Calling all brown bread bakers across the Midlands!

Tullamore will be the epicentre of brown bread making this September when the National Brown Bread Baking Competition takes place at the National Ploughing Championships.

Brown bread bakers from across the Midlands are being strongly encouraged to take part in what is one of the most popular events at the annual National Ploughing Championships, and a number of drop-off locations have been listed where entrants can drop off their loaves of brown bread for adjudication.

The winning brown bread baker will walk away with a cash prize of €5,000 PLUS a NEFF Slide & Hide oven with three finalists on the 18th winning a €500 Euronics gift card and all other finalists will be given a €250 Euronics gift card and a Neff hamper

The event, which is sponsored by Euronics in association with the National Ploughing Association (NPA) and the Irish Countrywomen’s Association (ICA) will see eight finalists take to the stage to bake their brown breads in the National Ploughing Championships Brown Bread Baking tent on September 16 and 17 next, with the winner crowned on September 18.

Daragh Lynch, CEO Euronics Ireland, said ovens of all shapes and sizes bake brown bread every day across Ireland and added that Euronics look forward to "tasting all the entries." Last year we were blown away by how many brown bread bakers entered their breads – dropping them at various Euronics stores”.

All entrants (one entry per person) are being asked to drop their freshly baked bread to one of nine stores which are part of the Euronics group on specific dates, between 9am and 11am, and are asked to please note that bread will NOT be accepted outside of these times.

WESTMEATH DROP-OFF:

The Westmeath venue for drop-off is: Heavins, A1& A2 Shannon Retail Park, Dublin Road, Athlone, Co Westmeath

All successful entrants will be contacted on August 11 and invited to attend The National Ploughing Championships Brown Bread Baking Tent.