Mills brother on song…
Mills brother on song…
By Mike Williams
WHILE Roger Mills was spending his spare time playing rugby and football, his younger brother Robert was brushing up on his ploughing technique and earning a reputation as a successful match ploughman.
The Mills brothers help in the familys 320ha (800-acre) farming business which includes 200ha (500 acres) at Woodside Farm, Empingham, near Stamford, Lincs, plus a further 120ha (300 acres) farmed on a contract basis.
"I have been interested in ploughing almost as long as I can remember," says Robert. "I started ploughing on the farm when I was 13, but it was match ploughing that had the real attraction."
Roberts father, Graham, encouraged the interest in competitive ploughing. He arranged lessons, and encouraged him to enter his first ploughing match at the age of 16.
"It was a local match and I entered the novice class. As mine was the only entry, its hardly surprising that I won," says Robert. "But I really enjoyed taking part. It gave me a thrill and I have been competing regularly ever since."
Robert, now 26, uses a reversible plough and competes in about 12 matches/yr, including the British National Championships where he came seventh in 1996. He was the Young Farmers Club national champion in 1994 and 1995, and narrowly missed the hat trick when he was the runner-up last year.
His successes have already brought him sponsorship, with Vredestein providing his tractor tyres.
Original learning
Robert originally learnt to plough on the farms Dowdeswell reversible, and the plough he has used in competitions for the last six years is a 2+3 furrow reversible of the same make. It has been modified with a hydraulic top link and front furrow, and there are plans to fit hydraulic depth wheels.
"Eventually I would like to swap the plough for something better – although I wouldnt change makes," he says. "Dowdeswell brought out a special match plough a couple of years ago, and it would be my ideal plough."
An E-reg Ford 6600, the only tractor on the farm which is small enough for match ploughing, is used for the job.
"Its quite a good tractor, but its a disadvantage with only two-wheel drive. Four-wheel drive would give better traction for match ploughing. If the ground is wet you can easily get wheelspin, and that is a big problem when you need that quality finish," he says.
Robert does most of his ploughing during the winter on stubble which will be drilled later for sugar beet. The rest of the farm is ploughed by his rugby-playing brother Roger.
"Roger does about 75% of our ploughing on the farm, simply because I drive the combine. But I usually set the plough up for him, and I sometimes take over during his lunch break. It gives me an opportunity to straighten up the furrows," says Robert.
• Robert Mills came third in his class at this years National Ploughing Championships.
Robert Mills – farm ploughing and match ploughing are completely different operations.