Two Irish ploughmen have claimed top honours at the 69th World Ploughing Contest in Tartu, Estonia.
In a remarkable performance, Eamonn Tracey from Co. Carlow and Jer Coakley from Co. Cork, who represented the Republic of Ireland ploughing team, were both named world champions in their classes.
The result means that Ireland has now retained the conventional and reversible world titles for three years in a row.
The awards ceremony took place last night (Saturday, August 17) as part of a gala banquet marking the end of the two days of competitions in the grassland and stubble fields.
World Ploughing Contest
The World Ploughing Contest attracted over 40 of the top competitors from across the globe to the annual event.
Eamonn Tracey retained his world champion tile in the conventional class, marking his third successive win in the category since the event was held in Ratheniska, Co. Laois in 2022.
The Garryhill man has a strong track record on the international stage having now won the conventional class at the World Ploughing Contest six times since 2014.
This year, Tracey, who ploughs on a Valtra tractor, lay in joint fourth place after the grassland competition, but an impressive day on the stubble field saw him move to the top of the results table with a final score of 379 points.
He was joined on the podium by Andrew B. Mitchell Snr from Scotland (366.5 points) and Martin Linberg Velling (357 points).
Andrew Gill who represented Northern Ireland at the championships finished in fifth place with 349 points.
Jer Coakley guided his Ford tractor with precision through the plots in Estonia to win the world champion title in the reversible class.
The drystock and tillage farmer and reigning European champion put himself in a strong position to claim the overall title after finishing the grassland section in first place.
Another great performance on the second day saw him winning in the stubble field to finish the championships with 430 points.
Soren Korsgaard from Denmark was in second place on 410 marks and Austria’s Leopold Aichberger claimed third on 372 marks.
David Wright from Northern Ireland came in fourth position with a final total of 366 marks.
A special presentation was also made during last night’s awards ceremony to the Republic of Ireland team coach, Mick Roche from Co. Wexford.
The National Ploughing Association (NPA), which was present in Estonia for the contest, paid tribute to the achievements of the two Irish ploughmen.
“Team Republic of Ireland triumph again at the World Ploughing Contest in Estonia. Huge congrats to Eamonn Tracey from Carlow and Jer Coakley from Cork you have made your country extremely proud,” the NPA said in a post on social media.
The 70th World Ploughing Contest is due to be held in the Czech Republic next year.