Minister Simon Coveney believes it will be the most successful National Ploughing Championship ever and if the build up around this year’s event is anything to go by he may well be right.
Due to take place in Ratheniska, Stradbally, Co. Laois from Thursday to Saturday, September 24 – 26, Europe’s largest agricultural event is now just two weeks away.
Providing a platform to showcase Irish food, farming and culture the event incorporates all sectors of agriculture and rural living from the latest development in agri-machinery to comprehensive exhibits on livestock breeds, animal husbandry, motors, forestry, education and business, craft, food, health and lifestyle and tourism.
The event will also feature a range of product launches and specialist talks on topics as diverse as dog control and worming to general gardening.
New features this year include live robotic milking from Lely and the vintage live tractor build.
Visitors can also enjoy the packed programme of ploughing competitions, live entertainment, sheep dog trials, loy digging, hunt chase, sheep shearing competitions, husqvarna hurdle, Portwest welly throwing, Meggars, radio broadcasts, celebrity visits, best dressed competitions, craft demonstrations, celebrity chef demonstrations and much more.
The site, located on the farm of the Carter family, is currently under infrastructural construction to facilitate the 100 acres needed for the trade arena and demonstrations and has 150 acres earmarked for ploughing.
In addition over 400 acres of the surrounding lands will be used to facilitate the free car parking sites by local land owners in the surrounding area.
Attendance numbers this year are expected to be in excess of last year’s 187,000. Already 1,300 exhibitors have booked stand at this year’s event and there is currently a waiting list in operation which marks a substantial increase in stands since last year.
Upwards of 330 ploughing competitors will compete over the three day event for a range of national titles, qualification for next year’s World and European Ploughing Contests and euro€18,000 in prizes.
Speaking at the event launch kast week Managing Director of the National Ploughing Association, Ms Anna May McHugh said Laois’ strong links with the National Ploughing Championships made it the perfect location for this year’s event.
The 2013 Championships will mark the fifth staging of the event within the county and the first since 2005. It is also marks 82 years since Wexford man Denis Allen first held the competition.
(Source – Irish Examiner – Dolan O Hagan – Thursday, 12/09/2013)
Anna May Mc Hugh at the Press Launch of the 2013 Championships
Competitor at the NPC in 2012
The National Ploughing Championships – UCD Study
The National Ploughing Championships Study carried out by UCD in 2011 found the event generates an Economic Impact of €36 million per annum.
Other Key Findings Include:
Visitors to the championships spent just under €36.5 million during the three days of the 2011 event. This spending resulted in a tax take of over €6.6 million for the National Exchequer.
20% of the attendees at the event are local.
63% male and 27% female split attendance.
Machinery is the main attraction in the trade exhibition.
Personal shopping accounted for over €7million.
Trade purchases were in excess of €9.6 million.
Hotels, B & B’s, Public Houses, Food Outlets, and Service Stations in the area, all stated that they experienced a dramatic increase in trade due to the championships.
Average Annual Attendance is 180,000 people.
(Source – Donegal Post – Wednesday, 18/09/2013)
Crowds at the NPC in 2012
National Ploughing Championships Return to Ratheniska 79 Years On
The National Ploughing will take place in Ratheniska, Stradbally, Co. Laois on 24th, 25th, 26th September 2013 bridging a 70 year gap since the Championships was last held in the area.
David Carter and his family will be the main landowners with many neighboring farmers providing ploughing and parking ground to meet the requirement of 700 acres for this huge National and International Event.
The impact of the Ploughing Championships in 2011 was a staggering €36 million and plans for the 2013 event are nearly complete. This very central Laois location just off the N80 and M7 is expected to draw an even bigger attendance than 2012’s figure of 187,000.
Ms Anna May McHugh, Managing Director of the NPA said “I’m obviously delighted that the event is in my home county this year and I have enjoyed the build-up working with the people of Ratheniska, Stradbally and Laois to make this one of our best events yet.
The venue in Ratheniska marks 70 years since the Championships were first held in countyLaois and on that occasion, Lamerton, Ratheniska hosted the event in 1943. Since then the Championships were also held in Ballacolla, Co. Laois in 1995, 2000 and 2002. 2013 will mark the 5th time for the National Ploughing Championships to take place in the O’Moore County.
The Ploughing fields in Co. Laois will play host to World Ploughing Champion medalists John Whelan and Eamon Treacey who won massive ploughing accolades this year in Canada with Gold and Bronze medals.
(Source – NPA Website – 2013)
“I thought you said we were going to Electric Picnic” – The NPC in 2012
“Guiness is good for you” – Taking a break at the 2012 NPC
Competitor at the 2012 NPC
An expertly ploughed field at the 2012 NPC
