Anna May, a three-day-old lamb, made an appearance at a promotional event for the upcoming National Ploughing Championships in Co Laois. The known as “The Ploughing” event, acclaimed as the biggest outdoor event in Europe, is geared up to host over 1,700 exhibitors, showcasing everything from livestock, farming equipment, to counselling services. The event, which will span from September 17th to 19th, is anticipated to pull in a crowd close to 300,000 at the tented village.
Regardless of the hoopla, the lamb Anna May seemed uninterested, as she preferred to doze off in her owner, Samantha Ginty’s arms. Ginty also serves as the Secretary of the National Sheep Breeders Association. Anna May was named after the veteran director of the National Ploughing Championships, Anna May McHugh.
In other happenings, Bobby Kinsella, a ten-year-old world champion in Irish dancing who bagged his title at the World Irish Dancing Championships in Killarney in March, enthralled the audience with his performance inside the dining tent.
Children from the Laois Hunt Pony Club were seen rehearsing for the forthcoming Pony Club games, a key highlight of the championship.
Ratheniska, Co Laois is once again the chosen site for the third year in a row to host the annual ploughing championship. Despite challenging weather conditions in the previous year, the organising committee demonstrated their determination to proceed with the event. “Regardless of the weather, we always carry on”, said Ms. McHugh lightheartedly.
The organising committee expressed their thrill to return to Ratheniska based on the enthusiastic feedback received from landowners and the wider community.
The site is being prepared with miles of metal interlocking roads for smooth access, especially for the esteemed visitor President Michael D Higgins. Anna Marie McHugh, the Publicity Officer, finally confirmed the President’s arrival at the event.
In today’s celebration, two global ploughing champions from Ireland, Eamonn Tracey from Carlow and Jer Coakley from Clonakilty, were honoured. Tracey gained the esteemed title of the world’s foremost conventional ploughing champion during the World Ploughing Championships last week in Estonia. Meanwhile, his comrade Coakley won the equivalent accolade for reversible ploughing at the same competition. The Gardaí ensured a wide-ranging traffic control scheme would be implemented throughout the days of the National Ploughing Championships.