Tracey ploughs ahead for fifth silver award

VETERAN Carlow ploughman John Tracey has collected a fifth silver bowl at the world ploughing championships in Prague, 50 years after he first competed in the event as a 13-year-old.

He won the overall silver award against competitors from 30 countries. It was the fifth time that the Garyhill man had finished runner-up.

Now, there are high hopes that he will win the elusive gold medal when the National Ploughing Association (NPA) hosts the world event at Tullow in his home county of Carlow next September.

But first he has to defend his national title at next week’s championships in Mogeely, Co Cork.

Bernard Altman of Austria won the conventional title in Prague, with Downman Richard Gill third for Northern Ireland. John Whelan of New Ross, Co Wexford, came eight in the reversible event - the first time the NPA had sent a competitor to this event.

NPA managing director Anna May McHugh, speaking from Prague, said: “The reaction from many countries was tremendous. John is so well known and respected now that everyone celebrated for him.”

A home-coming celebration for the Irish team takes place in the Seven Oaks Hotel, Carlow this evening.