The "horsey set" don't like being reminded that the annual jewel in their crown, the Dublin Horse Show, was rescued by the humble milk cow, one of the slowest animals in the farmyard.
Next Wednesday, for the 13th year in a row, the Irish Dairy Board more or less takes control of the Royal Dublin Society showgrounds at Ballsbridge as the title sponsor of the event, for the remainder of the week.
By the middle of the 1980s the Dublin Horse Show was on its knees and was not attracting the equestrian teams, the individual riders or the crowds it used to command.
Along came the Irish Dairy Board in the person of Dr Noel Cawley, a shrewd businessman and a horsebreeder, and his then PR adviser, Pat McDonagh, with an offer to help by way of sponsorship.
A rejuvenated show has emerged since then as the society, under its new director, Mr Shane Cleary, got the help of fresh monies generated by the Kerrygold sponsorship and began to renovate the grounds.
The Kerrygold Horse Show is reckoned to be among the world's top three. Only Calgary in Canada and the European event in Aachen, Germany, are rated above it for quality.
Breeders here describe it as a showcase for the Irish horse, unique in that it provides international and national showjumping combined with national showing classes.
The prize money is not bad either, with a total of £325,000 to be won by those taking part in the 10 international and 35 national horse and pony showjumping competitions.
This year, for instance, seven international showjumping teams, including an on-form Irish team, will take part and compete for the Kerrygold Nations' Cup on Friday next, August 10th.
The Irish Dairy Board has sponsored a unique event which it uses as one of its main marketing tools around the world. The event is seen by more than 200 million viewers worldwide.
The board uses the occasion to invite its main customers from abroad to come and witness the event first-hand. Next week it will be entertaining upwards of 200 key buyers from the 80 markets it sells into. As for the society, which lays out £1 million to stage the annual extravaganza on the 42acre site, it will take on 300 temporary staff to augment the 36 full-time employees for the week.
On site will be 300 voluntary stewards, 70 judges, 23 veterinary surgeons, 15 commentators and 10 doctors. Apart from the equestrian events, there will be the usual trade stands which were booked out immediately after the society was given permission to proceed with the event which was under threat because of the foot-and-mouth scare.
The foot-and-mouth crisis led to the cancellation of most country shows but the organisers have found a way around this to hold a full card of 81 showing classes.
In recent years, crowds have been falling at the event because there were complaints that it could prove a very expensive family outing and unless you are an equestrian fan, there is little else to see.
While the standard adult admission ticket is £8, families can take advantage of a special ticket which will admit two adults and up to four children for £20, and the price of this ticket falls to £17 on the final Sunday. Over the years, the event has changed. It is no longer an agricultural event and the rural input has been gradually replaced by a more urban/suburban type of operator.
Changes in farming practices, which meant farmers are no longer able to come to Dublin for a week in August, have also changed the profile of the event which at the end of the day is more an international television spectacle than anything else.
The farmers claim, of course, that they cannot afford to come but most of the milk suppliers receive half-price tickets to the event courtesy of the Irish Dairy Board which will be putting about £300,000 into the show this year.
The official opening will be performed on Wednesday at noon by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Michael Mulcahy. It runs up to and including August 12th.
