in Northants
Stage all set
in Northants
The date for this years
British National Ploughing
Championships draws near.
Mike Still shines up his
mouldboards, sets his
skimmers and prepares us
for the event
FOR the first time in its 48-year history, the British National Ploughing Championships are being held in Northamptonshire – on Saturday and Sunday, Oct 10 and 11, at Preston Capes near Daventry.
With a record entry of 292 local champions contesting 14 different classes competition is expected to be fiercer than ever, especially among the reversible and semi-digger (conventional) ploughmen, who will be vying for a place in the England team at the 1999 World Ploughing Contest in France.
Both the 1997 British National champions – David Chappell and Graeme Witty – are defending their titles, and Mr Witty, buoyed by his world title triumph in Germany last month, could be difficult to beat in the reversible class.
The two-day event is spread over 140ha (350 acres) of wheat stubble on land owned and farmed by Mike Fountaine whose family has been farming at Preston Capes since 1978.
Ken Chappell, executive director of the Society of Ploughmen, the Championships organisers, describes the land on the site as mainly good-bodied loam.
"Although its lighter than most of the other land on the farm, it will still provide a good test of ploughing skills," he says.
Situated just off the A631 trunk road, the site is midway between Daventry and Banbury, has good access and plenty of car parking. With local interest and support high, the organisers are expecting around 15,000 visitors over the two days. Events start at 9.00am on both days.
There are also 40ha (100 acres) of demonstration plots on which the latest tractors and tillage equipment can be seen working. Static exhibits include everything from farm machinery to country clothing and rural crafts.
One of the most popular crowd pullers is the horse ploughing. This year, 23 pairs of horses are competing to produce the best general purpose ploughing on the first day and the stylish, traditional "high cut" work on the second day. Immaculately turned out with ornate brasses decorating their leather harness, these magnificent animals are a magnet for visitors.
And for the lovers of classic farm machinery there are the vintage tractor ploughing classes held on both days. More than 40 area champions will be competing for the title of British Vintage Champion Ploughman, and hoping to strip defending champion Ken Chappell of his title.
The Young Farmers classes have again attracted a high entry and, for the second year running, there is a demonstration of horticultural ploughing.
Although the last major steam contractor sold out in 1960, steam ploughing is still thriving thanks largely to the efforts of The Steam Plough Club. Four years ago the Club organised a ploughing match between six sets of tackle, a contest won by Richard Pierce and Peter Stanier using their 1870s single cylinder engine and a four furrow plough of similar vintage.
The Steam Plough Club is now set to stage an even more spectacular event at this years British National Ploughing Championships. Visitors will be able to see no less than 10 sets of steam ploughing tackle (plus one diesel set) competing for a silver challenge cup original presented to Robert Fowler in 1884.
• The 1998 British National Ploughing Championships are sponsored by Butler Fuels, the National Grid, and Goodyear. Tickets can be obtained in advance from Susan Frith, The Society of Ploughmen Ltd, Quarry Farm, Loversall, S Yorkshire DN11 9DH. Tel: 01302-852469. Fax: 01302-859880.