The National Ploughing Association will make a decision on whether Ploughing 2020 will go ahead or not by early June, with a chance the actual Ploughing could take place “behind closed gates”.

Anna Marie McHugh, assistant managing director of the NPA, told the Irish Farmers Journal the NPA won’t be going against Government advice.

It’s an important year for the ploughing, with the qualifiers for the next year’s worlds

She said: “If and when the NPA has to make a decision on the exhibition, we’ll have to look at having the ploughing championships behind closed gates.

“It’s an important year for the ploughing, with the qualifiers for the next year’s worlds, which take place in Ireland.”

This week the Government announced that events requiring licences in excess of 5,000 people “will not be considered” up to the end of August, just 14 days before this year’s Ploughing is to take place.

McHugh said the NPA “will act in the best interest of the country if and when the time comes that a decision has to be made about Ploughing 2020”.