Author: National Ploughing Association

 With of this year’s National Ploughing Championships on the way, preparations are in full swing. Some of the more unusual and interesting statistics from the event are:

• The first visit to Laois by the NPA would have been as far back as 1943, this is the 5th ploughing championships in the county.
• Taking place from the 24th to 26th of September, the championships will require over 700 acres including  150 acres of competitions, 100 acres of trade arenas and demonstrations and over 400  hundreds of acres to accommodate the free car parking.
• Last year the championships attracted 187,000 people during the 3 days making it the largest show of its kind in Europe.
• This year over 400 temporary staff, mostly volunteers, will be need to help with the smooth running of the event. This includes over three hundred stewards, judges & supervisors.
• A study carried out by UCD at the 2011 Championships showed that the visitors spent just over €36 million during the 3 days of the event in 2011.  This resulted in a tax take of  €6.6 million for the National Exchequer
• President Michael D Higgins will be the guest of honour at the Opening Ceremony on Tuesday 24th September at 12 noon.
• Trade enquires this year have exceeded all previous years with near on 1,400 exhibitors taking stands at the event.
• 7,500 Trakway panels needed to stage this year has also increased, 22.5 km of Trakway will be laid. 
•  80% will travel from outside the area and travel from locations throughout the entire country, the UK and Europe.
• Nine generators are required on site this year with a huge 45,000 kilometres of electrical cable needed to power the entire venue. That’s about 6,000 kw of generation which is enough to power a small town.
• This year 7,000 fencing panels will be required. This represents 14km kilometres of fencing.
• Over 2,000 signs will be erected using 740 stakes. Internally in the trade arena over 1,400 internal finger point signs will be erected for signage.
• A prize fund of €18,000 is up for grabs in the ploughing completion with 340 entries over 21 classes.
•  Over 80,000 cars are expected to be on the road over the 3 days.
•  The catering section on site will comprise of nearly forty dedicated catering units and will employ over 1200 catering staff during the three days.

Within this catering section:

• There will be approximately 160,000 bottles of minerals drank.
• 60,000 cups of tea and coffee sold each day.
• During the 3 days, 16 tonne of prime Irish beef and three tonne of local sourced pork will be consumed.
• 5 tonne of Irish sourced soft fruit will be used during the event.
• Approximately 14 acres of Irish potatoes were grown to supply the event.
• Up to 30,000 breakfasts / breakfast rolls will be sold each day.
• 16,000 litres of milk will be consumed during the 3 days.
• 14,000 eggs/over 4 tonne of cheese.
• 1,500 boxes of fresh Irish salads

Fashion Shows continue to be a key attraction at the National Ploughing Championships and this year sees ten boutiques and fashion houses taking part in three hourly shows per day. Fashion followers will be treated to all the latest styles and designs of the coming season.

Shows take place daily at 11.30 am, 1.30 pm and 3.30 pm with the Holman Lee Model Agency partnering the NPA once again this year to compere during each show and supply models to the catwalk. Some of the participating boutiques/fashion outlets taking part in the Fashion Shows this year include local retailers Number One Boutique and Seven Ladies Boutique from Portlaoise along with Wexford’s La Crème Boutique and premier country living clothes champion, Noreen O’Donnell’s of New Ross.  International designer clothing company Style-Ikon owned by Tanya McGilligan who specialises in clothing, shoes and bags from Italy, South Korea and Brazil will also feature.

For those wishing to catch a glimpse of what colour and cut will feature in the fashion realm for the coming season make your way to the dedicated Fashion Show marquee conveniently located within the Arcade section of the Trade Arena, at Block 1, Row A1, Stand Number 510.

The ever  popular ‘Most Appropriately Dressed Lady’ competition takes place again this year with a very exclusive prize of a €500 voucher from Wineport Lodge. The ‘Most Appropriately Dressed Gent’ is being sponsored by Louis Copeland & Sons who have once more provided the NPA with a superbly tailored suit for those males making the effort to look the part while Thomas Cook Holidays will sponsor the overall Grand Audience Prizes in the Fashion Marquee to a value of €500 each for a man and woman.

