Plans in place for 85th annual Plum show

The 85th annual Plum show run under the auspices of the Glenelly Sheepdog Society takes place on Saturday 4th August in Bertie McKelvey's holm located just outside the village of Plumbridge in the heart of the Sperrin mountains in County Tyrone.
South type blackface champion at plum show 2017 from the Fullerton Family DraperstownSouth type blackface champion at plum show 2017 from the Fullerton Family Draperstown
South type blackface champion at plum show 2017 from the Fullerton Family Draperstown

This show is renowned as one of the top hill shows for Blackface sheep throughout Ireland and Scotland and it is hoped that this year will be no exception.

The judges for the Blackies this year are William Dunlop (jnr), Elmscleugh who will judge the South type and Ally MacIntosh, Tombreckachie who will judge the North type.

The Swaledale, Mule, Bluefaced Leicesters and Suffolk cross have also become popular at the Plum show and these will be judged by William Watson, Cumbria. There is also a very competitive class for pairs of butchers lambs at this event with some excellent commercial flocks in the surrounding areas.

The cattle section has grown in popularity at the Plum show in recent years with classes for the best commercial cow with calf at foot and also a class which increased in numbers last year for the best replacement heifer for the suckler herd.

This will be the second year of the vintage rally at the Plum show after the resounding success of last year. This year the added attraction of the threshing mill will bring back some memories for the more senior generation!

The show commences at 11am with the cattle classes followed at 11.30 with the start of all the sheep classes with the vintage rally at 3pm.

The society annually presents a considerable cheque to charity and this year’s chosen charity is the Air Ambulance which makes a significant contribution to the rural community.