Generous growers set new world record

By Derek Casey

Irish tillage farmers, contractors and machinery dealers succeeded in setting a new world record on Saturday afternoon when 175 combines were put to work in one field at the same time. Perhaps most impressively, in more than trebling the old record of 56 combines - held by Australia since 2006 - participants also managed to raise €300,000 for four different charities.

A wet and windy start to Saturday morning had made for anxious moments for the Combines 4 Charity organising committee, who surely must have been cursing their luck. However, by early afternoon the rain had been replaced by a strong breeze, and the excitement of the 8,000 assembled punters started to build in earnest. And shortly after 2pm, 175 combines trundled into the 100-acre wheat field that awaited its place in the history books. Getting the combines into their starting positions alone took three hours – an indication of the logistical challenge involved.

Regardless, most agreed that the wait was all worth it when a helicopter carrying Katie Forde, the official observer from the Guinness Book of Records, flew across the field to give the signal for “all engines go.” What followed was an assault on the senses. Engines roared, children squealed with excitement and smoked billowed into the clear blue sky. Clouds of dust formed behind each and every combine, most of which were relatively new, with some help from those more of a vintage class. Fifteen minutes later 100 acres of wheat had been harvested – making for a once in a lifetime work rate of seven acres a minute!

The majority of the €300,000 was raised by the generous tillage farmers, contractors and machinery dealers who supplied the combines. Each combine had to come with €1,000 of sponsorship money in order to participate, so a mammoth fundraising effort was involved in the weeks prior to the event. Further funds were raised by the 8,000 or so punters who witnessed the spectacle. And this witness, for one, can testify that it will be a sight that will live long in the memory.

The roar said 183 – the record says 175

By Andy Doyle

It’s done – tá sé briste. What a spectacle. More combines in the one place than one could possibly imagine and a record well and truly broken to the point that it may never be challenged again. 183 combines share in the adventure and the record now stands at 175 in the Guinness Book of Records – up from 56 last time. And the Good Lord shone on the efforts of the organisers to send an unbelievable afternoon to dry up the crop and the site after a foul night and morning.

When I arrived at the site shortly after 10am it was a torrid morning. There had been 12mm of rain in the previous four hours. The organisers were telling all those who bothered to ring that the sun was shining and the sky was blue. And by the time the people arrived that is what they found. And were they glad they came. What a sense of occasion.

The combines started moving around 12 noon to realign in front of the swelling crowd. Two hours later they were still attempting to find space on the field. By the scheduled starting time of three o’clock some of the combines hadn’t yet made it to the field. Problems with a wet headland forced a re-route for some of the machines and this further delayed the off. But no one minded. The excitement and sense of occasion was palpable.

At about 4.50pm the starting signal commenced. A helicopter rose from the machine area and circled the field – the signal to start the engines. Then it touched down in front of the crowd and they were off. The record was in the making. The field was arranged in such a way that allowed most machines to get cutting very quickly and so about 10 minutes later the record was in situ – they had all been cutting for the same five minutes.

The whole thing looked like it had been flawless (bar the rain overnight). However there were many challenges and these were all ironed out unbenounced to the crowd. Tremendous credit is due to the organisers for making all this happen. Likewise to the combine owners and drivers who made the occasion. Without them there would have been no record or sense of occasion.

On behalf of the organisers, Tony Brady asked the Journal to send a sincere thanks to all involved: To the combine drivers, owners and their families; To the people of Duleek for their cooperation; To the Gardai for their help with the convoys of combines from the different locations; To all those who came to witness and participate in this historic occasion; And to the very many others who helped in so many ways.

The organisers expect to surpass their target earnings for charity and may even pass the quarter of a million mark. The generosity continues and funds are still being offered. The event is a testament to well focused farmer power - well done to all the tillage farmers involved.

For full coverage, see this week’s Irish Farmers Journal

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