Ploughing championships 2023

duffysfarm

Dont see any other thread on this title.

Are many people going this year? Kids are on to me to go but trying to put them off. Went last year and wasnt impressed. Looked at the list of exhibitors this year and note that again there are no tractors on display - Massey, New Holland etc. Is this down to the companies having it that good and not needing to put on a show or is it down to the championships charging too much?

Anto_Meath

I have a friend involved with 1 of the tractor companies, he done a few years at it but said it was a total waste of time. Half the crowd that look at the tractors are kids teenagers who have no interest in buying a tractor. Most of the older people looking are just tyre kickers and have no interest in buying unless they win the lotto. He said by the time you rent the stand, put up a tent, staff the stand, have some promotional goodies to give away you would be looking at a layout of of over €200K & the European head office couldn't see any increase in sales out of attending.

hopeso

The ploughing has changed a lot over the years, to the extent that there's very little of interest left at it now for the farmer. There are certainly better events on the calendar that showcase livestock and machinery.

While Massey, New Holland etc. are not attending, their tractors will probably be displayed by a local dealer on a smaller scale to the stands that were commonplace years ago.

minerleague

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121103766#Comment_121103766

I think years ago deals were done at the ploughing (good discounts) but last few years they seem only to give local dealers phone no. and tell you to deal with them afterwards

E mac

Not going this year but I’ve never been offered passes as much by reps/dealers …anyone else noticed this?

I see a couple of companies listed that sell compact tractors so I'm going down for a look the first day if the weather isn't forecast bad.

Suckler

I was at Strokestown show last week; granted a smaller affair entirely, but they've let a new crowd of sellers in hawking all sorts of shyte. One lad couldn't get the pellet guns out of the van quick enough. Others selling the small boxes of 'fun' snaps...all at a show with cattle/horses/sheep/dogs being shown. There was a guy at a stall for guide dogs who was plagued by little f0ckers pestering the dogs.

These types of stalls need to go.

Suckler

There used to be serious demonstrations on as well; been years since I've seen anything significant.

Say my name

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121104703#Comment_121104703

I was at a Montbeliarde open day recently. There was about eight stands there from cubicle bedders to tractor and loader, to cow identification, to ai stand, to mineral and fertiliser stand. The stands had their genuine customers there from all corners of Ireland. I'd say the stand holders had little to no outlay bar maybe sponsoring the association.

I got my few pens.😅

alps

You could go to meet the Minister.

rs8

Not going after last year... full of kids and stalls selling stuff for kids. Plus the fact of the extra €5 if your paying cash. Never see anything like years ago with the "dancing diggers" etc... they were shows.

Was talking to a family member of a ex dealership in the Midlands and he was telling me he stood at the massey ploughing stand for 20 years (as a sales man) and no man ever walked off the grid and bought a tractor off them ... often started deals or closed them he said but they never got a fresh buyer in and sold a tractor on same day. Taught that was mad.

Suckler

I've a crush and head gate in need of an upgrade so I'm hoping to get a few ideas and do a bit of a deal.

6480

Go on donedeal.ie and u might see something better

Aravo

Not going, Tbh have not been in a number of years. Tullamore show for me beats the ploughing. Look forward to Tullamore show every year.

international xl

Went last year but it,s gone down hill it was some thing special now it,s sub ordinary,it was full of goverment tents and food stalls thats life one can only stay on top for so long.

freshpopcorn

I haven't been in a few years. Will most stalls accept card or should I bring a bit of cash?

road_high

Not too bothered. Used to always go. It’s gone downhill a lot. I detest the hordes of drunken teens, very little you wouldn’t seen on any company website or go to a dealer/merchant/store. All the special displays like the Land Rovers or Husqvarna chainsaws seem to be long gone. The political/media aspect to it also makes me want to vomit. It’s become a gouging event

Greengrass53

Those mchughs are the real gougers.. Never go near the thing anymore

Bass Reeves

When the wives or kids want to go more than the actual farmers it tells the story

_Brian

Had thought of Tullamore show this year but was out of the country, have tickets bought for Wednesday.

road_high

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121107301#Comment_121107301

Yes you literally get nothing for your now €30- an opportunity to be stuck in crowds with the privilege of companies trying to sell you more stuff. Well you can do that in any modern shopping centre or retail park and it will be a lot more pleasurable. Should at least get a complimentary cup of coffee.

Companies are questioning their marketing budgets more than ever and this event must be highly questionable for return

road_high

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121107301#Comment_121107301

did you used to go? Very few real farmers seem to bother- they work hard enough without added hassle for nothing. Crowd numbers will be interesting but no doubt they’ll pad that out with the schools hordes

zetecescort

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121108691#Comment_121108691

"Real farmers"! That was the excuse my father used give for not going when we were young, real farmers are too busy to go. He obviously could see all we wanted was the day off school

Bass Reeves

You would not mind but I have two free tickets from Zurich insurance that I will give away.

TinyMuffin

Only 10 miles away but probably won’t go.

€30 is a bit steep.

road_high

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121108796#Comment_121108796

€25 if you book online but then you’re tied to a day if the weather is rubbish or last minute change of plans

hopeso

It's quite obvious that they've more or less driven the farmer, and those selling to the farmer, out of the ploughing. It's now a day out for school children and city slickers. But, the day will come when they get enough of it, and flock to the next 'in' thing. What becomes of the ploughing then?

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121108780#Comment_121108780

A friend used to get the same answer from his father, one day he’d enough and went. The following year his father went with him. Met the father there on the day who was in his awe and even acknowledged regret not going years prior. Sadly that’s 10 odd years ago

road_high

If it’s pissing rain definitely won’t be interested in going

road_high

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121109151#Comment_121109151

I think that’s a major part in the semi permanent Stradbally site- close to Dublin and the 4 major motorways and railway lines. When I was a young lad in the 90s it was something for the townies to sneer at us in school over. Gone mainstream now and diluted what it was once

anthony500_1

I'm not an old man by any means, in my early 40s, but I've been going well over 20 yrs at this stage, almost every year without fail, and like others have said the real farmer at home was to busy so once I'd a car under me hole, I travelled regardless where it was, cork, Waterford Kilkenny Louth Offaly laois and a few more too if memory serves me right, leave home at 3 or 4 am if needed to be parked up by 7.30 at the latest. After a few years returning home with stories of the day the Farmer decided to sit in for the spin and never looked back. Think it was in tullamore they had aassive Case on tracks, couple hundred horse power easily, the likes of I'd say at the time was the only one in the country, I too remember the demos by the likes of landrover, JCB, huskvarna that you would stand for an hour at each one alone looking at the show there were putting on. The Lely robotic milking shed, another joy to stand watching seeing a herd of cows milking away on there own, auto feeders etc running away, Then there was the cattle area, the best of the best in the country. For many years I never seen any ploughing at all, they just was no time with all that was to see inside the main area. That to me is what the ploughing was, After missing out in 20 and 21 due to COVID I was eager to get back to old habits in 22....... it was very disappointing from a farmers point of view, all the stuff mentioned above gone, hardly a beast or a tractor to be seen, and nothing but tents of shite tools and clothes shops with "hit the diff" on every item in the place. I've made up my mind already regardless if the sun is splitting the rocks or not I'm not going to take my annual day out and hit for laois. And for once, I don't think I'll be thinking in the back of my mind, I should have went.........