Northern Ireland’s top ploughmen, Tom Cochrane from Coleraine, and Rodney Crawford from Moneyrea, have found conditions for the 2012 World Ploughing Contest in Croatia a real challenge. Both ploughmen have had to draw on all their experience and skills to master the conditions on the coast of the Mediterranean. While Thomas has hired a tractor in Croatia, both he and Rodney have transported the rest of their equipment by lorry in order to take part in the 59th World Contest.
This is the first time that Croatia hosted the World Ploughing Contest, and while ploughing conditions were proving difficult, the Northern Ireland team enjoyed the occasion. Thomas, current European Reversible Champion and Rodney, represented NI for the 2nd time in the conventional class, joined by David Wright, team coach, and World Ploughing Organisation Chairman, William Hood. Competitors and affiliates from 61 countries from around the world descended on Biograd na Moru for a 10 day programme where they got the opportunity to experience Croatia’s scenery, cuisine and culture, as well as adjust to ploughing conditions.
Both competitors have had to endure scorching temperatures in excess of 30 degrees as well as challenging ground conditions. Speaking before the contest in Croatia, Tom Cochrane revealed that “stubble ground conditions were the biggest problem as the ground was loose on the top 4 inches but very hard below. It will be a case of using plastic mouldboards. The grassland was also very hard, but it looked like there will be very little variation between the plots making it a fair competition”. However after weeks of dry, hot weather, 3 inches of rain fell on the day before the match making ploughing conditions difficult. Tom Cochrane finished 6th in the reversible class on the stubble ploughing on Day 1 and Rodney Crawford finished 8th in the conventional class. Both NI competitors drew difficult plots and ploughed well to finish well up the leader board. On Day 1, the Reversible class was won by Yves Thievon of France and Andrew Mitchell Jnr won the Conventional Class. Saturday's grassland was also challenging with the Northern Ireland men drawing poor plots. Tom Cochrane finished up 7th overall with Rodney Crawford 9th overall in the conventional class. Andrew Mitchell Jnr held on to win the Conventional class comfortably with Frenchman Yves Thievon winning the reversible class. Both World champions will return home with a new Deutz-Fahr tractor for their troubles!
The team will return to Northern Ireland next week where they will then beginning preparations for the Northern Ireland Ploughing Championships in Drumahoe, Derry-Londonderry. One of the features of this event will be the European Reversible Ploughing Contest which will be hosted in Northern Ireland for the first time. Tom Cochrane won the event in 2011 in France Northern Ireland will this year be represented by David Wright (Magherafelt) and Martin Stewart (Coleraine). They will be joined by Europe’s top ploughmen who will head to the North West 2 days competition commencing on 5th October. This year, the event promises to be much more than a ploughing contest with tractor pulling, trade stands and other competitions to enjoy.
This is the first time that Croatia hosted the World Ploughing Contest, and while ploughing conditions were proving difficult, the Northern Ireland team enjoyed the occasion. Thomas, current European Reversible Champion and Rodney, represented NI for the 2nd time in the conventional class, joined by David Wright, team coach, and World Ploughing Organisation Chairman, William Hood. Competitors and affiliates from 61 countries from around the world descended on Biograd na Moru for a 10 day programme where they got the opportunity to experience Croatia’s scenery, cuisine and culture, as well as adjust to ploughing conditions.
Both competitors have had to endure scorching temperatures in excess of 30 degrees as well as challenging ground conditions. Speaking before the contest in Croatia, Tom Cochrane revealed that “stubble ground conditions were the biggest problem as the ground was loose on the top 4 inches but very hard below. It will be a case of using plastic mouldboards. The grassland was also very hard, but it looked like there will be very little variation between the plots making it a fair competition”. However after weeks of dry, hot weather, 3 inches of rain fell on the day before the match making ploughing conditions difficult. Tom Cochrane finished 6th in the reversible class on the stubble ploughing on Day 1 and Rodney Crawford finished 8th in the conventional class. Both NI competitors drew difficult plots and ploughed well to finish well up the leader board. On Day 1, the Reversible class was won by Yves Thievon of France and Andrew Mitchell Jnr won the Conventional Class. Saturday's grassland was also challenging with the Northern Ireland men drawing poor plots. Tom Cochrane finished up 7th overall with Rodney Crawford 9th overall in the conventional class. Andrew Mitchell Jnr held on to win the Conventional class comfortably with Frenchman Yves Thievon winning the reversible class. Both World champions will return home with a new Deutz-Fahr tractor for their troubles!
The team will return to Northern Ireland next week where they will then beginning preparations for the Northern Ireland Ploughing Championships in Drumahoe, Derry-Londonderry. One of the features of this event will be the European Reversible Ploughing Contest which will be hosted in Northern Ireland for the first time. Tom Cochrane won the event in 2011 in France Northern Ireland will this year be represented by David Wright (Magherafelt) and Martin Stewart (Coleraine). They will be joined by Europe’s top ploughmen who will head to the North West 2 days competition commencing on 5th October. This year, the event promises to be much more than a ploughing contest with tractor pulling, trade stands and other competitions to enjoy.