FARMERS FROM AROUND the country will descend on a field in Co Meath later today in a bid to set a new world record for the number of combine harvesters working on a field simultaneously.
Combines 4 Charity is an initiative which aims to get as many combine harvesters working in one field as possible with the organisers attempting to break the current world record of just over 200 set by Canada in 2010 and raise money for charity.
That Canadian record beat the previous record set by Combines 4 Charity three years ago when it smashed the world record of 56 by amassing 175 combines in one field:
YouTube: bmeegan
Today, one of the organisers Tony Brady hopes to have between 230 and 240 combine harvesters working simultaneously in his field in Platin, Co Meath to ensure his group re-enters the Guinness Book of World Records.
“We hope to have between 230 and 240 combine harvesters. It was our son’s idea, he saw a thing on YouTube about the combine record and the original record was 56 which the Australians set,” Brady told TheJournal.ie
“That was an easy one to beat, we thought we would have around 50 but we ended up with 175 and raised over €300,000 for charity,” he said explaining the combines would have to run for between five and 10 minutes to ensure that a record is set.
Brady thinks the recession may have an impact on how much his group are able to raise this time around but hopes that significant funds can be raised for four charities including Barnardos, Self Help Africa, The National Rehabilitation Trust and the Gary Kelly Cancer Support Centre.
“We’re hoping that the shortfall will be made up with gate receipts. We had 12,000 people there last time and we’re expecting a lot more this year,” he said.
The organising committee is made up of a group of cereal farmers with the people of nearby Duleek and Donore and the insurance company FBD which sponsors the event.
There will be plenty of activities for those who are there for the show including a mobile farm, tractor pulling, tug o’war, food stalls, trade stands, Macra na Feirme activities.
GAA fans can also watch the Meath vs Laois senior football championship clash.
The logistics of getting over 200 combine harvesters to one field are complex with Brady explaining yesterday how machines have been travelling from all across the country to descend on the Meath field.
“The roads are going to be busy,” he joked.
But what if the new world record set today is broken again in some other country? Will Brady and co be on hand to do it all again? “Never say never,” is his response.
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