Intending visitors are invited to contact New Ross Tourist Information Office, Dunbrody Famine Ship at 051-421857 or email jfktrust@iol.ie to source Failte approved accommodation and contact www.experiencenewross.com or Phone: 087-3630540 to identify listings of local unregistered accommodation providers.

Due to an expected attendance in excess of 120,000, the demand for accommodation will far exceed the number of registered beds available resulting in a  strong demand for more family homes that are equipped to take guests for a short-term stay as demand for accommodation will come from right across the country aswell as many international visitors.

“Traditionally the local community are very hospitable, opening their homes to guests for “Ploughing Week” and we look forward to that kind of welcome again this year in Wexford” said Anna May McHugh, Managing Director of the NPA.

Co-ordinating listings of unregistered accommodation for the Championships will be www.experiencenewross.com Phone: 087-3630540.  Anyone who can offer a room or ideally a couple of rooms please get in touch during working hours Monday – Friday.  Basic requirements include rooms being clean and warm, offer plenty of hot water, comfortable beds (no overcrowding) and provide a good breakfast.  If hosts are interested in providing an evening meal that is also a bonus.

There will also be a demand for houses or apartments to let for a week or more to groups who are working at the Championships.

Upwards of 190,000 visitors are expected to attend this huge international Farming Festival and many will be prepared to travel up to 25 miles from the site to stay over.

The National Ploughing Association have said that “fortunately due to the quantity of bed nights in the Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny region visitors will have plenty of choice and are advised not to pay over the odds for accommodation .

The Championships will host 19 National Ploughing Finals, over 1,000 exhibitors

primarily in the livestock and machinery sectors, a Forestry Village, Bio Energy Village, Tented Trade Arena, Motor Show,  Food Fair, Leader Craft, Outside Radio Broadcasts, Vintage Machinery Exhibitions and Demonstrations, Loy Digging, Meggers, Food Tasting, Horse Ploughing, an Innovations Area,

For event information contact the National Ploughing Association at

059 8625125 or log onto www.npa.ie.

The return of the National Ploughing Championships to Athy will be marked by a colourful town parade of all participating counties on Monday evening, 19th September at 7pm.

The Churchtown Pipe Band will lead this year’s parade, which will commence from the GAA grounds (on the Dublin Road) and proceed through the town along Leinster Street, Duke Street and turning off William Street onto Woodstock Street. The local organisers, Athy Town Promoters, welcome the whole community to come out and join in the festive athmosphere as the town welcomes thousands of visitors for the 80th anniversary of the championships.

The Athy Town Promoters Group is comprised of representatives of Athy Chamber, Shop Athy, Athy Tidy Towns, Athy Age Action, Athy Heritage Centre-Museum, Athy Town Council and the BRAND Project. The parade is being organised with the grateful assistance of the National Ploughing Association, Kildare County Show Committee, Athy Civil Defence, Athy Gardai, Narraghmore Vintage Club, Michael O’Brien and friends.

For further information, contact the Athy Heritage Centre Museum (Emily Square) – Tel.: 059 8633075.

This week, exhibitors will receive their event packs as they make final preparations before going on site to build their exhibition stands. The event is considered the largest of its kind in Europe and as a result many exhibitors will travel from countries such as the UK Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, France and Germany. In addition, exhibitors are also expected from as far afield as America.

The core exhibition highlights will include Agricultural and Plant Machinery, Livestock, a Renewable Energies Village, Lifestyles & Leisure, Information Technology, Educational Agencies & Colleges, Forestry Village, Hotels & Tourism, Information Services, Food Village & Craft Fair, Equestrian, Home & Garden, Agri-Business & Services, Financial Services, Engineering and an Auto Arena.

The Social Programme will include Live Bandstand Entertainment throughout the day, Junior and Senior Hunt Chase, Vintage Machinery Exhibition and Threshing Demonstrations, Horse Ploughing, Meggers, Fashion Shows, Celebrity Guests, Sheep Dog Trials, Loy Digging, All Ireland Lamb Shearing, Craft Demonstrations, Celebrity Cookery Demonstrations, Outdoor Radio Broadcasts and much more.

