Category: News

The National Ploughing Association Executive made the difficult decision to cancel all National Ploughing Finals 2020 with the exception of Senior qualifier classes for 2021 which include qualification for the World Ploughing Contest scheduled to be hosted in Ireland next September.  The qualifying classes have been postponed until 6^th – 7^th – 8^th October conditional on HSE & government recommendations at that time.

The NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh said that “the Executive reached the decision to cancel the Trade Exhibition back in May in the hope that by September the National Ploughing Classes could go ahead behind closed gates,  however as public health and safety is the NPA’s foremost priority and with the recent surge in Covid-19 cases the Association felt that the safest option for everyone involved was to cancel the competitions.
With visitor attendance last year of 297,000 and up to 1,700 exhibitors the full event was not an option in the midst of a  global pandemic.

Exhibitors, visitors & patrons have all expressed their disappointment with “no ploughing this year” and the NPA together with a number of associates have planned a programme of online activations during what should have been “Ploughing Week”  starting on the 14^th with the Enterprise Ireland and NPA  Innovation Awards, Exhibitor promotions and activations on 15^th – 16^th – 17^th and the Aldi, NPA and ICA National Brown Bread Baking Competition finals on 17^th September.   Follow #Ploughing2020.

With an annual economic impact reported to be in the region of €45 million the loss of this event is massively significant to the Irish Economy however the NPA are looking forward to September  2021 (15th-16th-17th -18^th) marking the 90th year of the NPA and Ireland will be hosting the World Ploughing Contest in tandem with the National.

National Ploughing Association Managing Director, Anna May McHugh said “when lives are potentially at risk then we all have to take stock and just limit our activities to an absolute minimum – we will see brighter days please god in 2021 and I look forward to getting back to “the ploughing” as we know it.”

We hope to return to normal services in 2021

Welcome Home Reception in Dublin Airport to celebrate the Irish Ploughing Team’s great success at the recent European Ploughing Contest in Suzdal, Russia – Liam O’Driscoll from Bandon, Co Cork who beat off stiff competition to win first place at the European Competition and Dan Donnelly from  Blackwater, Co Wexford who came 1^st the stubble ploughing and 4^th in the overall competition. 

The team were managed by Laois man DJ McHugh and coached by Joe Slattery from Tipperary.  The NPA President James Sutton also accompanied the Irish team to Russia.

Total prize fund to the value of over €80,000

Embargo, Friday 6 April 2018

Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation ArenaAwards at the National Ploughing Championships, in conjunction with the Irish Farmers Journal, are now open for applications from Irish companies within the agri sector. The awards will take place within the popular Innovation Arena at the heart of the National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, 18-21 September 2018.

The Innovation Arena is a unique platform from which Irish companies can showcase pioneering developments in the agri sector and related subsectors such as agri-tech and agri-engineering. This year’s arena will also feature a conference venue where companies can launch new productsand present to international buyers – over 100 buyers from all over the globeattended last year.

Judging for the awards will take place at the arena throughout the three-day event in categories including ‘Agri Engineering’ and ‘Agricultural Technology’. The overall start-up winner will be eligible to win up to €15,000  prize package.

In addition to propelling Irish innovations to a world stage, this year’s Arena will feature seminars on key issues affecting the sector including Brexit and Global Marketsand facilitate crucialnetworking opportunities for attending companies. Last year’s competition attracted 200 entries ;  69 were shortlisted as finalist exhibitorsat the Innovation Arena.

Julie Sinnamon, CEO Enterprise Ireland said: “The Irish agri sector is a rapidly increasing contributor to the economy and the companies who display their innovations each year at the Innovation Arena are a stellar example of the innovative and revolutionary development taking place in this country. Enterprise Ireland is committed to supporting companies with global ambition who have innovation at the core of their business, and for this reason, the Innovation Arena at the National Ploughing Championships, where the top innovations are showcased for international buyers, is a key event for us. I am also delighted to say that the ‘Innovation Boot Camp’ will once again take place on August 15. This Boot Camp will deliver advice, mentoring, and support for innovators in the agri sector.”

Eoin Lowry, Deputy Editor, Irish Farmers Journal said:“Ireland has a prominent agricultural industry and The Farmers Journal’s involvement with the Innovation Arena is reflective of our position as a driver of innovation within this space. Globally, Ireland has a reputation as an industrial leader and the Innovation Arena highlights the change and development occurring within the sector. The Farmers Journal is delighted to once again partner with Enterprise Ireland and the National Ploughing Championships to promote and support the companies at the forefront of sector.”

Anna May McHugh, Managing Director of the National Ploughing Championships said:“The National Ploughing Championships has been a focal point of innovation since its establishment. Agriculture is deeply rooted in Irish culture and is a significant factor in rural Ireland’s economic growth. We are again delighted to team up with Enterprise Ireland and the Farmers Journal to facilitate the Innovation Arena for 2018. I look forward to seeing the leaders in agri-innovation as they leverage the Arena to showcase all we have to have offer in terms Irish manufacturing and products.”

The 2018 NPA Innovation Arena prize fund equates to over €80,000 in supports.  The overall award winner will receive a top prize worth €15,000 from Enterprise Ireland and The Irish Farmers Journal which includes advertising and PR support, mentoring and a cash prize of €5,000. All finalists will receive an advertising voucher to promote their innovation through the Irish Farmers Journal and a subsidised stand in the Innovation Arena for 2018.The final participants for the 2018 Innovation Arena will be selected on July 23.          

To enter this year’s Innovation Arena Awards please visit: www.innovationarena.ie

Top Oil, the official fuel sponsor of this year’s National Ploughing Championships have joined forces again with the NPA, following several successful years, to brand more than one hundred road-sign billboards nationwide reminding the country that “the Ploughing” in Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly from September 18th to 20th is fast approaching.

At the Top Oil/Ploughing launch NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh spoke of how she looked forward to working with Top Oil in the run up to and during this year’s Championships and said “I am delighted that Top Oil and this year’s National Ploughing Championships will continue with this winning partnership.

As the main fuel sponsors, Top Oil have a great appreciation of the importance of the National Ploughing Championships with a visitor attendance of 291,500. They will supply all the event fuel requirements for the 3 days including fuelling all the generators for powering the site, the lighting towers that extend out to a radius of over 30 km from the main site, all the event machinery, upwards of 350 competitors tractors and that’s without even touching on the 1,700 exhibitor requirements.”

Andrew Meagher, Head of Sales, Direct & Reseller at Top Oil expressed how much Top Oil was looking forward to this year’s Championships “We are proud to be providing quality fuels and excellent customer service to local businesses and farming communities across Ireland for many years and are delighted to be supporting this prestigious event for our fifth consecutive year.
There is always great excitement throughout our nationwide network of Top Oil depots and retail sites about the ploughing and this year is no different.

We are really looking forward to working closely with The National Ploughing Association again this year. Our two organisations have our roots in local rural communities and we very much look forward to supporting the NPA to showcase and celebrate the very best of rural Ireland.

We welcomed many customers, new and old, to our stand at the Ploughing last year and we are very much looking forward to this year’s event at Screggan from 18th to 20th September.”

Showcasing the Best of Irish Food, Farming and Culture, follow the excitement of the build up to #Ploughing18 on www.facebook.com/nationalploughingchampionships or www.twitter.com/@NPAIE. For further information on all things ‘Ploughing’ related – please contact info@npa.ie/ 059 8625125.