Christmas tractor runs bring tinsel and fun to farming life

The days leading up to Christmas can be a busy time for farmers, but for the past week the priority for some in the north west has been fun.

Farm families have been thoroughly cleaning their prized tractors and decorating them in festive finery like tinsel, tube lights, and fake chimneys for an annual festive tractor run.

The annual event is a time to show off your decorating skills, and with prizes for the 'best dressed', farmer Jessie said there's a friendly rivalry behind the tinsel.

"I suppose you are showing off to see how clean you can get your tractor when it's normally covered in muck," she said.

"It's really good just going out and showing people who don't come from a farming background that it's not all serious and you are out in the farm all the time.

"You do have a bit of craic with the tractor run."

For Jessie's dad Ryan Young, the joy comes from "seeing the children's faces light up" during the parade.

Alfie hopes to follow in his dad's footsteps when he's older and become a farmer, but for the few weeks before Christmas his priority is the tractor run, which is hosted by Bready Jubilee Primary School.

"I think it's quite good because we've got tube lights and fairy lights and a wire chimney and wheels lit up on the side and it all looks like a train," he said.

"It all adds up to a train and it looks very impressive. It's quite cool."

About 100 families from across the north west take part in the event every year, with people spending weeks planning and executing their designs.

Catherine McCombe, who helps organise tractor runs, said farming can be a lonely profession with some farmers only seeing each other at marts or the Balmoral Show, and many look forward to this event each year as a way to bring everyone together.

"It actually has turned into a more social thing as the farmers admire each other's tractors and they'll see who has the biggest tractor and who spent the most time cleaning it this afternoon," she said.

"They often joke that there's not too much work done in the afternoon before the tractor run because they are decorating the tractors for the kids."

Mandy Killen, who visited the run with her extended family, said it was especially exciting for the children.

"The kids love it. They love seeing all the tractors and coming to see Santa in the run up to Christmas... it's just so exciting for them all," she said.

Children at the tractor run shared their excitement for the event.

Jack said: "I think it's a great night and I love to see Santa and the tractors."

Katie was enthusiastic too: "It's really good and really fun. It's excellent."

"It's a great opportunity to have friends and family over here and having a tractor run. It's really fun," said Esme.

Zac summed up the feeling of a lot of the youngsters from farming backgrounds. "I love it. I love tractors. I love everything about farming."