Crowds brave wet and windy weather at National Ploughing Championships

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

Thousands of farmers and families are braving damp and windy weather to trudge across muddy farmlands for a major showcase of farming and rural life.

People wrapped in raincoats and ponchos plodded through more than 1,000 stalls selling farming equipment and exhibiting techniques on the first day of the agricultural event.

Ireland’s National Ploughing Championships, hosted this year in Ratheniska, Co Laois, is hoping to attract around 300,000 attendees for its 92nd outing.

More than 200 acres of ploughing competitions will be hosted over three days, with over 320 competitors.

Sheep shearing and a “country style best” fashion show will also feature, as will an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for welly throwing.

Politicians will also attempt to show their commitment to rural and farming life, with political parties having set up stalls and ministers holding several events throughout Tuesday.

Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney said the National Ploughing Championships represented “something special” in Ireland as he arrived at the National Ploughing Association’s headquarters.

The event comes as political pressure is put on Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue over an EU request that Ireland reduce the volume of nitrogen it produces per hectare.

Farmers held protests at Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s respective think-in events last week, insisting the cut in the nitrate limit would force them to reduce herd sizes.