Sheep Shearing and Wool Handling Championships 2011

Clik Pour-On All Ireland and International Sheep Shearing Championships.

County Tipperary and Thurles are expected to gain a significant lift in terms of Revenue spin-off, if an expected 10,000 or more visitors gather for the Clik Pour-On, All Ireland and International Sheep Shearing and Wool Handling Championships. The event just across the border in Kilkenny, is taking place over this coming June bank holiday weekend and will be held at the Cillín Hill exhibition centre, a 28-acre agribusiness development, owned and operated by Kilkenny Co-operative Livestock Market Ltd.

Details of the event, which will see competitors from all parts of Ireland, from Britain, Australia, New Zealand and mainland Europe, were confirmed yesterday in Kilkenny. The event will coincides with the long-established Cats Laugh Comedy Festival, in the city.

The National Sheep Breeders Association confirmed a number of its breed societies will host the All Ireland championships at the event and it is likely that the Young Sheep Farmer competition will also be staged.

The organisers predict the championships will be a massive revenue-spinner in tourism terms for the Southeast and surrounding counties. The two-day festival will also be a major showcase for Trade, with Craft and Food exhibitors being offered exhibition space at very affordable rates.

Mr Michael Nolan, chairman of the organising committee, said the focus would be on helping craft exhibitors and indigenous artisan producers, showcase their quality goods, without having to spend a fortune.

Irish Farmers’ Association president, Mr John Bryan said the championships would attract farmers from all over the country. He forecast: “Higher lamb prices and additional direct payments have helped restore huge confidence to the sheep sector and it is essential that strong lamb prices during 2010 are now continued into 2011.”

Earlier this week meat plants paid sheep farmers up to 600c/kg for the first of this years spring lambs.