All systems go for Ballyforan Fair & Festival this weekend

THE final preparations are underway for the Fair & Festival which takes place in Ballyforan this weekend.

There's plenty on the schedule, with something for everybody over the two days, Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday morning will kick off with the show and fair. This year, additional classes have been introduced for both sheep and horses, while there will be goat classes for the first time.
There has been a steady increase in the number of horses shown and sold in recent years. The sheep section has also attracted keen interest with a large selection of quality rams, ewes and lambs on offer.
The sheep classes will include best Suffolk ram, best Suffolk ram lamb, best Texel ram, best Texel ram lamb, best overall ram of the fair, best pen of breeding hoggetts, best pen of breeding ewes, best pen of cull ewes, best pen of ewe lambs, best pen of heavy lambs, best pen of store lambs, best fleece, best bottle fed pet lamb male, best bottle fed pet lamb female and best pet hogget.
The horse classes will include best draught mare with foal at foot, best cob (mare or gelding), best sport horse (mare or gelding), best Connemara mare, best pony (mare or gelding), best sportshorse foal, best mare and foal and best donkey.
The baking competition has also expanded and is growing in popularity. Once again the County Roscommon hunt will be present and Eamon Egan will run his sheep dog trials close to the centre of the village.
Sunday also has plenty of attractions with everything from bonny baby, vintage, industrial, dog show, poultry show and fair auction, show and shine car competition and music on the green. 
The industrial and vintage show will feature prizes for the oldest car, oldest tractor, engine display and working demos. Anyone with vintage or collectable items, regardless of condition, are welcome to attend.
To coincide with the fair and festival, the fast cycle club is holding a grass track racing event.
It will take place in a field in the village close to the fair green and over 70 riders are expected to attend. Quick fire races will take place during Sunday, with up to 40 bikes competing over 10 laps. There will be several different classes, ranging from professional with 500cc bikes down to 10 year olds.
The children will be entertained with McFadden's amusements present all weekend, while there will be a kids magic show on Sunday.