Jer Coakley is ready to defend his title, with a contingent of West Cork support
Nine lorries, seven Artics, and two rigid trucks, not to mind the horses, single furrow, and hydraulic vintage machinery: that’s the ploughing convoy that will be making its way from West Cork to Tullamore later this month with 25 competitors, likely to be the largest representative body in the country.
Before that, however, all eyes are on Prague where Kilgarriffe native Jer Coakely is on the ground to defend his world title in the Reversible class. He’s in Czechia with Wexford’s Martin Kehoe, who’s also representing Ireland, in the Conventional class.
Jer took time at the end of a long day of practice to speak with The Southern Star on Tuesday evening this week, but refused to tempt fate on his chances at the double.
‘Look, you don’t ever know til it’s over. There’s a lot to live up to, but I don’t really think about it’.
And if he had to compete in the morning, how’s he set?
‘I’m ready to go. I’d take my chances anyway! Although, there’s never too much practice. Watching the other competitors, you always look out for new ideas, but the Irish are on top now with the last five or six years. We’ve a lot of great competitors, and in West Cork we’d be one of the strongest counties in Ireland’.
Jer took the title for the first time in Estonia last year, at the age of 37. He competed, unsuccessfully, for the first time when he was 14 and from those nascent beginnings now holds the title of the world Reversible champion.
His ability, he says, comes from growing up immersed in the world of ploughing in West Cork. It runs in the blood: his brother Kieran is also a ploughman, as was their father.
‘I was going to ploughing matches since I was in a buggy; I was watching it since I was a child. That’s the advantage when you’re growing up with it, and my father taught us everything he knew’.
His father Jerry passed away in 2012, while his brother Dan, Jer and Kieran’s uncle, sadly passed away on Monday of this week. Dan was also involved in the world of ploughing and a great supporter of his nephews; he was out watching Jer practice not long ago, before they left for the Czech Republic.
‘It’s in the blood, in the air in West Cork’ says Jer. ‘It’s great, and now it’s showing at an international level’.
Heading out at 7am on Wednesday morning were Barry O’Sullivan, secretary of the West Cork Ploughing Association along with Kieran Keohane, the West Cork National Ploughing Association director.
‘We’re delighted!’ said Barry. ‘We were out there last year, and even though anyone walking around the field new he’d get it, it was unreal to be sitting there, when he was announced. The atmosphere, it was just lovely’.
Also on the ground in the Czech Republic is Anne Marie McHugh, general secretary of the World Ploughing Organisation as well as assistant managing director of the National Ploughing Association. Practice in Prague is going well, says Anne Marie, with no fears of the historic skill falling out of fashion.
‘They’re doing very well, though it’s extremely challenging as it’s been very, very dry, and then we had rain. But, Jer and Martin are both very experienced. They were putting in long days, hard days, from 6am to 8pm, even 9pm last week’.
‘Official’ practice began earlier this week, where competitors are strictly monitored and can be penalised for spending too long in the field in the run-up, all part of health and safety regulations. The Irish contingent will have 30 or 40 supporters with them for the competition, apart from the official delegation.
Anne Marie says with Ireland’s success on the world stage, there’s no issue with keeping people interested.
‘It’s no problem when the guys keep achieving what they’re achieving. No one takes their eyes off our guys when they’re on the field. It’s a great privilege for us’.
Acknowledging that sometimes, it’s the luck of the draw, bad rain was forecast for Saturday earlier this week but at the time of writing, things looks a good deal brighter. No matter what, in any case, ‘they’ll take it in their stride’.
The competition takes place on Friday and Saturday this week, the 5th and 6th September. All eyes will be on the ground, and the best of luck to Jer and Martin from all at The Southern Star.
