For a second year, Herdwatch is delighted to partner up with the Tullamore Show, and innovative farmers are wanted for the inaugural Agventions competition.

Have you ever invented or modified something to make life easier or safer on your farm?

Both Herdwatch and the Tullamore Show want to connect and reward farmers who have created innovative solutions to problems on their farm.

The farmer who puts forward the best invention or innovation will get a €250 cash prize from Herdwatch and will be entered in the National Inventions Competition which has a prize fund of €600, while there will also be cash prizes for second and third place.

The two best runners-up in each category will get a one-year Herdwatch subscription.

AgriLand caught up last year’s winner – Tom Donlon – who won first prize with his invention – a Feed Transport Box.

Tom came up with the idea after getting injured on the farm last year. The Co. Clare dairy farmer – who operates a spring-calving system – needed a way to transport feed around the farm that did not involve lifting bags of meal on and off the quad.

The Feed Transport Box can carry up to 100kg of meal safely on the back of the quad. It can be fed directly from the feed box using gravity to release the meal once the handle is let go.

“I heard about the competition from my son Patrick, because we use Herdwatch here on the farm. We said we’d enter for the fun of it and after all the online voting, we couldn’t believe we won; it was great fun.

“You might not think your invention is that special. But, we had a great two days at the Tullamore Show. It’s worth throwing it in and seeing what happens,” Tom added.

How does the competition work?

All inventions and innovations are welcome and the competition is open to any budding Agventor, be it: a farmer; a contractor; a farm manager; a worker; a partner; a sibling; or a spouse.

Furthermore, even if you have entered other competitions in the past, you will not be excluded; inventions and modifications to existing inventions are eligible and are welcome to enter.

All Agventions will be judged by both a popular vote via an online voting system on the Herdwatch website, and by a carefully selected judges panel. But, you can only vote for an Agvention once.

The winner of each category will get a €250 cash prize. The winner will also then be added to the Tullamore Show National Inventions Competition where they are in with a chance to win a further €600 for first place, with second and third place also receiving €200 and €100 respectively.

The two best runners-up in each category will get a one year Herdwatch subscription.

There are no restrictions of the type of invention or innovation; both Herdwatch and the Tullamore Show want to see people coming forward with solutions that they have created to help them around the farm, and that might be of use to other farmers.

How can I enter?

To enter, just click here

Simply, enter a picture of your Agvention; add a description of what it does and the inspiration for your creation in 100 words or less.

The Agventions competition closes July 22, 2019.

Good luck!!