26 January 2023 - Flipbook - Page 30
30 FARM WEEK
NEWS
NOVEMBER 09 2017
ON CAMERA: Roberta Sloss (right) with Esther
Warwick.
TIME OUT: Andrew Lennox and Craig Miller.
TAKING PART: Former European Champion
ON BOARD: Gareth Gault and Jonathon Sloss.
Ploughman David Wright with son Jack.
Tractor run sees community rally in
memory of a respected dairy farmer
A
FTER a damp morning, the sun
came out just in time for the start of
Saturday’s Tractor Road Run, held in
memory of the late Alistair Sloss.
Fifty-two-year-old Alistair, a dairy
farmer, passed away on October 14 last year,
after being overcome by fumes and falling into a
slurry tank at his farm near Coagh, just one day
before the deadline for slurry spreading passed.
Alistair, a father of five, was always fond of
machinery and the family decided to hold a
tractor run to mark the anniversary. Proceeds
from the event will be donated to the Tear Fund,
a charity which works relentlessly around the
world to end poverty and aid those affected by
natural disasters and conflict.
The respect Alistair was held in the local
community was shown by the massive turnout,
and the sight of 68 tractors going down
Cookstown’s Main Street is not one that will be
forgotten in a hurry.
The roadrunners met at Druminard Farm on
the Ruskey Road, travelling to Cookstown via
Drumullan and Coagh before returning back to
the farm via the Loop. Also taking part were the
Grassmen, who had three tractors at the event.
Apart from the Road Run, there were some
vintage tractors on display, music from country
singer Neil Hobson – and a ‘bouncy tractor’ for
the younger supporters.
Roberta Sloss expressed thanks to the
sponsors, those who gave donations, prizes for
the raffle, auction and goodie bags; brought food;
the Grassmen; Neil Hobson for the music; Sylvia
and Lee with their chip van; all those who took
part in the road run; the PSNI; all the marshals
who helped with the traffic in the farmyard and
out on the road, and everyone who helped in any
way to make the event a resounding success.
TRIO: Philip McClean (centre) with Hugh and Jonathon Hamill.
ABOVE: One
of the vintage
tractors on
display.
LEFT: David
Patterson.
BELOW:
Magherafelt
Ploughing
Society official
Albert Hogg
with Colin
Mackey.
RIGHT: Anne and Andrew Hamill with Neil
Nicholson.
ABOVE: David Sloss, James and Peter
Warwick and Samuel Ballantine.
RIGHT: Hannah Warwick and
Heather Ballantine.
ABOVE: Iris and Eileen Marshall.