There’s retail therapy for every member of the family at the Ploughing – from tractors to farm toys to fashion. In addition, spectators can follow the fortunes of Ireland’s finest ploughmen and women as they compete for the various and much coveted annual championships titles.

Special events to mark the 80^th Birthday of the National Ploughing Association include “The Husqvarna Axe Factor” where axe men carry out speed and skill trials cutting timber, the first All-Ireland Pole Climbing in Ireland, Farmers Journal Country Sound Pavilion where many of the stars of Irish Country Music will have a presence to promote concert dates, sell merchandise and meet their fans.  For the hardcore farmer the Irish Farmers Journal are launching the Sustainable Suckling Arena, there will be an Innovations Arena, A Fencing Demonstration, Dancing David Brown Tractors and all.

Car parking at the event is free but patrons are encouraged to use public transport, which in the past, has proved a most effective method of travel.  Iarnrod Eireann trains to Athy, Portarlington and Kildare will be met by a Bus Éireann shuttle-bus service that will run to the site for a small charge. Admission to the Ploughing is very good value at €20 for adults, €15 for Students and OAP’s, children free.  25% discount for pre-booked student groups and 10% discount for pre-booked adult groups – phone 00 353 (0)59 8625125 or for more information, please visit www.npa.ie.

The Volkswagen Amarok  will prove to be a huge addition for the off road preparation that will take place on upwards of 700 acres,  and during event week the vehicles will provide a vital link between exhibition, competitions, demonstrations and car parks.

The exhibition arena for the Championships is starting to take shape this week with many of the event services on site laying piping, tracks, wiring and fencing.  Marquee and shed erectors will start their build next week, closely followed by exhibitors.

Celebrating 80 years of the National Ploughing Association, this year’s programme is packed with exciting activities and events throughout the 3 days in Athy.  Over 900 exhibitors have booked their spot at the event showcasing cattle, sheep, and a huge range of goods from tractors and agricultural machinery to cars, fashion, forestry, renewable energy, house and home, health, lifestyle, leisure and plenty of retail therapy.

You can watch the Hunt Chase, enjoy a beauty consultation, go to a cookery demonstration, meet the Country Music Stars, get your fill of delicious artisian foods, watch craftsmen at work, follow the fortunes of the ploughmen and women, see the first ever Husqvarna All Ireland Pole Climbing Competition, step back in time at the Vintage Exhibition, follow the sheep dog trials or even time the sheep shearers.

Everyone says “you have to go to the Ploughing to know what we are talking about” so save the date.  Starting on Tuesday 20^th September and running through to Thursday 22^nd the National Ploughing Association are expecting a bumper attendance of over 180,000 visitors. Admission for Adults €20, Students/OAP’s €15 and children free. Parking is free or you can travel by train and bus.  For further information contact NPA at 059-8625125 or email info@npa.ie

The Husqvarna All Ireland Pole Climbing will take place for the first time in the country at this year’s Ploughing, Ireland’s first “Farmers Journal Country Sound Pavilion” will feature Irish Artist Information Stands, and provide fans with a chance to meet the stars.

The NPA are introducing an “Innovation Award” for the best new technology on Show that most suits Irish Farming Methods which will be an interesting new dimension for the  Agricultural Machinery Sector  at the Ploughing and an Innovations Arena will also make a welcome return after a lapse of many years to coincide with the 80th celebrations.

In the ploughing stakes a particularly exciting contest will be the “World Champion Ploughing Challenge” with competitors from Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Austria, Sweden, New Zealand and others travelling to claim some of the €10,000 prize fund.  The revival of the Macra na Feirme Ploughing Class has attracted entries from 17 counties bringing the number preparing to plough in Athy to 315 over the 3 days.

Those with an interest in Livestock will be delighted to see the Sustainable Suckling Arena which is a further development of the Beef Demonstrations from previous years with the Journal, Bord Bia and FBD in partnership on this project.

Exhibition Space is at a premium at this stage with the NPA Site Team starting this week to mark out the Trade Arena which is expected to at least match the size of the 2010 Championships.

