Following the highs and lows of a rain-soaked day two of the National Ploughing Championship, the National Ploughing Association (NPA) have another packed programme of events planned for the third and final day today, Thursday, September 21.
After the floods of yesterday, an army of volunteers – armed with tractors and slurry tankers – worked on draining the site well into last night and again from early this morning in order to prepare the grounds for the visitors expected on the final day of the event.
Getting the ball rolling at 9:00am, the trade machinery, livestock and general exhibition areas opened once again to the crowds.
Currently underway, having begun at 9:00am, the All Ireland Lamb Shearing Championships is getting down to business over at Block 1, Row 14, Stand 303. This will run until 4:30pm.
Also getting warmed up, having started at 9:30am, are the sheep dog trials at the Sheep Dog Trials Arena, located at Block 2, on the Birr side of the site, for those interested.
Bandstand entertainment – situated at Block 3, Row 10, Stand 249 – started up at 10:00am with Offaly Comhaltas Group, providing a lively range of traditional music.
At the business end of things, running from 10:30am until 2:30pm, the final day of competitive ploughing will get underway.
- Senior Conventional Test Match (Day 2);
- Kverneland Reversible Test Match (Day 2);
- Junior Conventional Plough Class;
- Standard Three-furrow Reversible Plough Class;
- Vintage Single Furrow Mounted Plough Class;
- Special Horse Plough Class;
- Novice Two-furrow Conventional Senior, Intermediate and Junior Plough Classes;
- Loy Digging.
Back to the ‘Bandstand’, and entertainment will be provided by the Molgoggers, from Cobh at 11:00am. Meanwhile, at 11:30am, the first fashion show of the day will be held at Block 3, Row 28, Stand 637. For those interested in the equine scene, the Senior Hunt Chase will get underway at Block 1, on the Birr side of the site, from 12:00pm on.
From 12:30pm, Derek Ryan will be back for day three at the ‘Bandstand’ to provide plenty of songs for all country music fans to enjoy. Next up, at 1:30pm, a second fashion show will get going at the fashion show stand.
‘Bandstand’ entertainment will be provided by Jig Jam at 2:00pm, while the Duets will take to the stage after this – from 3:00pm.
At 3:30pm the final fashion show of the event will kick off at the fashion show stand (Block 3, Row 28, Stand 637). Meanwhile, at 4:00pm the ‘Bandstand’ will see a performance from Olivia Douglas, followed at 5:00pm by the Duets, to see out the event’s musical entertainment.
The ploughing competition results will be announced from the ‘Bandstand’ at 6:00pm, which will bring one of Europe’s largest outdoor agricultural events to a close for another year. Then the countdown will begin for ‘Ploughing’ 2018!