Co. Carlow ploughing champion, John Tracey, will leave behind a “huge ploughing legacy”, according to the managing director for the National Ploughing Association (NPA), Anna Marie McHugh.
Tracey from Knocklonagad, Garryhill, who passed away on Sunday, May 21, has been warmly remembered as a “legend” in ploughing locally, nationally and internationally.
He served as a director of the NPA for many years until last year when he retired, and was unanimously elected as a lifetime member of the association.
The NPA stated on social media:
“It is with tremendous sadness that the NPA is saying goodbye to one of ploughing’s greats John Tracey from Carlow. A former NPA director, multiple all-Ireland Winning Champion and World Ploughing Contest medal winner, John has created one of the best ‘ploughing’ legacies. May he rest in peace.”
Tracey won his first national title in ploughing in the under-28 class. This was the first of many wins; from there he went on to receive seven all-Ireland titles.
He was also the only man to be a reserve champion in the world contest six times. His first runner-up title was won in 1973 and his last in 2009.
On one occasion in New Zealand, Tracey was world runner-up by a fraction of a point. According to McHugh, he would “always say he would not trade one of his six times runner-up titles for one win”.
McHugh has described him as “massively proud of his ability to stay on top at the highest level of competition over such a long number of years, evidence of the skill and ability the man had”.
He had followed in his father Mick Tracey’s footsteps as a ploughman.
Tracey’s ploughing legacy continues, with son Eamonn who is currently reigning world champion, his grandson Sean who is a national champion, and grandson Steve who is also a national reserve champion.
The former Carlow ploughing champion also farmed a tillage and drystock farm with his son Eamonn and ran a successful farm contracting business.
Tracey is survived by his wife Lil, sons Michael, Eamonn and Derik, daughters Caitriona and Sharon, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, a very close family, and network of neighbours and ploughing friends.