Bookings for this year’s National Ploughing Championships are at an all-time high due to “unprecedented demand”, according to National Ploughing Association (NPA) Managing Director Anna May McHugh.
She said: “We are delighted that so many have already committed to ploughing because that is a real seal of approval for the event.
“It is the primary aim of the NPA to make the event better every year for visitors and exhibitors alike and early bookings give us much more time for the optimum site design and layout.
There is phenomenal worldwide interest with exhibitors coming from far-flung countries such as Turkey, the USA, UK, Germany, Belgium, New Zealand, France and the Netherlands to have a presence at Europe’s largest outdoor event.
“This year the core agricultural machinery companies, as always, will be the anchor exhibitors of the championships, showcasing hundreds of thousands of euros’ worth of the latest technology,” McHugh said.
“The NPA is also at the planning stage of a few new initiatives in the machinery sector of the event, which will add an interesting dimension, together with a range of new exhibitors featuring in Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly from September 19 to 21, creating a thrilling mix for visitors.
With record crowds of 283,000 visitors in attendance last year and with the site in Screggan proving to be a phenomenal success, signals would suggest another ‘great ploughing’ is on the way.
According to the NPA, there will be an unprecedented number of diverse businesses exhibiting at the ‘Local Enterprise Village’ at this year’s Ploughing Championships.
The Livestock Arena and Food and Lifestyle Villages are almost fully booked with the ‘dome’ returning this year to feature over 100 exhibitors, the association said.
Following positive feedback last year, the Motor Arena will be bigger, it has been confirmed, while the dairy sector will feature various new additions.
There has been a substantial increase in this year’s Novice class, bringing the total to over 20 entrants, which signals great interest in the next generation of ploughers, the NPA said.