2011 NIPA International Championships
Ploughing Championships held at Kearney, Portaferry
RESULTS
The 68th Northern Ireland International Ploughing Championships took place on Friday & Saturday last week on lands owned by the Watson family near Portaferry on the Ards Peninsula. The match site was in the townland of Kearney meaning ‘the area of the angular rocks’ overlooking Knockinelder Bay and the nearby rugged coast with its treacherous rocks which claimed many ships in days gone by.
The Conventional Championships took place over both days with Class 1 on Friday hotly contested by ploughmen from across Northern Ireland and further afield. The local ploughmen were the top pointed competitors from local affiliated Ploughing Society matches and joined this year by guests from the Republic of Ireland and two competitors from New Zealand. Weather conditions throughout the day were dull and windy with ground conditions ideal for ploughing. At the end of the day Willie John Kehoe from Wexford was in front ahead of Andrew Gill and Samuel Gill both from Listooder Ploughing Society.
The second day of competition on Saturday dawned breezy with rain eventually blowing in from the sea to dampen the field but not the spirits of ploughmen or visitors. The top ten competitors from Day One did battle with positions on the second day slightly changed WJ Kehoe in front ahead of Gary Simms and Samuel Gill.
The results for both days were then combined to see Willie John Kehoe taking the Overall Winners prize and lifting the TC Reid Memorial Salver and T&J McEerval Perpetual Challenge Cup with Second place going Samuel Gill.
In the Reversible Championships top pointed competitors from local matches and guests from ROI competed on both days with Day One being led by Thomas Cochrane from Coleraine PS ahead of David Wright (Loup PS) and Dan Donnelly (Wexford). Positions did not change on Day Two with Thomas Cochrane, David Wright and Dan Donnelly taking the top three positions. So the NI Reversible Champion, based on cumulative points from both days, was Thomas Cochrane who received the Jim Craig Memorial trophy. David Wright took the Runner Up Award and the Farmers Weekly Perpetual Challenge Cup.
These results mean that Samuel Gill and Thomas Cochrane will now represent Northern Ireland at the next World Match which will be held in Croatia.
The Principal Sponsor at this year’s Championship was Northern Bank and members of the Bank’s Agribusiness team were on hand throughout the event meeting ploughmen, officials, trade exhibitors and visitors. The Match Presentation dinner was attended by John Henning, Head of Agriculture and Brian McNair, Agribusiness Manager, Newtownards who assisted with the presentation of prizes.
Alongside the conventional and reversible ploughing contests other competitive ploughing activity included Vintage, Classic, Ladies and Horse ploughing competitions. The Vintage classes were won by Billy Ritchie (Loup PS) with David Boyd (CDTEC) winning the Vintage Classic class whilst Joanne Deary from Co Monaghan took the award for Champion Lady competitor.
The Horse classes were sponsored by K & J Gracey, Forthill Farm, Tandragee with the NI Horse Champion title going to Victor Scott from Roe Valley PS with Bertie Faulkner (Garvagh PS) taking second prize and Lindsay Hanna (Listooder PS) in third place.
Speaking after the event John Henning, Head of Agriculture, Northern Bank said “Northern Bank is delighted to have supported the NI Ploughing Association in staging these Ploughing Championships. We congratulate the organisers and competitors on organising such a great spectacle and showcasing the noble art of ploughing. We extend our best wishes to Samuel Gill and Thomas Cochrane as they represent Northern Ireland at the next World Match in Croatia and know they will give a good account of themselves as they endeavour to return the World titles to Northern Ireland”.
Another successful NI ploughing match which enjoyed reasonable weather conditions and crowd of visitors who were able to enjoy competitive ploughing, view a good range of trade stands and catch up with friends and neighbours – all ingredients of a good day out
RESULTS
The 68th Northern Ireland International Ploughing Championships took place on Friday & Saturday last week on lands owned by the Watson family near Portaferry on the Ards Peninsula. The match site was in the townland of Kearney meaning ‘the area of the angular rocks’ overlooking Knockinelder Bay and the nearby rugged coast with its treacherous rocks which claimed many ships in days gone by.
The Conventional Championships took place over both days with Class 1 on Friday hotly contested by ploughmen from across Northern Ireland and further afield. The local ploughmen were the top pointed competitors from local affiliated Ploughing Society matches and joined this year by guests from the Republic of Ireland and two competitors from New Zealand. Weather conditions throughout the day were dull and windy with ground conditions ideal for ploughing. At the end of the day Willie John Kehoe from Wexford was in front ahead of Andrew Gill and Samuel Gill both from Listooder Ploughing Society.
The second day of competition on Saturday dawned breezy with rain eventually blowing in from the sea to dampen the field but not the spirits of ploughmen or visitors. The top ten competitors from Day One did battle with positions on the second day slightly changed WJ Kehoe in front ahead of Gary Simms and Samuel Gill.
The results for both days were then combined to see Willie John Kehoe taking the Overall Winners prize and lifting the TC Reid Memorial Salver and T&J McEerval Perpetual Challenge Cup with Second place going Samuel Gill.
In the Reversible Championships top pointed competitors from local matches and guests from ROI competed on both days with Day One being led by Thomas Cochrane from Coleraine PS ahead of David Wright (Loup PS) and Dan Donnelly (Wexford). Positions did not change on Day Two with Thomas Cochrane, David Wright and Dan Donnelly taking the top three positions. So the NI Reversible Champion, based on cumulative points from both days, was Thomas Cochrane who received the Jim Craig Memorial trophy. David Wright took the Runner Up Award and the Farmers Weekly Perpetual Challenge Cup.
These results mean that Samuel Gill and Thomas Cochrane will now represent Northern Ireland at the next World Match which will be held in Croatia.
The Principal Sponsor at this year’s Championship was Northern Bank and members of the Bank’s Agribusiness team were on hand throughout the event meeting ploughmen, officials, trade exhibitors and visitors. The Match Presentation dinner was attended by John Henning, Head of Agriculture and Brian McNair, Agribusiness Manager, Newtownards who assisted with the presentation of prizes.
Alongside the conventional and reversible ploughing contests other competitive ploughing activity included Vintage, Classic, Ladies and Horse ploughing competitions. The Vintage classes were won by Billy Ritchie (Loup PS) with David Boyd (CDTEC) winning the Vintage Classic class whilst Joanne Deary from Co Monaghan took the award for Champion Lady competitor.
The Horse classes were sponsored by K & J Gracey, Forthill Farm, Tandragee with the NI Horse Champion title going to Victor Scott from Roe Valley PS with Bertie Faulkner (Garvagh PS) taking second prize and Lindsay Hanna (Listooder PS) in third place.
Speaking after the event John Henning, Head of Agriculture, Northern Bank said “Northern Bank is delighted to have supported the NI Ploughing Association in staging these Ploughing Championships. We congratulate the organisers and competitors on organising such a great spectacle and showcasing the noble art of ploughing. We extend our best wishes to Samuel Gill and Thomas Cochrane as they represent Northern Ireland at the next World Match in Croatia and know they will give a good account of themselves as they endeavour to return the World titles to Northern Ireland”.
Another successful NI ploughing match which enjoyed reasonable weather conditions and crowd of visitors who were able to enjoy competitive ploughing, view a good range of trade stands and catch up with friends and neighbours – all ingredients of a good day out