IT’s emerged that two more agriculture shows will be absent from the calendar for 2017.

Ballivor Show, which has ran as a Grand Prix Show from 1971, will not take place for 2017. The show, which took place in June each year, was one of a few remaining traditional country shows on the National Grand Prix showjumping circuit. It took place on a green field site on a working farm and was run by a voluntary committee for charity and the local community. Along with a full range of showjumping classes, it held showing and local classes which catered for all.

Ballivor show chairperson Peter Dargan said: “It is regrettable that the show will not take place this year. It is one of the oldest shows and most of the top Irish riders competed here at one time. We kept the show going in recession times and this year, I felt that it was not commercially viable. We hope to look at the show again next year and assess if we should run it in 2018.

With shows like Ballivor disappearing, perhaps the governing bodies should consider some support that would help us to continue. It was shows like Ballivor that were the back bone of Irish showjumping. I would like to thank the committee, volunteers and owners that supported us through the years.”

Another show off the calander for 2017 is Castlerea Agriculture Show.

The show, which runs in August and incorporated a full range of showing classes, announced on its Facebook page that, “due to circumstances outside of our control, there will be no show in 2017.”

Outgoing chairperson John Sharkey said: “We held an AGM in October and with poor numbers attending, we failed to form a committee. It was only after another meeting that a committee was formed but at that point, it was too late for 2017. The new committee are now in place and looking for to next year.”

Earlier in the year, it was announced that South County Dublin charity show will not take place in 2017 due to clashing of dates with an international show.