Ploughing firm reports attendance dropped 90,000

Revenue from gate receipts for 2023 'would be way down due to the exceptionally bad weather in the few days lead in and during the event resulting in attendance figures down approximately one third'. Picture: Dan Linehan

The firm which operates the National Ploughing Championship (NPC) returned to pre-tax profit last year to record profits of €217,624 after incurring combined losses of €1.25m during the two covid-19 impacted years of 2021 and 2020.

In September of last year, 290,000 patrons attended the return of the NPC at Ratheniska, Co Laois after organisers had to cancel the 2020 and 2021 events due to pandemic restrictions.