ALL roads lead to the sunny southeast for the 72nd annual Bannow & Rathangan Agricultural Show on Thursday, July 13th 2023 at Killag, Duncormick, Co Wexford.

With three main show jumping arenas it will be an action-packed day. The main show jumping competitions in Arena 1 start at 10am sharp with Event 1, The Mervue Equine 1.35m class sponsored by Trinity Motors and Artic Tack Stud for €2,000. Event 2, The Aloga Auction Show Jumping Championship (for five- and six-year-old horses) with a prize fund of €3,000, kindly sponsored by The Allen Family and €500 sponsored by The Rathangan Bar.

The main event is the €4,000 Gain/Alltech National Grand Prix sponsored by Pettitts SuperValu, Wexford. Then comes the 1.10m, sponsored by DMG, Damien Goff Machinery, Bridgetown, for €1,500. In the other arenas, there will be pony jumping from 128cm up and all the usual show jumping classes - 90cm, 1m 1.10m, 1.20m.

There will be riding horse classes with Heavyweight, Lightweight and Small Hunter; Cob classes and a ridden Coloured Riding Horse class. The riding pony classes consist of Show Pony, Hunter Pony and Working Hunter for all heights. All show riding and working hunter rings start sharp at 9.30am and 10am.

The in-hand classes for yearlings upwards include pony broodmare, Connemara pony classes, Welsh pony classes and the champion youngstock pony will win the Barossa Trophy, kindly sponsored by the O’Brien family. The horse broodmare and foal section have a big selection of classes, mare premiums and nominations generously sponsored by stallion owners Mr Walter Kent, Redinagh Stud and Donal Goland.

There is also the much-loved class for the Working Horse which proves a big hit with spectators. The led-horse classes have the usual yearling, two-year-old and three-year-old classes with a class for coloured horses, while the Thoroughbred mare class has nomination prizes kindly sponsored by Denis Hickey, Ballycurragh Stud, Killack Stud, Mooretown Stud, Kilbarry Lodge Stud, Knockmullen Stud and Anngrove Stud.

Main attraction

Bannow’s main attraction at the show is the €6,000 Three-Year-Old All Ireland Horse Championship with the prize fund generously sponsored by Bannow & Rathangan Show, Horse Sport Ireland and the beautiful Galway Irish Crystal Trophy for the Champion and Reserve Champion with prizes down the line all kindly sponsored by Galway Irish Crystal/Belleek China.

This competition is one of the highlights of the show and a big turnout is anticipated. Other interesting features on the day include carriage driving, dressage, donkeys, dogs, and lots more.

The show is indebted to all the sponsors who diligently support the show every year and extended a big ‘thank you’ to them all.

For enquiries, contact secretary Elizabeth Freeman on 087-7560871.