Preparations are well and truly underway for those competing at this year’s National Ploughing Championships.
In Co Louth, Conor McKeown is spending as much time as he can out in the field, perfecting his skills and machinery ahead of their ‘all-Ireland finals’ in three weeks’ time.
Conor is very well-known in ploughing circles as he follows in his late grandfather Pat McKeown’s footsteps. Pat won four All-Ireland titles and was well heavily involved in the ploughing community. Conor has been ploughing competitively for 10 years and drives a John Deere his grandad bought him. He also uses what’s left of Pat’s plough.
“I’ve been following him since I was a gasún as they say, since I could walk. So that’s where I got it from, and how long I have been following him around at the Ploughing,” says Conor.
At the Ploughing last year, Conor came second in the under 28- senior; the year prior to that, he won it. So, he is looking to get back "in the top spot again".
“I was bet fair and square by Tom Murphy in Carlow, it was tight between the two of us, so I am looking to get one over this year,” says Conor.
The ground conditions last year were kinder than this year's as Conor is preparing for hard ground.
“I expect it to be hard, the tramlines will be difficult to get through, but we will see what we can do with them," he says. "A bit of rain between now and then would make it a bit kinder to plough, but if it stays like this between now and then, this is what you're practicing in.
"The last thing you want is a heavy dilute of rain; we had that a few years ago and it left the ploughing very difficult,” says Conor
Watch the full interview of Conor practicing here:
SHARING OPTIONS