A crowd of 71,800 descended upon the site today here in Ratheniska, Co Laois in the heart of Ireland to savour all of what this year’s National Ploughing Championships has to offer. With weather much improved a buoyant mood prevailed throughout the site.
Speaking this evening, NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh said “I have to pay an extraordinary special thanks to the NPA team, local landowners, gardai and volunteers who literally worked around the clock and all night to ensure that the site was suitable for visitors following the previous day’s adverse weather affects.
It is also a huge testament to the great Irish character that everyone rallied and threw themselves into enjoying their day out following Tuesday’s wet weather.”
In the afternoon, the Most Appropriately Dressed Lady & Gentleman Competitions were hotly contested in the dedicated Fashion Show Marquee.
Roisin Fennin from Kildare beat off stiff competition from the other finalists to take the top prize and win an overnight stay for two in a deluxe Wineport Lodge lake view room with a pampering treatment and dinner & breakfast included. The exclusive prize also includes a glamourous overnight in the Club at Goffs, a new chic boutique hotel with dinner by chef de cuisine Derry Clarke.
The Most Appropriately Dressed Gentleman, sponsored by the Midlands Park Hotel went to Daithi Fitzgerald from Kerry. He has won an exclusive two-night escape in the luxury Midlands Park Hotel including dinner in the award winning Kelly’s Steakhouse with breakfast included.
With the final day of the 92nd National Championships tomorrow everyone is eagerly anticipating all of the Ploughing action.