In the Agricultural Machinery Arena all the leading machinery manufacturers are coming to Athy, we will have a full complement of tractor brands and it appears that this year the sizes of many machinery stands will be bigger than in recent years.  To compliment this the signals are that Farmers have some money to spend on renewing their machinery and are looking forward to the Ploughing to see what is on the market.

The Renewable Energies Sector is flourishing with many new developments in this Arena since the last event.  The Forestry Arena has extended with Pole Climbing, the Axe Men Challenge and Timber Carvers expected to draw huge interest.

The Motor Industry will have a strong presence this year after a few difficult trading years, in particular Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles are coming out in force providing a fleet of the newly  launched Amorak  for the NPA Courtesy Vehicles.

Bank of Ireland were represented at the Launch by Nigel Whyte, Senior Business Development Manager, also present were host farmers Eamon & Willie Fennin, Jim & Irish Fox and members of the National Ploughing Association.

The main event will be on the lands of the O’Dwyer Family with part of the Exhibition stretching across to the neighbouring Kehoe family farm, while hundreds of acres of parking will be provided by the local landowners. Estimated to generate upwards of 15 million euro for the local economy with accommodation providers for a 30 mile radius usually packed for the “Ploughing Festival”.

Excellent tillage land, set between two major routes – the New Ross/Enniscorthy (N30) and the New Ross/Wexford (N25) Roads, this venue has everything required to stage Ireland’s Largest Outdoor Exhibition & Ploughing Contest.

The NPA also took this opportunity to launch the Trade Exhibition Pack for this year’s Championships which will take place in Athy from 20th – 22nd September. To mark the 80th year of the Association the NPA are planning a special programme and enquiries are already flooding into the NPA Offices in Athy for Exhibition Space.

Speaking at the Announcement Managing Director of the National Ploughing Association (NPA) Anna May McHugh said “It is 14 years since the National Ploughing took place in Wexford and it is very fitting that the event returns in 2012 as this will mark the 80th Anniversary of the first National Ploughing in the County.”

One of the best Showcases for Agriculture & Rural Industry in Western Europe the National Ploughing has an average attendance of 180,000 visitors and over 1,000 exhibitors.  An 80 acre Trade Arena featuring Agricultural Services and Machinery, Livestock, the Motor Trade, Bio Energy, Forestry, Home and Garden, Rural Enterprise and much more.

The Tented Trade Village focuses on a broad range of interests from Education to Tourism, Lifestyles to Health and Leisure, Food Fairs to Craft Villages and a wide variety of Demonstrations from Crafts and Cookery to Agricultural Machinery.

For further information about the Championships please contact the National Ploughing Association Office by phoning 059-8625125 or emailing info@npa.ie

For more information, please contact:

Anna Marie McHugh

NPA Public Relations Officer

Tel: [059] 86 25125         Mob: [087] 4193965         Email: furrow@npa.ie

PREVIOUS NATIONAL PLOUGHING CHAMPIONSHIPS IN WEXFORD

A very enthuastic Board attended the meeting in the Bridge House on Thursday 10th May where Managing Director Anna May McHugh confirmed that preparations for the Championships in September were well under way.

Anna May said “Tullamore is a fantastic venue for the Championships as it is easily accessible from all over the country and the Deverall and neighbouring farms are the ideal location for an event of this size”

Thomas White from Heathtown, Stamullen, Co Meath has been elected as a Director to the board of the National Ploughing Association. Thomas, who has a transport business has represented both Dublin and Meath and was 2nd in an All Ireland Ploughing match. Speaking at the AGM, Thomas said “I am delighted to be associated with an Association such as the NPA and I look forward to working with all the Directors in the years ahead”.

The Championships, still as popular as ever has seen registered accommodation in the area snapped up by exhibitors and visitors from all over the country. However, there are still plenty of bed and breakfasts (unregistered) and locals are opening up their homes to visitors.

Hundreds of enquiries from the trade have been received at the NPA and exhibitors this year are again expected to be in excess of 800, with many new and varied applications, as well as the core machinery and livestock exhibitors covering a massive 60 acres of exhibition space.

This year sees this magnificent event revert back to its usual three days having been four days last year where Tullow hosted the hugely successful World Championships.

The National Ploughing Championships take place in Annaharvey Farm, Tullamore, Co Offaly from Tuesday 25th to Thursday 27th September 2007. For more information, visit www.npa.ie.

