Irish win gold and bronze in world ploughing contest

The Irish team has taken gold and bronze in the World Ploughing Championships in Canada while Northern Ireland has claimed a bronze medal.

John Whelan from New Ross, Co Wexford won the reversible ploughing competition and Thomas Cochrane from Coleraine, Co Derry took third in the same contest.

Eamonn Tracey from Co Carlow came third in the conventional ploughing competition which was won by Barbara Klaus from Austria.

All three are seasoned ploughmen on the world stage. Mr Cochrane is a former world champion and this was Mr Tracey’s eighth time competing at world level. He was runner-up in the conventional class at the world championships in Croatia last year and won the gold medal in the 1999 world championships.

It was Mr Whelan’s fifth time to represent Ireland on the world stage. He won the European reversible ploughing contest twice and is four times senior reversible national champion.

The two-man Irish team was coached by Kilkenny’s Brian Ireland who took on the role for the first time. They will arrive back to Dublin airport on Tuesday.

Some 57 competitors from 29 countries took part in the 60th world ploughing championships in Alberta. Irish woman Anna Marie McHugh was recently appointed general secretary of the World Ploughing Organisation - the first woman to hold this role.

Her mother, Anna May McHugh is director of the National Ploughing Association. This year's National Ploughing Championships will take place in Ratheniska, Stradbally, Co Laois from September 24th to 26th.