More European gold for Jer

THERE was a big welcome home to Clonakilty this week for European champion ploughman Jer Coakley at the Brewery Bar.

Over the weekend, he succeeded in retaining his European reversible ploughing title for the second year in a row. The ploughing contest took place over two days, on Saturday and Sunday last, in Diessenhofen, Switzerland and saw Cork West's Jer Coakley  crowned as the overall champion with 457 points.

Using a Ford and Kverneland combination, Jer won on both days, increasing his lead on Sunday and gathering, along with the perpetual cup, enough of the ornamental cow bells that were given out as prizes for the Various stages of the Competition to outfit a small herd of cows!

Home in Clonakilty, back-to-back European champion Jer was greeted and congratulated on arrival by a large group of family members and supporters from the West Cork Ploughing Association and ploughmen from further afield who assembled to celebrate his great success.