Issued by National Ploughing Association Tel: 059 8625125
For more information or photography, please contact:-
Anna Marie McHugh: 087 4193965 furrow@eircom.net
Avril Perrin: 087 2831793 npamedia@eircom.net

www.npa.ie

Applications for exhibition space have been flooding in to the National Ploughing Association offices in Athy, Co Kildare in advance of this year’s National Ploughing Championships in Tullamore, Co Offaly from Tuesday 25th September to Thursday 27th.

Organisers of one of Europe’s largest outdoor agricultural events have concentrated on exceptional quality and diversification in their 60 acre trade arena this year with a huge cross section of businesses being successful with their applications.

Government Departments, political parties, semi state bodies, sporting organisations, hotels and education are just some of the businesses attending. Finance is well represented with stockbrokers, investment clubs and the Financial Regulator coming on board. Health will have a strong presence with cholesterol and blood pressure checks, The Irish Blood Transfusion Board, The Irish Haemochromatosis Association and The Health Service Executive. The National Office for Suicide Prevention will also be providing information on suicide prevention, an issue becoming increasingly common in rural Ireland.

Renewable energy will have a big presence with wind turbines, biomass boilers fuelled by chicken litter, oats and barley. Solar panels, wood pellet stoves, science and engineering stands will have you totally up to speed on the latest equipment and cost saving devices on the market.

The European Commission and the European Parliament will also be there to discuss the environmental challenges that exist in Europe, specifically nature and climate change. Northern Ireland departments will also have a presence with the Department of Agriculture & Rural Development and the Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute.

The Road Safety Authority along with the Garda Road Safety Division will be carrying out seatbelt demonstrations for child car seats as well as free eyesight tests in conjunction with SpecSavers.

The overseas property exhibition returns this year, as does the fantastic Leader Food Village with its hand made chocolates, farm house cheeses, breads, cakes, honey and marmalades. Leader Crafts are also making a welcome comeback with their magnificent displays that were so popular last year.

With all this and more, you cannot afford to miss the National Ploughing Championships in Annaharvey, Tullamore, Co Offaly from Tuesday 25th to Thursday 27th September next.

Tickets for this fantastic event are now available by calling 00 353 (0)59 8625125 or for more information, visit www.npa.ie. Discount available on tickets of 10 or more.

The National Ploughing Association today launched a “Promotional Brochure” detailing a packed programme of events for this year’s Championships which take place from Tuesday 25th to Thursday 27th September in Annaharvey, Tullamore, Co Offaly.

The ability to incorporate extensive machinery demonstrations with a sixty acre trade arena – gives the Ploughing Championships that edge on a “static exhibition” which has in recent years brought the event into the ranks of being one of Europe’s leading Agricultural Exhibitions. And all that is in addition to the National Ploughing Finals which will attract over 300 competitors from all over the country to compete for a National Title at Annaharvey in a couple of weeks.

An exciting snippet of news from the brochure is confirmation that Farmley, Cuffesgrange in County Kilkenny will host the 2008 National Ploughing Championships. This was announced formally by National Ploughing Association Chairman Michael Mahon. An Offaly man, Michael challenged Kilkenny that it would be hard to equal the programme planned for the Ploughing in Tullamore this September.  Kilkenny has been one of the most popular venues for the Ploughing having hosted it on seven occasions in the past but 2008 will be a huge boost for Kilkenny as the event has not take place in the county since 1986.

The Woodcock and Barry Farms will host the main events with the main trade exhibition and some Ploughing classes taking place on the farms of Robert & Ann Woodcock with Robert’s parents Paddy & Kathy Woodcock and additional Ploughing ground being provided by Paddy & Ann Barry. Returning to the brochure content and Machinery will be at the core of the exhibition with hundreds of companies selling the latest farming technology from the leading tractor manufacturers to machines for cultivation, sowing, fertilizing and harvesting. Plant Machinery at the Ploughing has developed into a significant Arena with other key categories including the Forestry Village, Motor Show and this year a Bio Energy Village which will include a Willow-Myscantas Trial Plot.

