The Tullamore Powers National Livestock Show, which has become the second-largest outdoor Irish farming event of the year, is going international this year.
Among the 30,000 visitors expected at the beautiful Charleville Estate grounds just outside the town this year will be delegates to the International Simmental Breed Congress.
Delegates will be coming to the midlands from 27 countries and intend to use the facilities at the show to mount a major exhibition of Simmental cattle.
"This is a wonderful boost for the show and puts it on another plane altogether," says Christy Maye, the show's public relations officer since its revival nearly a decade ago.
He says the international visitors will base themselves in the midlands for three days and will be sampling all the best the area can offer.
"They will be attending the races in Kilbeggan on the Friday before the show and we are setting up other events for them to attend," he says.
The preparatory work on the grounds is well advanced and there has been a huge voluntary input into the show, which will cost around £250,000 to stage.
"We expect there will be nearly 2,000 animals on display at the grounds, around 800 cattle and 1,000 horses. That requires a lot of organisation," says Christy. He says that in addition to the livestock and the myriad of show classes, there will be 300 trade stands and all the exhibits associated with the traditional Tullamore show.
Christy does not believe the Livestock Show run by the Royal Dublin Society earlier in the year has affected entries for the Powers Gold Label National Livestock classes.
"All the top breeders want to be here and a rosette from Tullamore now increases the value of the stock," he says.
In the last two years, the event clashed with major hurling games involving the Offaly senior team, which did affect attendances. But that is not the case this year and this is expected to swell the attendance at the one-day event, which will take place on Sunday, August 13th .
Entries for the show close on Friday, July 28th. The show office can be contacted at 050652141.