A record crowd of more than 40,000 visitors and exhibitors attended the Powers Gold Label National Livestock Show on the Charleville Estate outside Tullamore yesterday.
Officially opening the show in blazing sunshine, the Minister for Health, Mr Cowen, stressed the importance of safe food production and said the presence of Dr Patrick Wall, the head of the Food Safety Authority, bore witness to this.
Food safety was also stressed by Mr Ned O'Keeffe, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
Dealing with the ongoing problem facing the pig industry, the Minister praised the Avonmore and Galtee pig-processing plants for opening up for production. This had taken 3,000 pigs out of the system after the build-up because of the destruction of a plant in Northern Ireland.
Mr O'Keeffe was at the show to officially introduce a breed of cattle new to Ireland, the Murray Grey, which was bred in Australia crossing the Angus with the Beef Shorthorn.
More than 1,200 animals from all over the Republic competed for national honours at the show. Many of the competitions of the old Spring Show now take place in Tullamore for a prize fund of £80,000.
The following are the results: Champion Horse: Anthony Gordon, Ballintubber, Ballina, Co Mayo. Hoplstein Heifer: Patrick and Derek Frawley, Croagh, Co Limerick. Pedigree Holstein Friesian National Champion: Richard Wheelan, Clonard, Co Meath.
Junior Simmental Heifer: Peter and Marion O'Connell, Mallow, Co Cork. Simmental Championship Heifer: Peter and Marion O'Connell.
Simmental Female Champion: Peter and Marion O'Connell, Mallow. Simmental Male Champion: Angela and Gerard Brickley, Portlaoise.
Charolais Heifer: Dr A.J.F. O'Reilly, Castlemartin, Kilcullen, Co Kildare. Charolais Female Champion: Liam A. Walsh, Rathdowney, Co Laois. National Champion: do Limousin champion: Dr Roger McCarrick, Drumree, Co Meath.
Limousin Female Champion: do Limousin Male Champion: William Smith, Oldcastle, Co Meath. Belgiam Blue, Female Champion: Mary Vaughan. Samarkand, Arklow. Belgian Blue, Male Champion: Do.
Angus Champion, Mr and Mrs B. and J. McEnroe, Oldcastle, Co Meath. Hereford Bull: Michael Molloy, Belmount, Co Offaly. Hereford Heifer: Thomas and Anselm Fitzgerald, Moate, Co Westmeath.
Hereford Female Champion: Mr and Mrs B.M. and R. Clarke, Carnaross, Kells, Co Meath. Hereford Champion: Mr and Mrs F. and R.D.F. Abbott, Drumcrow, Co Cavan.