A visit to the Livestock Exhibition at the Ploughing promises to be quite an experience as most Pedigree Cattle & Sheep Breed Associations use the Championships to “display their finest animals” and promote the breed as having the time to talk to potential clients without the distraction of showing classes makes commercial sense at that time of year.

With demand for exhibitor stands so intense the NPA have a waiting list for stands in place for a number of weeks now. There is a massive cross section of businesses taking part at the Ploughing. One of the largest overseas property exhibitions comes to the ploughing for the second time, as well as home based properties. Exhibitors will include Dept. of Agriculture & Food, Teagasc, Central Fisharies Board, Coillte, Dept. of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, HSE, Food Safety Authority, Bord Bia.

A very welcome addition to the exhibitor list this year will be the Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, Northern Ireland and Agri-Food & Biosciences Institure, Northern Ireland and all the leading agricultural machinery manufacturers and organizations.

The Tented Village at the Ploughing which is extending every year will highlight lifestyle and leisure, household, tourism, fine foods and crafts aswell as an extensive Education and Business section and Agri-Business Pavilion.

There will be a truly International flavor again this year and lots of potential for business with buyer delegations traveling from Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Poland and from as far afield as Sydney. The European Commission will also be present providing information and education on environmental issues and market situations.

Demonstrations will also play a big role with beef demonstrations, seatbelt demonstrations, energy saving demonstrations and safety demonstrations. The first ever Irish Stihl Timbersports Series, the thrilling off roading with the Land Rover Terrapod and The Austrian Schuhplatters will provide just some of the fantastic entertainment of the course of the three day bonanza and to keep the spirits high an exciting programme of traditional, country and folk music entertainment.

Personalities attending the Ploughing will include President McAleese, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. Not just for the ploughing or machinery enthusiast, the Ploughing Championships will have a Hunt Chase, Fashion Shows, Shopping Arcades, Vintage Exhibitions and Food Halls and Leader will have a Food Village and a Craft Village not to be missed.

For more information on the event, to request a brochure or find out about group rates for tickets, visit www.npa.ie

Issued by National Ploughing Association
Anna Marie McHugh: 087 4193965 furrow@eircom.net
Avril Perrin: 087 2831793 npamedia@eircom.net

With in excess of 150,000 visitors anticipated over the course of the three day extravaganza, organisers estimate that 200,000 gallons of water will be required. Colour coded free car parks will take up 350 acres with the ploughing competitions demanding up to 200 acres to accommodate the many National Ploughing Finals taking place.

National Ploughing headquarters are in The Bridge House in Tullamore where more than 250 people will be in situ for the duration of the Championships.

With the site layout almost complete, stand holders are eagerly awaiting positions and numbers to be allocated. These should be available by the end of the month. Planning for the ploughing begins just days after the previous years competition closes; such is the scale of this event. Six KVA generators will also be on site with a huge 20 kilometres of electrical cable required to power 30 floodlights and 600 power points throughout the site.

Approximately 500 staff, mostly volunteers are necessary to make this event the huge success it is, including 200 stewards from every county in the Republic of Ireland, including approximately 110 judges and supervisors. There will be 22 catering units covering a vast array of foods including organic, Asian, specialised coffee bars and traditional Irish as well as 4 bars, 7 confectionary shops and no less than 10 ice cream sellers.

President McAleese will be guest of honour at the Opening Ceremony at 12 midday on Tuesday 25th September with the National Garda Band and an Offaly Harpist in attendance for the Ceremony.

This year, like others will not disappoint, the Land Rover Terrapod off road experience returns for those who like the thrills and spills of seemingly insurmountable obstacles put in front of them, which are easily manoeuvred by these jeeps. The first Irish Stihl Timbersport series will be a crowd pleaser as will the Austrian Schuhplatters.

With livestock exhibitions, machinery demonstrations, forestry village, motor show, bio energy village, education and business centre, a tented trade arena and entertainment events going on throughout the day, every day, the National Ploughing Championships 2007 in Tullamore, Co Offaly from Tuesday 25th to Thursday 27th September will definitely not disappoint those who intend attending.
For more information on the event, to request a brochure or find out about group rates for tickets, visit www.npa.ie
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