National Ploughing on the horizon

With just under two weeks to go to the staging of one of Europe’s largest outdoor events, preparations at the site in Ratheniska, Co Laois, are well under way for the National Ploughing Championships.

Details of the event were announced on site yesterday by the National Ploughing Association managing director Anna May McHugh, who said the championships provide a national stage for showcasing all things agricultural,

They also bring together people from all sectors of Irish society, both rural and urban, to enjoy three days immersed in country living, she said.

Ms McHugh said visitors to the event take the three days out in late September to have a well-earned break from their daily working lives, particularly following one of the busiest times in the farming calendar, the harvest.

There was a great welcome at yesterday’s launch for the new World Ploughing Conventional Champion, Carlow man Eamonn Tracey, and his Republic of Ireland team mate, John Whelan from Wexford, who won bronze.

Up to 200,000 visitors are expected to descend on the 800-acre site from September 23-25, with over 1,400 stands, making it the largest outdoor event in Europe.

This makes it the largest outdoor event in Europe and one of the largest agricultural events in the world.