The Harry Ferguson event on 20 August 2011 was held in the usual event field at the homestead and this year enjoyed glorious weather all day long.

The sunshine brought spectators and enthusiasts from all over Ireland as well as some visitors from New Zealand. The theme was 75 years of the Ferguson-Brown tractor and a few were displayed, including no. 15 owned by Matt Foreman from Hillsborough. Matt agreed to place his tractor on the memorial garden site beside the bronze statue and this created a great photo opportunity for visitors as they made their way up from the exhibit field to view the memorial site in its matured glory.

This year, the committee introduced some new activities within the field, including a tractor pull, organised by the local Young Farmers’ Club, speed boat rides on the lake, a ploughing demonstration at the lower end of the field and operating skills on a mini tracked excavator.

Tractors were exhibited in the centre of the field and the trade stands offered just about everything needed for restoration. Special thanks were given to James Whitman who arrived in his helicopter and kindly allowed David Bunting to take photographs from the air. The main reasons for the event is to keep the Homestead event up and running and to raise money for charity. This year’s chosen charity was Parkinson’s UK and the committee was proud to hand over a cheque for £3,223 at its Ferguson lecture night in November.