The 70th International Ploughing Championships took place on 18th & 19th October on the outskirts of Bushmills. The event, sponsored by Donnelly & Taggart, Eglinton, incorporated the 5 Nations Ploughing Contest as well as the Northern Ireland Tractor Pulling Competition. The two day event, including trade stands, crafts and Young Farmers competitions, took place on the MacNaughten Estate close to the Giants Causeway.
NIPA Chairman, Mr Wilson Holden announced details of the up-coming international event. “We are delighted to be back in Bushmills as we celebrate 70 years of our championships. Our event is a key date in the agricultural calendar celebrating the best of agriculture and offering a great day out for all the family.”
Competitors competed in up to eight classes to be crowned Northern Ireland Champions. World Style conventional, World style reversible, vintage, classic, Young Farmers, Horses and Ladies classes will take place over the 2 days. Winners will then go on to represent Northern Ireland at next year’s World and European Ploughing Contests. National finalists taking part were joined by top competitors from across the UK and Ireland in the 5 Nations Ploughing Championships which also took place over the two days of the contest.
Nearly 100 acres of farmland was transformed for the two day event. Ploughing commenced on Friday with 5 ploughing classes competing to qualify for the finals on Saturday. A key part of the championships are the trade exhibitors with over 50 companies representing many sectors of the agricultural industry. They were joined by over 20 teams from the Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster who held their Fencing Competition and soil assessment on Friday. On Saturday, the Irish Tractor Pulling Committee brought plenty of noise and power to the championships with specially built supercharged tractors competing alongside local tractor enthusiasts. Local Young Farmers Clubs Moycraig & Coleraine organised activities during the 2 days of the contest. Mr Holden said “The NIPA is putting an increased focus on the trade element of the event this year and has been encouraging a bigger and broader range of trade exhibits to interest both the farmers and other visitors.”
NIPA President, Mr William King said “We are delighted to be back in Bushmills for the 5th time and are extremely grateful to the MacNaughten family for the use again of such a wonderful site. We look forward to welcoming competitors, officials and visitors from across the UK and Ireland and hope that many people will come along and enjoy our event.”
Mr Holden expressed the NIPA’s appreciation to the new principal sponsor Donnelly & Taggart, Eglinton. Speaking at the recent launch, Mr Holden said, “The NIPA have had a long standing relationship with Donnelly & Taggart and we trust that this partnership as principal sponsor will be fruitful, opening a successful chapter in the history of the International Ploughing Championships.” Mr Holden also expressed thanks to other sponsors and stakeholders for their support including DARD, YFCU, Forthill Farms and FP McCann.
The Northern Ireland International Ploughing Championships are an integral part of the local farming calendar with one of the largest agricultural trade exhibitions in the country. Following a warm summer, the NIPA will be hoping for the good weather to hold out for another week.
Speaking at the recent launch, Mr Holden said “This year, the NIPA are celebrating our 70th anniversary. The history of our event has played an important role in the agricultural environment in Northern Ireland and throughout the ploughing championships this year, we hope to celebrate this important milestone, and especially the distinguished people who have played an important role in our industry.”
The Ploughing Championships commenced next week on Friday 18th October with competitors taking part in a tractor parade at 9:30am and ploughing starting at 10:30am Tractor Pulling commenced on Saturday at 11am. Car parking and children under 12 was free.
NIPA Chairman, Mr Wilson Holden announced details of the up-coming international event. “We are delighted to be back in Bushmills as we celebrate 70 years of our championships. Our event is a key date in the agricultural calendar celebrating the best of agriculture and offering a great day out for all the family.”
Competitors competed in up to eight classes to be crowned Northern Ireland Champions. World Style conventional, World style reversible, vintage, classic, Young Farmers, Horses and Ladies classes will take place over the 2 days. Winners will then go on to represent Northern Ireland at next year’s World and European Ploughing Contests. National finalists taking part were joined by top competitors from across the UK and Ireland in the 5 Nations Ploughing Championships which also took place over the two days of the contest.
Nearly 100 acres of farmland was transformed for the two day event. Ploughing commenced on Friday with 5 ploughing classes competing to qualify for the finals on Saturday. A key part of the championships are the trade exhibitors with over 50 companies representing many sectors of the agricultural industry. They were joined by over 20 teams from the Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster who held their Fencing Competition and soil assessment on Friday. On Saturday, the Irish Tractor Pulling Committee brought plenty of noise and power to the championships with specially built supercharged tractors competing alongside local tractor enthusiasts. Local Young Farmers Clubs Moycraig & Coleraine organised activities during the 2 days of the contest. Mr Holden said “The NIPA is putting an increased focus on the trade element of the event this year and has been encouraging a bigger and broader range of trade exhibits to interest both the farmers and other visitors.”
NIPA President, Mr William King said “We are delighted to be back in Bushmills for the 5th time and are extremely grateful to the MacNaughten family for the use again of such a wonderful site. We look forward to welcoming competitors, officials and visitors from across the UK and Ireland and hope that many people will come along and enjoy our event.”
Mr Holden expressed the NIPA’s appreciation to the new principal sponsor Donnelly & Taggart, Eglinton. Speaking at the recent launch, Mr Holden said, “The NIPA have had a long standing relationship with Donnelly & Taggart and we trust that this partnership as principal sponsor will be fruitful, opening a successful chapter in the history of the International Ploughing Championships.” Mr Holden also expressed thanks to other sponsors and stakeholders for their support including DARD, YFCU, Forthill Farms and FP McCann.
The Northern Ireland International Ploughing Championships are an integral part of the local farming calendar with one of the largest agricultural trade exhibitions in the country. Following a warm summer, the NIPA will be hoping for the good weather to hold out for another week.
Speaking at the recent launch, Mr Holden said “This year, the NIPA are celebrating our 70th anniversary. The history of our event has played an important role in the agricultural environment in Northern Ireland and throughout the ploughing championships this year, we hope to celebrate this important milestone, and especially the distinguished people who have played an important role in our industry.”
The Ploughing Championships commenced next week on Friday 18th October with competitors taking part in a tractor parade at 9:30am and ploughing starting at 10:30am Tractor Pulling commenced on Saturday at 11am. Car parking and children under 12 was free.