This year’s Castlewellan Show AGM was held in Maginn’s Bar celebrating the success of another Show with its sights set 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.
Francis said: “Our team receive a huge amount of help and that is what makes this show a real success every year in every department. I am looking forward to celebrating the 50th year of the show and I hope we can make that one very special.”
Show Secretary Jackie Fitzpatrick highlighted the committee’s involvement with Northern Ireland Tourism’s Year of Food & Drink and praised the standard of all of the local food and beverage exhibitors. She thanked the many sponsors large and small who enable us to put on such an attractive show. She said: “I’m very privileged to hold this post. Without the great support I have I really would not be able to put on the show.
Guest speaker Raymond Bready focused minds on the future – and not just the 50th anniversary year but the next 50 years. Asking the question where will agriculture be over the next five decades.
Raymond 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 from Australia to Canada and often people come home to see their families co-inciding with the Show.
“My first involvement in the show was when I was young and I showed my brother Kenneth’s sheep. And now today we see around 16,000 people coming through the gate on the day of the show. This is testament to the success of the hard work of all the volunteers over the years.”
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 for the 2017 Castlewellan show:
Chairperson – 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.
Special Awards :
Individual:
Sheila Malcolmsom
John Brennan
