The IFA presidential hopefuls faced their toughest task yesterday when two of them accepted a challenge from Macra na Feirme to compete in a "Buckin Bronco" competition at the National Ploughing Championships.
And the first blood was drawn by Pádraig Walshe, the lanky Laoisman who hung on grimly for 49 seconds having seen his rival, Ruaidhrí Deasy, dumped in just 36 seconds before clapping on-lookers.
The third candidate - the urbane Raymond O'Malley - did not take part in the event which as most people know, always ends in a fall especially when both candidates were beaten in the contest by Miss Macra, Andrea Murphy.
It was that kind of day in Mogeely where rural Ireland defied the reports of traffic gridlock, windstorm and rain predictions and even more of them turned up here than on the previous day.
There was an air of celebration yesterday and plenty to see including what has become known as the "Pole Dancing Tractor".
This, the most expensive tractor on site comes with a pricetag of €200,000 and the Claas Xerion 3300 got its nickname because the cab can rotate through 360 degrees and is mounted on a pole. One, we were told, has already been sold locally.
But apart from gawking at the tractor, on site was Ireland's new hero, not Seán Óg Ó hAilpín, but Eddie Hobbs who gave a series of lectures arranged by the Irish Examiner.
The Cork hurling star was there too of course along with farmer Timmy McCarthy who was doing his stuff for Glanbia to which he supplies milk. At one stage during the championships yesterday as tropical rain pounded the site, the special Concern African village provided much needed Third World shelter for visitors.
Not that Concern director Tom Arnold cared. He was delighted with the welcome given to Concern at the championships and the interest the village had created.
There was a competition for the most appropriately dressed male and female on site and the winners were Ned O'Connell from Youghal and Galway woman Edel Silver was the female winner.
Had there been one, the prize for the most inappropriately dressed woman would have gone to the young female tabloid reporter who arrived in hotpants and high boots.