Latest news with #KingdomCountyShow
Agriland
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Agriland
Oddities, originals, and optimism at Kingdom County Show
The Kingdom County Show in Co. Kerry this year saw the sun draw a large crowd to the two-day event, which encompassed the usual equine activities along with a good deal of support from local businesses. There was also a strong showing of machinery – both contemporary and vintage – at the event, with some noteworthy exhibits on both sides as dealers and collectors came along in support of the show. Amongst the dealers' stands was an early sighting of the new Claas Axos 3 in Ireland, brought along by Nolan's Garages Ltd, the local dealer for the brand. Delivery delay Launched earlier this year, the latest Axos range is designed to appeal to farmers who are looking for an everyday tractor that is easy to operate and can cope with the multitude of tasks involved in running a stock farm. The Axos 3 is a budget-orientated tractor that is totally suited to the Irish market and has now arrived here. It appears that the tractor may be a victim of its own success, for this particular example arrived two months after it was promised, with the delivery date being constantly revised. Yet now that it is here, Nolan's see a good market for such a machine in the area. On the day, it was matched with a Volto 55 tedder, a typical task for such a tractor. Farmers buying again Shane O'Connor of O'Connor's Tractors, Knocknagoshel was in upbeat mood as he welcomed old friends and customers to his pitch. O'Connor believes the tide has recently turned and, speaking for his business, he noted that farmers have suddenly started looking to buy machinery again, with the company enjoying a busy few weeks of late. This Valtra T215 comes with front hitch and Valtra unlimited paint job to lend it an air of distinction O'Connor has been selling Valtras for a while now, and his enthusiasm for the make is still growing as it becomes more strongly established as a mainstream brand in the area, resulting in him not being afraid to pitch them as a premium machine. Hedgecutter success RT Sales Ltd of Castleisland hit the ground running last year with the launch of its new hedgecutter, which won Machine of the Year at last year's National Ploughing Championship. The success has not let up since, with sales greatly exceeding the original production capacity, leading to other local engineering companies being roped into helping to produce the machines to meet demand. The Kerry show is local to RT Sales, so they brought a hedge trimmer along in support Padraig Teahan, founder of RT Sales Ltd along with his father, John, puts the demand for the hedgecutter down to the simplicity and ease of mounting the machine, which rests on the tractor's hitch, eliminating the need to crawl around under the tractor. Padraig also feels that dissatisfaction with current hedge trimmers on the market – which are all imported and rely on parts operations based outside of Ireland – is another big factor in the good fortune enjoyed by RT Sales, and the fact that it is made in Ireland also counts a great deal. Zetor birthday bash Away from the contemporary machinery at the Kingdom County Show, the vintage and classic section had put a call out for Zetor and JCB machines, both of which are celebrating their 80th birthday this year. A good selection of Zetors had turned out, ranging from the pristine to the well-used and all those in between, all of which have earned their keep on Irish farms over the years. Despite the knocking they got from competitors of the time, Zetors were by no means delicate flowers. The 23hp 2511 was made between 1968-1972 – though this one looks a little worn at the edges, it is still far from retirement Rugged, simple, and fixable would sum up the make and this was exemplified by the tractors on show. These ranged from the mighty Zetor 16145, which boasted 161hp – a big number for the late 80s – to the diminutive 2511, which gave just 23hp from its two cylinder engine. Deutz Intrac at Kingdom County Show Over the years, there have been many variations of the standard tractor format, with many of these originating on the continent where the range of tasks varied from what we know here in Ireland due to a greater emphasis on root and vegetable crops. This led to the development of tool carriers and system tractors, which were not built as plough tractors but instead were to be used for interrow cultivations, spraying, and spreading. Looking very modern for its age, the Deutz Intrac was a machine for the vegetable and specialist growers market Deutz produced the Intrac series of machines to serve this market, and one of them from the late seventies as made its way to Ireland in the form of the Intrac 2003, owned by Brendan Ferris. This variant was a two-wheel drive model powered by a 60hp, KHD air-cooled diesel that still runs as sweetly today as it ever did with just 3,000 hours on the clock. 2,300 of the Intrac 2003 were made which, for a specialist tractor with what was said to be a hefty price tag at the time, was probably not a bad sales record. Engineering oddity Restoring and maintaining a tractor in its standard form is never quite enough for some and there are those who always want to go further – quite a bit further in some cases. How the Massey Ferguson 1200 could have looked if thought of 15 years earlier One such case is that of a Ferguson 35 that has been adapted to four-wheel drive, not by the usual method of bolting a stray Land Rover axle to the front, but by adding a second rear axle to to the back to form an articulated unit. This impressive and tidy feat of engineering had obviously absorbed a good deal of time and thought in order to produce something rather unique in the classic tractor world, and it was good to see the Kingdom County Show attract such machines.
