Omagh Show marks its 180th year

AFTER three years of waiting there were smiles galore as families flocked to Omagh Show over the weekend. The sun and rain clouds tussled with each other during the main event on Saturday, but even the unpredictable weather couldn’t put a dampener on the day.

This year marked the 180th annual Omagh Show hosted by the Tyrone Farming Society, and as the gates closed on Saturday evening a spokesperson for the event reflected on a job well done.

They said, “That’s a wrap, and we couldn’t have asked for a better day. We hope you all enjoyed your day out with us and we look forward to welcoming you back next year.”

They added, “We would like to thank our committee members, traders, sponsors and all involved who worked hard to ensure a great day for all.”

Omagh Show strives each year to provide a representation of all that is good in the agricultural sector and rural community, it’s the embodiment of ‘country comes to town’.

This year the organisers introduced a new lay-out to better showcase the trade stands and allow for an improved flow of the general public.

The popular equestrian section launched the show on Friday with horses to be found in all corners of the 20 acre grounds. There were four showing rings, two horse show jumping arenas, a pony jumping arena and working hunter arena for ponies and horses.

The impressive prize fund – in excess of £17,000 – helped to attract numerous riders, many of whom compete on the international circuit, to Omagh.

The annual event has a long history of hosting show jumping and competitions such as the GAIN/Alltec National Grand Prix, the Ulster Region Grand Prix Tour, the Ulster Region Summer Tour Qualifiers and the Ulster Amateur Cup all help attract competitors from across Ireland and beyond.

The popular poultry section also grew this year and the 100 classes on offer catered well for the many poultry enthusiasts and their vast array of birds who attended.

The number of sheep breeds on display increased to 29 this year, due to the introduction of Dutch Spotted and Badger Face breeds. The sheep section of the show is always a crowd pleaser, and this year the popular sheep shearing competition run under the auspices of the British Isles Shearing Competition Association (BISCA) added to the attraction.

The dairy and beef cattle sections gained considerable interest, especially with a new breed, Galloway, being introduced this year.

Activity in the cattle ring culminated in the prestigious Parade of Prizewinner on Saturday afternoon.

The home industries marquee offered a wealth of local crafts, vegetables, flowers, photography and children’s work, along with the popular fashion show and dog show. Classic and vintage vehicles were on display throughout the day and show jumping continued in three arenas.

There was also plenty to keep the younger members of the family occupied, with a climbing wall, archery and air rifle, inflatable slides, sky jumpers, Corbally Fun Farm and Michael Cowan’s Model Farm plus face painting and glitter tattoos all proving popular.

It was an event enjoyed by all members of the family, and as they headed home after a great day out many will already be looking forward to next year’s show.