The attendance of 92,000 on the third and last day of the National Ploughing Championships brought the tally for the three days to 291,500, a new record for the event, writes John Sexton.

Previous world champions Eamonn Tracey and John Whelan will represent Ireland again in 2017, at the World Championships in Kenya, having won their test matches at Tullamore last week.

National Ploughing Association Managing Director Anna May McHugh was a welcome guest at last Sunday’s Timoleague ploughing match in west Cork.

Winners of gold and bronze last July at the World Ploughing Contest in Canada, John Whelan (Wexford), and Eamon Tracey, (Carlow) were dominant in their respective classes at Ratheniska, Co Laois, securing their places on the team for the world contest in Bordeaux, France, next year.