While it’s been a stop-start summer for many weather-wise, all eyes are on Gerry Murphy and his team in Met Éireann as to what they are forecasting for next weekend in the midlands.

It’s been a long time since I remember a wet day around the show ring in Tullamore.

Hail, rain or shine, it promises to be a bigger than ever event with entries up on last year across a lot of the different sections in the show.

For many showing enthusiasts, the FBD National Livestock Show in Tullamore is the pinnacle of the summer showing season.

The specially commissioned gold medals, which winners receive, are the items that every show person in the country wants to get their hands on.

Several all-Ireland and national championship classes will take place next Sunday with a thronged ringside keeping a close eye on proceedings.

Exhibitors from all over the country will start making their journey to Tullamore very early on the Sunday morning, while judges will clean their glasses and sharpen their vision before they step into the cauldrons that are the show rings in Tullamore.

A special word of thanks must go to show secretary Chelsey Cox and all the committees that work behind the scenes to make sure next Sunday goes smoothly and to the hundreds of volunteers who go out of their way to make people feel welcome and make everything run glitch-free on the day.

The Irish Farmers Journal livestock team will be on the Irish Farmers Journal stand from early on Sunday morning, so be sure to pop in for a chat with the team.

We are in our usual place along the main roadway overlooking the famous cattle rings.

Live demos will take place on the stand from 10.30am to 2.30pm on the hour where the specialist team will outline some of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for each of their sectors.