Staffs. Vintage ploughing Match Report
This is a short report on the Staffs Vintage Machinery Club ploughing match at Seighford Staffordshire 5th April 2009.
After having nearly a month of dry conditions the land was in excellent order for such an event, the morning started with a slight frost which the sun soon shifted and remained fine and bright all day.
Ploughmen came from all over the midlands the furthest it seems travelled some 180 miles from Carmarthen in the south west Wales, another 165 miles from that same direction. In the north West it was as far as 110 miles, North East 100 miles North 104miles, and numerous others from all points east.
There were ninety seven tractors entered and from the look in the field there was only just the odd gap left here and there due to none arrival. All ploughing had been completed by two o'clock, and by three the raffle drawn. My wife and I were honoured to be asked to present the prizes and cups to the winning ploughmen, in the usual tight circle of round the table full of trophies.
From the comments I had back in general everyone seemed to have had a good day out, with a lot of spectators including folk from the village had walked down.
Being host to such a large gathering made it difficult to concentrate on my own ploughing, talking too long at the end of each bout, seeing folk who I have not seen for a long while which included my own brother who live a long way east (an hour and a half). Had I realised I could have entered him in the match with a spare old B250 International and a trailer plough of mine. However he had got a second mission that day as well as the match, family tree investigations.
By this morning, Monday morning, the contractors came to spread the huge pile of muck obliterating all the excellent ploughing that had taken place the day before. By mid afternoon the ploughman arrived and had completed over ten acres. With rain expected for the rest of the week, it will be good to finish the messy job of muck spreading , another four hours in the morning would see it done, although its not been too messy today.
I will try and post a few picture, as and when I get hold of them.
Fred