I’ve since been informed the society did not boycott the event in Athlone. The reality is it did not get an invitation.

The word is the society received a reminder a day before the conference took place. I’m also told this came after it had emerged that the Charolais society received no invitation.

It was all OK in the end and instead of staying away as a result of not being asked to attend, a Charolais society employee spent the two full days at the conference.