Auctioneer Padraic Neachtain taking bids at the Sheep sale in Ballinasloe Mart, Co Galway. \ David Ruffles

Local man Paddy Winston at Castlerea Mart this week. \ Hany Marzouk

Paul Daly, chair of Kilbeggan Race Committee, Matt Dempsey, chair of The Agricultural Trust/Irish Farmers Journal, Anna Marie McHugh, secretary of World Ploughing and assistant managing director of the National Ploughing, Christy Doherty, head of farm at AXA Insurance. Anna May McHugh, managing director of the National Ploughing, Paddy Dunican managing director of Kilbeggan Races and Uachtarán Cumann Lúthchleas Gael John Horan at the AXA Farm Insurance Midlands National at Kilbeggan.

This year the IGA Lifetime Merit Award was presented to Dr Pat Dillon, head of the Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Programme for his work to develop and promote grassland research and profitable farming systems. At the presentation of the award were: Emer Kennedy, IGA council member; Claire Dillon, Dr Pat Dillon and Ciaran Lynch, president of the IGA.

Dadhbh and Tiarnan Nolan from Claremorris at Castlerea Mart. \ Hany Marzouk

Readers photo: 14-month-old James Kehoe from Taghmon, Co Wexford flicking through the Farmers Journal with great interest! You can send your photos to picdesk@farmersjournal.ie or Tweet us @IFJ_picturedesk

You can send your photos to picdesk@farmersjournal.ie or Tweet us @IFJ_picturedesk