Today (Tuesday, September 19) marks the start of the highly-anticipated 2017 National Ploughing Championships.
There is a jam-packed schedule planned for the day, as outlined below.
Kicking things off at 9:00am, the machinery, livestock and general trade exhibition opens to the general public.
Meanwhile, from 9:00am to 4:30pm, the sheep shearing will take place over at Block 1, Row 14, Stand 303.
From 9:30am on, the sheep dog trials will be ongoing at the trials arena at Block 2, on the Birr side of the site. The pony games competition will get underway at 10:00am at Block 1, again on the Birr side of the site.
For the more musically-inclined, the ‘Bandstand‘ will also open at 10:00am, stationed at Block 3 Row 10 Stand 249. The first band on-stage will be the Willoughby Brothers.
Moving onto the business end of things, the ploughing itself will run from 10:30am to 2:30pm.
- Three-furrow Conventional Senior and Junior Plough Classes;
- Under 28 Conventional Senior and Junior Plough Classes;
- Under 21 Conventional Senior and Junior Plough Classes;
- Under 28 Reversible Plough Class;
- Intermediate Conventional Plough Class;
- Intermediate Reversible Plough Class;
- Vintage Two-furrow Trailer Plough Class;
- Under 40 Horse Plough Class.
Back to the bandstand entertainment, stationed at Block 3, Row 10, Stand 249, Killina Presentation Secondary School will perform from 11:00am.
The famous fashion show will be up and running from 11:30 onwards, at Block 3, Row 28, Stand 637.
At 12:00pm, the official opening of the event by President Michael D Higgins will get underway, along with the blessing of the grounds by the clergy. This ceremony will be held at the bandstand at Block 3, Row 10, Stand 249.
At 1:30pm a fashion show will be up and running once more, again at Block 3, Row 28, Stand 637.
The National Brown Bread Baking Semi-Final will be held at the Aldi Stand, which is located at Block 4, Row 10, Stand 250, from 1:30pm.
Back to bandstand entertainment (Block 3, Row 10, Stand 249); it will feature the Duets at 1:30pm.
At 3:00pm, the bandstand will see the Philip English Duo take centre-stage, while the final fashion show of the day will also run (over at Block 3, Row 28, Stand 637).
Bandstand entertainment for the rest of the day will see Stephen Rosney and the Back Axels perform at 4:00pm, while the Philip English Duo will return once more at 5:00pm.
Finally, at 6:00pm, the ploughing competition results will be announced (Block 3, Row 10, Stand 249). Following this, the exhibition will close for the day.