 Pamela Curtin Millinery, Bernice Rafferty of www.fashionfeathers.com  along with The Hair Gallery will supply hats, jewellery and hair & beauty services to all on the ramp.
At the Championships , RTE will run a Make Over competition from their tent and Neelu Beauty Services of Arnotts  will ensure visitors will be treated to expert advice from regarding their personal style, skin  and overall beauty routine.

Looking forward to this year’s event, Managing Director, Ms Anna May McHugh said “We have a feast of fashion at the championships this year, it is a must arena to visit for both the men and the ladies, the added spectacle of two grand audience prizes is exciting, I’m sure the front row will be full for every show’ .

Location Map

Location Details

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Minister Coveney Launches the Ploughing in Laois

There was smiles and building excitement today as Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Mr. Simon Coveney T.D. launched the 2013 National Ploughing Championship due to take place in Ratheniska, Stradbally, Co. Laois three weeks from now on the 24th – 26th September.

Minister Coveney stated ‘he is looking forward to spending three days at this year’s festival as he senses it will be the most successful Championships today and he believes the location at the crossroads of Ireland is perfect for those set to travel’ The Minster congratulated our World Ploughing Champions and stated the event, built on turning a sod brings competitors from all over the country to the one spot to ‘turn the sod’. The Minister took time to travel the entire site and hop on a tractor with local landowner David Carter who will soon play host to Europe’s largest agricultural event.

Providing a platform to showcase Irish Food, Farming and Culture this event incorporates all sectors of agriculture and rural living from the latest development in Agri. Machinery to a comprehensive exhibits of Livestock Breeds, Animal Husbandry, Motors, Forestry, and trade tents with Education &Business services, Craft stalls, Food producers, Health & Lifestyle demos and Tourism outlets with all the latest staycation bargains.

If it’s relevant to farming its relevant to the Ploughing with product launches, specialist’s talks, advisers across areas such as dog control, worming, gardening all on hand to answer queries. Live Robotic Milking from Lely is a new feature for 2013 and the Vintage Live Tractor Build makes a welcome return.
If that’s not enough then take some time out to enjoy the packed programme of Ploughing competitions, live entertainment all day at the Bandstand, Sheep Dog Trials, Loy Digging, Hunt Chase, Sheep Shearing Competitions, Husqvarna Hurdle, Portwest Welly Throwing, Meggars, Outdoor Radio Broadcasts, Celebrity Visitors including sports stars and TV personalities, most Appropriately Dressed Competitions, Craft Demonstrations, Celebrity Chefs and much more.

The site located on the farm of the Carter family is currently under infrastructural construction to facilitate the 100 acres needed for the trade arena & demonstrations and 150 acres earmarked for ploughing. In addition to this over 400 acres of the surrounding lands will be used to facilitate the free car parking sites by local land owners in the surrounding area.

At today’s launch, the Minister and special guests were treated to entertainment by local performers from Laois and guests were also treated to a display of vintage, reversible and conventional ploughs.

Following the official launch, models from the Holman Lee modelling agency took to a mini catwalk to provide a glimpse of the highly anticipated fashion shows that will take place throughout the three days of the event. Local and national boutiques/fashion houses provided a taster of the latest styles and the fashion of the forthcoming season.

With site preparations well underway, the 22 km of steel roadways is now nearly complete and the site is ready for exhibitors to build their stands over the coming weeks– stand structures will vary from exclusive display trailers to marquees, sheds, timber houses and some very elaborate visual presentations.

Attendance numbers this year are expected to be in excess of last year’s 187,000. Already 1,300 exhibitors have booked stand at this year’s event and there is currently a waiting list in operation which marks a substantial increase in stands since last year.

Upwards of 330 ploughing competitors will compete over the 3 day event to win National Titles, qualify for next year’s World and European Ploughing Contests and write themselves into the ploughing history books and avail of over €18,000 in competition prizes.

Speaking at the launch, Managing Director of the National Ploughing Association, Ms Anna May McHugh said “Given Laois strong links with the National Ploughing Championships and excellent ploughing conditions, it was very befitting that the championships returns to the county this year. The 2013 Championships will mark the 5th staging of the event within the county, with the last venue at in Ballincolla in 2005. It is also marks 82 years since Wexford man Denis Allen first held the competition.