In association with long-term sponsor John Thompson & Sons Ltd, the event took place on the Cattle Lawn on Thursday evening and like 2007, crowds of supporters flocked to the lawn to cheer on their team in the May sunshine.
The build up to the Tug of War began at the YFCU stand at the show where the draw took place to decide which teams pulled against one another in round one. An amazing thirteen teams entered the competition and the draw split the teams into two groups with the top two teams from each making it through to the semi-final stages.
Following some very close pulls between the teams, Moycraig A YFC, Garvagh/Coleraine YFC, Holestone YFC and Kilwaughter YFC made it through to the semi-final stage. The spectators cheered on each club and rewarded each pull with rapturous applause. At the semi-final stage each team was exhausted but their enthusiasm and desire to win drove them on. In a tight contest Holestone YFC and Moycraig A YFC were defeated and Garvagh/ Coleraine YFC and Kilwaughter YFC were to face each other in the final.
As the two teams took the strain in the final, the noise from the crowd was overwhelming. It looked as if Kilwaughter YFC were going to steal the title with a mighty pull, but in the end Garvagh/Coleraine YFC had the strength to win the contest and pick up the much coveted John Thompson & Sons Ltd Perpetual Shield. This meant the Kilwaughter YFC men were to take the runner up spot.
The YFCU would like to thank everyone who helped with the Tug of War, including Barrie Barr and Hugh McFetridge for refereeing the competition, as well as all those who helped to steward the event.
Special thanks must also be paid to John Thompson & Sons Ltd for their support and financial assistance of this highly popular contest.
Live footage of the YFCU Tug of War Competition can be seen online at the News Letter Website. Visit www.newsletter.co.uk to check out the action.