This year, the Blonde d’Aquitaine society will again have a stand at the National Ploughing Championships.

On show this year and the centrepiece of the society’s stand will be the golden heifer champion. Bred by Shane Naughton, Athlone, this heifer was the winner of the golden heifer class at Ossory Show earlier in the year and was purchased by the Blonde society for €3,000.

Visitors to the stand will get a chance to win the champion by entering the society’s annual raffle, where the draw will take place on Thursday.

Housed alongside the golden heifer will be a number of prizewinners from the society’s national show in Tullamore, as well as a number of young pedigree bulls and commercial Blonde-cross cattle.

Manning the stand will be society secretary Philip Crowe, society chair John O’Halloran along with ploughing committee members Oliver Naughton, Willie Fitzpatrick, John Barry Moran and Michael Creed.