In September I visited the Irish national ploughing championships as I had heard so much about their organisation and the immense amount of support and following. On the day I attended some 127,000 others did also, but to be fair the event is combined with their agricultural show. Irish hospitality is legendary and this experience lived up to the reputation and it was nice to be able to discuss various topics. I was particularly interested in the vintage mounted competition where each county sent their champion to plough for the National title. The conditions were almost perfect but the plots were very small, I estimate about 45 metres by 12 metres, and considering the fact that they do 16 furrows in the start instead of 12 there was precious little room for adjustment later. There was plenty of need for adjustment in some cases and the general standard was rather poor but as one sage remarked that some of the counties possibly only had one or two regular competitors and little to raise the standard.
Their National organisation was founded in 1930 and incorporated in 1956. The number of directors is limited to forty and the period of office is for one year only.
Outside assistance was rife, with plenty of gesticulation and shouting from the ends of the plots. Handling was also fairly common and generally ignored although there is a scale of penalties for all sorts of misdemeanours in the rules including walking or standing on ploughed work, except where the tractor only has a cab door on the right !
Their National organisation was founded in 1930 and incorporated in 1956. The number of directors is limited to forty and the period of office is for one year only.
Outside assistance was rife, with plenty of gesticulation and shouting from the ends of the plots. Handling was also fairly common and generally ignored although there is a scale of penalties for all sorts of misdemeanours in the rules including walking or standing on ploughed work, except where the tractor only has a cab door on the right !
