horse and on Sunday 2nd & Monday 3rd October, Ballinasloe is home to thousands of horses. Still to be found on the Fair Green is traditional trading and haggling between prospective buyers and sellers. Along with the traditional haggling several esteemed horse competitions will take place over the opening weekend beginning with the Ballinasloe Credit Union Horse of the Fair Competition on Sunday 2nd October. Open to all 3-year-olds, entries will be taken from the green Sunday morning. On Monday October 3rd the pre-qualified Jim Derwin International Horse Dealer All-Ireland Pony of the Fair and the Hayden’s Hotel All-Ireland Cob Lunging Competition will take place. This event is open to all 3-4 year-olds 149cm – 158cm in height. Prequalifiers for the Monday’s competitions have been held in recent weeks across the country. On Sunday 2nd and Monday 3rd, as the main horse and pony events take place on the Fair Green, the streets of Ballinasloe are covered in an abundance of stalls. As well as this the East Nightclub and Venue Soundstage plays host to many talented musicians including the well-known Big Generator. The Official Opening of the 2011 Ballinasloe Fair & Festival will take place on Sunday 2nd at 2.45pm and will be performed by international football star Niall Quinn. Midweek of the 2011 Ballinasloe Fair & Festival would not be the same without the 16th Domac Tug-O’-War Competition. An event which is continuing to grow from strength to strength attracting teams from near and far will be held from Tuesday 4th to Friday 7th throughout the town, including the opening night in the underground car park of the Carlton Shearwater Hotel. Locations for the TugO’-War competitions are Society Street on Wednesday 5th and Dunlo Street on Thursday 6th. The final of the Tug O’War
Caroline and Thomas Gullane of Gullanes Hotel (Sponors of the Vintage Parade and Show) with Tim Broderick (Fair & Festival Chairman).
(L-R) Tim Broderick (Chairman) and Mary Phelan of The Fair & Festival Committee, with Noel Ryan of Premier Proteins (Dog Show Sponsor) and Stanley Clarke (Dog Show Organiser).
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