A welcome home reception was held in Dublin Airport recently to celebrate the Irish Ploughing Team’s success at the recent European Ploughing Contest in Suzdal, Russia.
Liam O’Driscoll from Bandon, Co. Cork, won first place at the European competition and Dan Donnelly from Blackwater, Co. Wexford, came first in the stubble ploughing and fourth in the overall competition.
Driving a Massey Ferguson with a Kverneland plough, O’Driscoll had a firm hand on proceedings, scoring 472.5 points overall – some 52.5 points ahead of second place.
Meanwhile, also pulling a Kverneland – but with a John Deere – Donnelly put in a strong shift on the second day, receiving the highest score awarded on the Sunday, to notch up 379.4 points.
The team were managed by DJ McHugh from Co. Laois and coached by Joe Slattery from Co. Tipperary. The NPA president James Sutton also accompanied the Irish team to Russia.
The National Ploughing Association (NPA) lauded the Irish competitors, and sent its congratulations over social media.
Meanwhile, the National Ploughing Association (NPA) managing director Anna May McHugh celebrated American ‘Independence Day’ 2018 in the US Embassy in Dublin earlier this week.
Pictured above are the NPA managing director and USA Charge d’Affaires Reece Smyth.