Continuing my tour of the trade's summer social rounds, it was across to Dublin for the fashionable Kerrygold Horse Show. This is the four-day knees-up where the authentic horsey folk who know a thing or two about fetlocks mingle with the grocery folk who don't. As usual, a sprinkling of UK grocery's greatest enjoyed the Dairy Board's hospitality while the tv cameras beamed the Kerrygold logo around the world. Has there ever been a smarter sponsorship deal in international sport? Mind you, I can throw light on one mystery from the weekend. UK guests were astonished when, at the officlal banquet in the state rooms at Dublin Castle, none of the Emerald Isle's famous cheese was served, despite being prominently displayed on the menu. Apparently, the meal had overrun its allotted time, so the organisers swiftly abandoned the final course to make way for a film crew who were waiting outside to do night location shots for a new Jackie Chan movie. And he's not the sort of guy to argue with! On to the next night, and this time it was to the Jameson Irish Whiskey museum in the heart of Ireland's capital. They have a ritual where visitors are invited to compare three or four Irish whiskeys along with bourbon and Scotch. Suffice to say, a good time was had by all and the evening ended with a couple of well known UK customers attempting their own version of Riverdance ­ alas, one interpretation that will never catch on. Small wonder there were a fair number of fat heads when the UK contingent flew home. {{COUNTERPOINT }}

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