World Ploughing competition medal winners receive big welcome home
Supporters greeted Eamonn Tracey from Carlow, the gold medal winning conventional class World Champion, and Wexford’s John Whelan, who won the bronze medal in the reversible competition, on their arrival at Dublin Airport.
Then it was off to Carlow for a reception organised by the National Ploughing Association which congratulated both men.
NPA managing director Anna May McHugh said the outcome at the World Contest was a fantastic achievement for both men and Irish ploughing.
“Since winning the nationals last year, the men have been working hard on preparing for the worlds’ in France and all their effort have paid off. They have done their country extremely proud,” she said.
World Ploughing Organisation secretary general Anna Marie McHugh said Ireland has always been highly respected internationally in terms of producing ploughmen to compete on the world stage.
“However, Eamonn and John in particular, are held in extremely high esteem not only in Ireland but across the international ploughing community.
“Another great result such as this for both men further adds to their global reputation as masters in their field,” she said.
Eamonn, a member of a celebrated competitive ploughing family from Garryhill, Carlow, has represented Ireland at the World Contest on nine occasions.
He won the bronze medal last year, was runner-up in 2012, won the gold medal in Lea ploughing in 1990 and an overall bronze in Tullow, Co Carlow in 2006.
John, from Ballycullane, Co Wexford, home club of three times world champion, Martin Kehoe, has competed six times in the World Contest.
