‘Battle of Furrows’ to take place at at Clandeboye Estate, Bangor (October 1961)

With 97 competitors, a record for the event, the contest will be the most enterprising and spectacular ever staged in Northern Ireland, ranking second only to the world match staged in Ulster in 1959.

Record crowds were expected at Clandeboye, which “provided a perfect setting of more than 100 acres of ideal land for this contest, which has drawn ploughmen from New Zealand and Australia, as well as Germany and Switzerland, in addition to Scotland, England, Wales, the Isle of Man and Eire.

But despite the formidable challenge Northern Irish farmers were anticipated to hold their own against the world's best ploughmen.

Horses

The horse teams - there were 11 competitors – were to ploughing at 10 o'clock on the first morning of competition, and an hour later the tractors were to begin to turn their first furrows. The ploughing was expected to be finished by two o'clock and the prizewinners being announced as soon as possible afterwards.

But while the judges were busy making up the awards there was plenty to interest spectators.

Features included a tractor safety competition and there is a comprehensive display of all types of modern farm machinery and there was also be practical demonstrations.

“The horse teams and classes for style and appearance will have many admirers,” remarked the News Letter.

“One of the Swiss ploughmen will be using horses. He cannot speak English but his team will respond to a worldwide language - the rein. There will be interpreters for competitors who cannot speak English.”

For Young Farmers ploughing was to begin at 10 o'clock on Thursday morning for the Northern Ireland championships and the young farmers' international championship.

Eight competitors were to take part in the young farmers' event, including one each from England, Sweden and Germany.

Minister wishes “good luck” to ploughmen

Mr H W West, Minister of Agriculture, sent a message of welcome to those “about to do battle on the fields of Clandeboye”.

Mr West's message was read at a luncheon in Belfast by Mr W H Long, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, deputising for the minister who was been held up by blocked roads - fallen trees - as a result of storm damage.

The luncheon, given by the Esso Petroleum Co, Ltd, in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Ploughing Association, in the Midland Hotel, was attended by leading agriculturists, the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Alderman Martin Wallace; Mr A MacLurg, president, of the Ulster Farmers' Union, Mr T C Reid, chairman, and Mr Sam White, secretary of the Northern Ireland Ploughing Association.

The guests also included two overseas competitors, Alex Morrison, an Ulsterman who was representing Australia, and Mr Alan Magson, New Zealander, who was reserve champion at the world match in France.

The minister, in his message, said: “We greet competitors from all parts of the British Isles, but an especially warm welcome is due to those who come from more distant lands.

“In view of certain discussions proceeding at the moment it will be a pleasant sight to see members of the Commonwealth, the Common Market and the European Free Trade Association united in friendly rivalry.

“The value of international gatherings of this sort cannot be overestimated.

“To see members of different nations competing at Clandeboye will give added meaning to the phrase 'beat your swords into ploughshares'.”

Mr West said he was particularly glad to see the institution of the safety tractor handling competition. The figures of accidents involving tractors - 18 killed and 14 injured in Northern Ireland in 14 months – was “a cause of uneasiness” to anyone concerned “with this problem”.

Describing the International ploughing contest as great value as a meeting place, the minister added: “This' contest is not only an opportunity for nation to meet nation. It is one of the annual occasions when town meets country and the trade meets the customer. As such it is one of the great showpieces for the prosperity of Northern Ireland agriculture.

“This year all trade stand space has been allocated and the most up-to-date machinery will be displayed and demonstrated. Farmers can inspect the latest efficiency-increasing devices and urban dwellers can be made once again aware of the work being done by the agricultural community to fill their shops and larders.

“It only remains for me to wish good luck to all connected with this enterprise. May the efficiency and hard work of the organising committee have its just reward; may the competitors show their skill to the best of their ability; and, above all, may our unpredictable weather give them the right conditions for success.”