponsors: Obedience classes/showing classes, Gain Kindness dog food, K9 care, Tullamore Veterinary Clinic, D & S Hardware.
  • Championship: Gain Kindness dog food.

    • Prizes

  • All first placings receive a trophy and rosette.
  • For all showing classes: dog food.
  • For all obedience classes: dog food.
  • Champion: perpetual cup and rosette.
  • Reserve champion: rosette.
  • Entries will be taken on show day.

    • Rules and conditions

    Judging commences at 12pm sharp.

    All dogs must be led and remain on a lead in the showground.

    Each dog can only enter a maximum of three classes.

    A puppy class – confined to dogs over six months and under one year.

    All classes – confined to dogs over six months. Agility exhibitions will take place throughout the day.

    Rare breed exhibitions

    Don’t forget the rare breeds section in the livestock field. Highlands, Dexters, Valais Blacknose, goats and Australian Lowline cattle will be on display.

    Alpacas

    Don’t forget the alpaca section in the livestock field.

  • Alpaca shearing demo.
  • Educational workshops.
  • Numerous alpacas on display.

    • National Inventions Awards

    Note: Judging for the €2,000 National

    Inventions Awards commences at 10am on Saturday 10 August.

    Categories

  • Inventions in agriculture, horticulture and forestry.
  • Inventions in home, leisure and building.
  • Labour-saving devices.
  • Student class: an invention or innovation.
  • Inventions in renewable energy.
  • Invention in agtech.
  • Inventions that are “too big to travel”.

    • The result will be announced at 3pm on Sunday 11 August. Exhibits can be new inventions or modifications to existing inventions. A representative from the Government Patent Office may attend.

    Sponsors: The Farming Independent, WR Shaw, Burlington Park, Tullamore, Co Offaly; Glenngorey Pumps Ltd, Newbridge, Co Kildare; Herdwatch.

    View the Tullamore Show site map here.