The Kerrygold Dublin Horse Show got off to a slow start yesterday in the Royal Dublin Society grounds with reduced attendance because of the transport difficulties.
While the society refuses to give details of day-to-day or, indeed, overall attendances, it was very easy to move around the grounds for most of the day, reflecting the disruption to bus services yesterday morning.
However, that did not take from the colour and excitement at the grounds where the organisers have decided that a "slicker" show is necessary to hold the attention of those who attend.
That was to be seen at the official opening by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Maurice Ahern, whose arrival at the grounds coincided with the finale of a colourful and interactive show by members of the Galway-based Macnas street theatre group at noon.
Three hours before that, competitions had already got under way in the jumping and showing classes for a prize fund which this year stands at £280,000.
Dr Noel Cawley, managing director of the main sponsor, Kerrygold, said the £3 million the Irish Dairy Board had invested in sponsoring the show over the past 12 years had been money well spent.
It had been one of the elements in the rise in sales which had gone up by 9 or 10 per cent last year and would be good again this year.
"This show is very important, especially in our prime European markets like Germany where we can link an Irish food product to a green rural Ireland," he said.
It also boosted sales in other European countries such as France and Belgium where there is great interest in showjumping and around the world where showjumping is watched by over 200 million people.
Dr Cawley said the board reviews its annual input of £225,000 into the show and he believed this sponsorship was the oldest of its kind in the world involving a food product.
The society had also benefited from the involvement with the board and it was now on a sound financial footing and a great deal of development work had been done over the years in the RDS.
The Irish Dairy Board, he said, also used the occasion for corporate entertainment and brought many of its key customers from abroad for the occasion, which they appeared to enjoy very much.
"It does quite a lot for Irish tourism as well because there are a lot of people involved and it is a wonderful event," he said.
He said many dairy farmers visited the show and they were offered admission at half price. He did not know what was the uptake on these tickets, but he thought it was substantial.
There have been many improvements to the grounds since last year with the upgrading of the corporate hospitality suites in the Grand Stand and Pocket and a new champagne and seafood bar in the old private pavilion overlooking Ring 2 which backs on to Anglesea Road.
Today is Ladies' Day with prizes worth £15,000 for the best dressed woman and a special prize for the best dressed man and most creative hat of unspecified gender.