ploughing championships/farm shows

duffysfarm

I will start off this thread by saying there is nothing as bad as someone saying when i was abroad it was so much better cheaper and better etc. However I was at the highland show in scotland (for the second time) and there it would beat the ploughing championships hands down. Acres of space, little or no queueing for toilets, plenty of food stalls everywhere. Last time i was at the ploughing i think there was on Kubota tractors at it and it was shoulder to shoulder walking round it. Any amount of stalls selling out and out crap that is at any sunday market. While there are tarred roads at the highland show i wouldnt fault the ploughing for this as i appreciate it that it moves its location round the country. scotland has a similar population to Ireland and i would imagine our land is better. Overall i think that we are yet again been taken for a ride in this country and taken for granted. to be honest i wouldnt go back to the ploughing if i got a free ticked and travel to it.

_Brian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058357922/ploughing-championships-farm-shows

considering the revenue generated by the ploughing they need to look at a permanent site and start to lay some proper infrastructure.

I’m sure the site would be attractive for other uses during the year so some revenue there too.

After going to Balmoral show this year the idea of attending the ploughing is far less attractive.

grass10

NPa effectively have a permanent site for many years they have remained in the same place but carry on this game each year that we may go elsewhere next year the show has lost much of its appeal and tullamore need to have 2 days instead of 1 the 1 day is too overcrowded too weather dependent and too much traffic

farawaygrass

tbf their is still a way more companies visible at the ploughing compared to the royal highland, even taking out all the crap ones. Ploughing is going down hill no doubt while tullamore seems to be on the up

Suckler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122325674#Comment_122325674

Tullamore are/will be treading that fine line of expanding to the detriment of it I think.

_Brian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122326289#Comment_122326289

Be a pity… This only notion of only being successful if your expanding is rubbish if expansion reduces the quality of the product… The ploughing just want to roll out "record numbers this year" and not, "its been the best show we've ever hosted".. A wise business man once said to be that when the accountants take over a business is finished because they don't see the product as a value to customers… they just see the numbers for the bottom line

Suckler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122326825#Comment_122326825

It would be a pity but it could well be the price of it 'getting better'; it's a potentially slippery slope and hard to manage but easy to foresee -

More people means more gates, parking, toilets & infrastructure. More people means more food outlets, seating areas etc. required. How do you make that pay…? More vendors, which doesn't automatically mean 'quality' vendors. Etc. etc.

50HX

How does Highland rate v balmoral?

Sheep breeder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122328373#Comment_122328373

Being at both and find them good shows with easy walking at your on leisure, find trade stands are more interested in business than at the ploughing ( lads who are just there for the day) the livestock is a big part of both shows and easy access to see stock, at the ploughing sheep as an example are pushed on top one another in a tunnel and it’s all about selling Meters space and bark mulch for to benefit of the family. Both shows are relaxing day out. Ploughing a bull in a shop day.