Crowds from all over the country are expected to flock to the National Ploughing Championships in Co. Laois next week.
The three-day event kicks off next Tuesday (September 20) and this year’s event will be the first time since 2019 that spectators will be able to attend.
Although it is a tillage event, farmers involved in all enterprises attend along with many from the wider industry.
Ploughing Championships
For dairy farmers to head to the ploughing championships requires a little more planning than farmers involved in drystock.
Although farmers involved in other enterprises will also have to make a plan that allows them to attend, on dairy farms the cows still need to be milked – they won’t take the day off because you are away for the day.
So ahead of the championships it is important that farmers organise cover for when they are at the event.
It is likely that if you are looking to get away for some of the day, many farmers in your area will be planning to do the same.
Because of this, you should organise your relief milker sooner rather then later, so you aren’t rushing back from the event.
Getting away
It is important that farmers get away from their farms everyone once in a while and the National Ploughing Championships are a great opportunity for exactly this.
Living where you work can make it difficult to zone out and although you are attending an agricultural event, it should still offer you an opportunity to forget about the farm for a while.
The majority of agricultural shows that have already taken place this year have seen record crowds, with people happy to be back at in-person events.
So it is likely that large crowds will once again be seen at the National Ploughing Championships this year.