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21 September 2010
All roads lead to Athy for Ploughing Championships
IRELAND’S largest outdoor agricultural event, the National and European Ploughing Championships gets underway in Cardenton, Athy, Co. Kildare, today Tuesday, September 21, and over three days is expected to attract 180,000 visitors.
700 acres of land will be used of which 200 will be dedicated to the ploughing championships themselves while 80 acres are set aside as a trade stand exhibition space. Car parking space is spread over 400 acres and demonstrations will be held across 35 acres.
500 temporary staff, mostly volunteers, are helping run the event, including hundreds of stewards travelling from every county in the Republic of Ireland, with over 100 judges and supervisors.
The catering section alone will employ 1,000 people for the event.
President Mary McAleese is the guest of honour at the opening ceremony which takes place at midday on Tuesday, September 21.
On Wednesday and Thursday the National Ploughing Association [NPA] will host the European Reversible Ploughing Contest for the first time.
The competition will attract 26 competitors from 13 countries. Two competitors will compete from Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Sweden and Denmark.
For visitors with interests other than ploughing there is a record number of over 1,100 trade stands guaranteeing appeal for everyone.
On opening day both Littlewoods Ireland (new to the ploughing this year) and master tailor and designer of men’s suits Louis Copeland are sponsoring the Most Appropriately Dressed competitions.
Up for grabs in the Most Appropriately Dressed Lady section is a fantastic €5,000 voucher for Littlewoods Ireland, Ireland’s leading online department, with a dapper Louis Copeland suit on offer for the Most Appropriately Dressed Man. Judges will be ‘spotting’ on Tuesday for both competitions with the final taking place in the Fashion Show marquee after the 3pm Fashion Show, so be sure to dress to impress.
The popular fashion shows are one of the most sought after attractions for ladies attending the event, wanting to get a glimpse of what will be on the rails for the upcoming season.
The Holman Lee Model Agency, headed by fashionistas Celia Holman Lee and her daughter Cecile, will put on stunning shows.
The Agri Aware marquee will be a hive of activity at this year’s National and European Ploughing Championships and will have something for everybody!
Seminars on Agri Aware’s ‘Farmers Play Your Part’ Common Agricultural Policy [CAP] 2010 Campaign, a farmers one minute CAP challenge, a giant maze, primary school tours and a lot more besides!
A large section of the Agri Aware marquee will be dedicated to their ‘Farmers Play Your Part’ CAP 2010 Campaign.
The main focus of the campaign is to highlight to farmers the important role they play in informing the general public about the benefits of the CAP, and in making them aware that it is a policy for all, not just farmers.
The seminar will also discuss how farmers can effectively and positively communicate three key advantages of the CAP back to their friends, neighbours and other people they meet on a day to day basis.
Two 40-minute seminars will be held daily, discussing the advantages of the CAP for the general public and an expert from Terry Prone’s Communications Clinic will also equi farmers with the necessary skills to communicate the merits of the CAP back to the consumer.
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