the NPA at the 7th World Ploughing Contest to Armoy, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. He later attended the 8th World Ploughing Contest in Tor Mancina, Rome, Italy in 1960, where he presented a block of Kilkenny Marble as Ireland's contribution to Rome's 'Cairn of Peace'. During O'Farrell's tenure in office, he representing Ireland at the 9th (1961) World Ploughing Contest, at Thiverval-Grignon in France. He was officially introduced to President of the French Republic, Charles De Gaulle. Also in 1961, the Ploughing Championships (at Killarney) were filmed for the first time by RTÉ. It was filmed on 8 and 9 November 1961 and broadcast in the first ever episode of the farming programme 'On the Land', on 1 January 1962. The film was notable in that it was broadcast the day after Teilifís Éireann first went on air. In 1964, the NPA sent two competitors to Fuchsenbigl, near Vienna, Austria, where Ireland won their first World Title when Charlie Keegan, from County Wicklow, was the winner. Arriving home from the world contest in Vienna, the Wicklow man was welcomed home to Enniskerry, County Wicklow on an open top bus and met by bonfires along the roadside as they greeted NPA's first World Ploughing Champion. The Irish Times reported how the tractor on which Charlie Keegan won World Ploughing Championships in 1964 had now been restored. It was a green Deutz D40L tractor that was restored to its original condition by his grandson. At the National Championships 1964, a new Youth class was introduced for Youths 21–28. In 1965 Esso became an NPA sponsor and introduced the Esso Supreme Trophy which is still presented to the Senior Conventional Champion annually. In 1966, a new competition was introduced to cater for students from the agricultural colleges. In 1969, the Irish Countrywomen's Association (ICA) were invited to give demonstrations in cookery and crafts. O'Farrell held the position of MD until his death in 1972. The Kilkenny People, in their September 1972 obituary, recorded that he was NPA Managing Director and a member of World Ploughing Organisation and that the graveside oration was delivered by Seán Ó Síocháin, General Secretary of GAA. Later years In 1973, Anna May McHugh she was appointed NPA's managing director. McHugh had previously served as secretary of the NPA. In September 2015, National Ploughing Association Managing Director Anna May McHugh was awarded the Officier de l'Ordre du Mérite Agricole