Ploughing competition joy for Brian

Brian, a first time plougher in the British Championships, was the winner of the Reversible Final with 300 points, ploughing with a Massey Ferguson tractor and Kverneland plough. He beat Peter Alderslade from Gateshead, Tyne & Wear by eight points, a good win as Peter has won the title eight times before. Alan Critchlow from Scropton, Derbyshire came third with 277 points.

The site covered almost 300 acres in 14 different fields and was kindly loaned by D Harvey and Son. Visitors and competitors travelled from all over the country, as the event had been postponed for a year due to coronavirus and was one of the few shows to be held in the area this year.

With the two previous Championships ending in a good few inches of mud, the same fear came to mind earlier in the week when torrential rain stopped all organisation on the site for a day. However, it dried well and everything went to plan although it had made the hard land a little better to plough for the competitors.

National and local companies exhibited with a variety of trade stands and there was also a new machinery demonstration area covering over 40 acres and an area featuring stationary engines, vintage tractors and equipment. The Championships were sponsored by Bridgesone/Firestone, Continental, Aztec Oils, Tama Farm Grown Solutions, Dales Agri Sales Angency, Cheffins, Friends of Ferguson Heritage, Cereals Event, A R Demolition, George F White and R L Smith & Sons.

Commenting afterwards, Sue Frith, Chief Executive of the Society of Ploughmen, organisers of the Championships, said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to the Harvey Family for providing a site in such a picturesque part of the country. We were made to feel so welcome by our hosts and the local people. Our sponsors were extremely supportive and our volunteers worked tirelessly for a week behind the scenes to ensure our visitors had an enjoyable weekend.”