Irish Independent
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
See photos from fantastic weekend of fun as Kingdom County Show celebrated 75 years
From exciting livestock competitions and top-class equestrian events to a lively dog show, vintage tractors, food and craft stalls, and the ever-popular kids' zone and petting farm, the show was bursting with attractions. Families were able to enjoy live music, interactive exhibitions, and delicious local food, while farming enthusiasts explored the latest in agricultural innovation and machinery. As part of its 75-year milestone celebrations, the Kingdom County Show was also incredibly proud to support the incredible Little Blue Heroes Foundation, a charity dedicated to helping families of seriously ill children, many of whom dream of one day becoming little Gardaí. The show raised funds and awareness for this much-loved cause over the weekend. Speaking to The Kerryman, the Chairman of the event's organising committee said that it is very heartening to see the support they get every year and that this justifies the trojan work that goes on behind the scenes in the lead up to the two days. "It was a really great weekend and a fantastic success. The weather was with us, and really, we couldn't have asked for anything more. We had great support from everyone; the community always comes out in support of us, and we always appreciate it. We need them to support us, we need the business people to support us, and we hope that everyone appreciates the effort that goes into making the weekend a success,' he said. "The attendance was way up on other years. The weather was fantastic, and we had a lot more to offer people this year. We had a little bit of everything to offer people, and because this was the 75th year, we put a lot of emphasis on entertainment. There was fun for everyone, there was something there for everyone that they could enjoy,' Michael continued. "The amount of work that the committee put in behind the scenes is phenomenal. A lot of people, when they come into the fields, don't realise the amount of work that has gone into making it all happen. We're there two weeks beforehand, trying to prepare everything. It's a green space when we arrive, and we have to try and fit everything in from the show jumping, cattle, sheep, and the stands. It's a lot of work, but it's always worth it,' he concluded. See all our photos from the weekend in the gallery above.
Irish Independent
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Kingdom County Show turns 75 as this year's outing is officially launched ahead of event in May
The launch saw supporters and friends of the show – the Kerry Rose hopefuls amongst them – gather to look back on the journey so far and look ahead to what promises to be a landmark weekend on Saturday May 10 and Sunday, May 11 in the beautiful setting that is Ballymacthomas in Tralee. The weekend, which always proves hugely popular, is once again promises something for everyone with an unforgettable mix of entertainment, tradition, and fun for all ages set to be on offer. From exciting livestock competitions and top-class equestrian events to a lively dog show, vintage tractors, food and craft stalls, and the ever-popular kids' zone and petting farm, the show will be bursting with attractions. Families will be able to enjoy live music, interactive exhibitions, and delicious local food, while farming enthusiasts can explore the latest in agricultural innovation and machinery. In celebration of its 75th year, the Kingdom County Show also said this week that they are incredibly proud to support the incredible Little Blue Heroes Foundation, a charity dedicated to helping families of seriously ill children, many of whom dream of one day becoming little Gardaí. The show will be raising funds and awareness for this much-loved cause throughout the weekend. Speaking at the launch, Show Chairperson Michael Costello said: 'Reaching 75 years is a remarkable achievement. It speaks volumes about the unwavering support of our community, the tireless efforts of our volunteers, and the passion of all who've contributed over the years. We're delighted to celebrate with a two-day event that has something for everyone — and we're proud to support Little Blue Heroes as part of it.' With the countdown now on, the Kingdom County Show is gearing up to welcome thousands of visitors for a weekend that celebrates all that's great about Kerry, its heritage, its future, and its vibrant community.
