As the final flow of traffic from the car parks leave this evening, the total attendance figure for the 86th Championships came to a record breaking 291,500 over the 3 days, with exhibitors and visitors alike thoroughly enjoying themselves, this marks the most successful National Ploughing Championships to date.
Speaking at the close of business, NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh said “Despite experiencing a wet Wednesday during the 3 day festival, the overall mood for this year’s Ploughing has been incredibly buoyant and positive. With so much for visitors to enjoy from quality livestock and serious machinery to fashion, celebrities and sports stars galore there was something for every member of the family to enjoy.”
Attending today, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar congratulated the NPA on another successful year, he paid tribute to Ms Anna May McHugh, the NPA, staff and the several hundred volunteers required to host an event of it’s scale and scope.
Jack Nagle, a 16 year old student from Kerry was the popular winner of the Enterprise Ireland, NPA, FJ Innovation Arena “People’s Choice Award” with his Tractor Safe Lock initiative. The hotly contested National Brown Bread Baking final took place in the Aldi tent in front of an audience of several hundred. The overall winner in first place was Mary Conway from Sligo, who was absolutely delighted with her win. Edward Roe from Tipperary beat off some stiff competition to be crowned the winner of the inaugural Macra Safe Driving competition.
In the ploughing competition Eamonn Tracey from Carlow won the overall Conventional class, while Wexford man John Whelan won the Reversible Ploughing competition. Both men will again represent Ireland at the World Ploughing contest in Germany next year.
The NPA would like to wish everyone a safe journey home and thank all for making this the most successful Championships of all time.