Peaceful ethos at the heart of unique sport

Liam O’Driscoll from Bandon, Co Cork, pictured at the 2018 European Ploughing Contest in Suzdal, Russia. Part of a very successful Irish team, Liam saw off stiff competition to win first place at the European Competition. 

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has cost the home region of the country’s president Vladimir Putin the honour of hosting the World Ploughing Contest.

It was to have taken place over two days in August, on a site near St Petersburg where Putin was born, educated, trained as a KGB officer, and embarked on a career that took him to the top job in the Kremlin.