Countdown to National Ploughing Championships is on

Minister Simon Coveney believes it will be the most successful National Ploughing Championship ever and if the build up around this year’s event is anything to go by he may well be right.

Due to take place in Ratheniska, Stradbally, Co. Laois from Thursday to Saturday, September 24 - 26, Europe’s largest agricultural event is now just two weeks away.

Providing a platform to showcase Irish food, farming and culture the event incorporates all sectors of agriculture and rural living from the latest development in agri-machinery to comprehensive exhibits on livestock breeds, animal husbandry, motors, forestry, education and business, craft, food, health and lifestyle and tourism.

The event will also feature a range of product launches and specialist talks on topics as diverse as dog control and worming to general gardening.

New features this year include live robotic milking from Lely and the vintage live tractor build.

Visitors can also enjoy the packed programme of ploughing competitions, live entertainment, sheep dog trials, loy digging, hunt chase, sheep shearing competitions, husqvarna hurdle, Portwest welly throwing, Meggars, radio broadcasts, celebrity visits, best dressed competitions, craft demonstrations, celebrity chef demonstrations and much more.

The site, located on the farm of the Carter family, is currently under infrastructural construction to facilitate the 100 acres needed for the trade arena and demonstrations and has 150 acres earmarked for ploughing.

In addition over 400 acres of the surrounding lands will be used to facilitate the free car parking sites by local land owners in the surrounding area.

Attendance numbers this year are expected to be in excess of last year’s 187,000. Already 1,300 exhibitors have booked stand at this year’s event and there is currently a waiting list in operation which marks a substantial increase in stands since last year.

Upwards of 330 ploughing competitors will compete over the three day event for a range of national titles, qualification for next year’s World and European Ploughing Contests and euro€18,000 in prizes.

Speaking at the event launch kast week Managing Director of the National Ploughing Association, Ms Anna May McHugh said Laois’ strong links with the National Ploughing Championships made it the perfect location for this year’s event.

The 2013 Championships will mark the fifth staging of the event within the county and the first since 2005.

It is also marks 82 years since Wexford man Denis Allen first held the competition.