The curtain has come down on the 88th National Ploughing Championship at Balllintrane, Fenagh, this evening where the total attendance figure came to a record breaking 297,000 visitors over the three days, with exhibitors and visitors alike thoroughly enjoying themselves making this the most successful National Ploughing Championships ever.
The previous record set in 2017 was 291,500, while 2018 was washed out and battered by gale force winds when Storm Ali struck. This year all three days experienced temperatures in the high teens under blue skies and no breeze.
Speaking at the close of business, NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh said; “Traffic to and from the site has been moving well all week and credit is due to An Garda Síochána and the traffic management plan that was implemented. With record numbers attending, everyone expected to meet some hold-ups, but the traffic was kept flowing at all times with only the very minimum of delays.
“We are delighted with the overall attendance figure this year. The three days ran extremely smoothly and everywhere I looked there were cheery smiling faces with all members of the family thoroughly enjoying themselves.”
Several Government Ministers, Party Leaders
and elected representatives were manning their tents and pouring customary cups
of tea. Some of the nationally recognisable political representatives
today included An Taoiseach Leo
Varadkar who visited many stands and even took the opportunity to plough a plot!
Other senior politicians included Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed who
took the opportunity to hold a media conference in the NPA HQ. Also,
among those attending today were Minister Michéal Ring and the Fianna Fáil
leader Michéal Martin.
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 Russia next year.
In a statement issued this evening, “The NPA would like to wish everyone a safe journey home and thank all involved for making this the most memorable ploughing of all time.”
