Commercial interest strong for farm event

THE organisers of this year's national ploughing championships at Ballacolla, Co Laois, yesterday reported much commercial interest in the event.

In a year when machinery manufacturers are taking careful stock of their investment in exhibitions, the National Ploughing Association declared that it would have 12 makes of tractor on display in Ballacolla on September 24, 25 and 26.

This would be supported by a comprehensive range of farm machinery including items from Britain, Europe and as far away as New Zealand.

“You could say that the ploughing association is very satisfied with the level of commercial interest in this year's event,” NPA managing director Anna May McHugh said.

She was speaking at a reception in Abbeyleix at which Minister of State Liam Aylward launched the promotional brochure for this year’s championships, which are expected to attract more than 100,000 people over the three days.

Mr Aylward thanked David and Heather Lalor for making their farm available for this prestigious event, which ranks as Ireland’s premier farming show.

He said the theme of his department’s stand at “the ploughing” would be ‘A Sustainable Agriculture and Safe Food’.

The brochure promises a festival of 21 ploughing competitions, catering for men, women and under-age competitors, using equipment from vintage tractors and ploughs to the sophisticated reversible plough.

There will be a exhibition of cattle and sheep breeds, supported by a selection of livestock products and services.

Sporting challenges will include a 32-county inter-hunt chase.

The prize fund for the ploughing competitions is 21,000 euro in cash and 24,000 euro worth of Kverneland match ploughs.

Highlights will be the supreme tractor championship on the Wednesday and Thursday, the final of the reversible test on the Thursday, the Farmerette class contest on the Wednesday, and the European vintage ploughing contest on the Thursday, featuring competitors from eight countries.

The promotional brochure, sponsored by the Irish Farmers Journal, details the programme of events and exhibitions.

It will be distributed throughout Ireland and up to 30 countries over the next few weeks.