On Thursday 20 August, the National Ploughing Association (NPA) officially launched this year’s National Ploughing Championships, which is said to be "bigger than we were last year" according to NPA assistant managing director Anna Marie McHugh.

“We have a flavour here for what’s happening at the event. There is a great build-up. We have a lot of the infrastructure in and it’s building everyday here with changes. We're really looking forward to a great event,” said Anna Marie.

With exhibitors coming from New Zealand, Czech Republic, Northern Ireland and England, there are new elements and different parts in store for this year’s three-day event.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We have the junior brown bread bakers, which has been re-introduced to the event, we have carriage driving on the Thursday, we have a new business hub happening in the enterprise and I would say we actually have more than we ever have in the food sector, in small food businesses,” she added.

Ploughing competition

It is the national final for ploughing, which "is as big as it gets in Ireland", according to renowned world champion and multi-title national champion ploughman Eamonn Tracey from Carlow.

“This is the pinical of the year for every county ploughman, this is where anyone that ploughs in Ireland wants to be come September,” said Eamonn.

Watch full video here: