The Irish Vintage Society has launched a tractor restoration competition.

The most originally-restored vintage grey Ferguson 20 (1946-1956) will be judged and announced during the National Ploughing Championships in 2026.

The competition is open for entries until October 31, 2025, and the timeframe for completion of the restoration process will be from November 1, 2025 to August 31, 2026.

The criteria for entry to the competition includes that the vehicle must be capable of being fully restored.

The prize fund for the competition is €8,000, with a first prize of €5,000, second prize of €2,000 and third prize of €1,000.

The judging panel will have representation from the Irish Vintage Society, Agriland, and the main sponsor AXA.

Up to 10 Irish Vintage Society club entries will go forward to the final adjudication at the Ploughing next year, September 2026.

A maximum of one entry can be made by each Irish Vintage Society club.

The Irish Vintage Society is an umbrella group of vintage clubs, groups and individual enthusiasts interested in the preservation and restoration of old cars, tractors, farm machinery, public service vehicles, and memorabilia from Ireland's social and agricultural heritage.

Chairman of the society, Tom Pender told Agriland that this competition is "going to be a big boost" for interest in vintage machinery, and for the society and its members.

"A lot of clubs would be very interested in restoring tractors," he said.

President Eunan Kelly said that the involvement in vintage in Ireland is "very strong" currently, and going from "strength to strength" each year.

Speaking to Agriland at the launch of the competition, vintage enthusiast Wayne Wedlock said that the significance of the Ferguson TE20 tractor is huge.

"This incoming year, 2026, marks the 80th anniversary of the start of production of the Fergusion 20 tractor," Wedlock said.

"We're going to see a lot more of them pulled out of the brambles."

He said that the competition will provide an extra incentive.

"It's exciting, and it's maybe the push that somebody needs - they might have one in the back of the shed," Wedlock added.