The 36th European Ploughing Contest has been launched in Co. Wexford ahead of the 2019 season.

Taking place at a reception held yesterday evening (Sunday, December 16) in Springpark, Ballinboola, not far from New Ross, the event was launched by the National Ploughing Association (NPA).

The event itself will take place on Saturday and Sunday, March 30 and 31, 2019.

Last year’s event, held in Russia on June 23 and 24, proved to be very fruitful from an Irish perspective.

The team saw prize-winning performances from both Liam O’Driscoll and Dan Donnelly at the event.

Liam O’Driscoll from Co. Cork took home first place and was crowned European Reversible Ploughing winner, while Wexford man Dan Donnelly took fourth place and won the stubble competition.

Driving a Massey Ferguson with a Kverneland plough, O’Driscoll had a firm hand on proceedings, scoring 472.5 points overall – some 52.5 points ahead of second place.

Meanwhile, also pulling a Kverneland – but with a John Deere – Donnelly put in a strong shift on the second day, receiving the highest score awarded on the Sunday, to notch up 379.4 points.

Separating the two, in second and third place respectively, were Northern Irish competitors David Wright and James Coulter.