IT was near perfect conditions for the competitors when Witheridge and District Ploughing and Agricultural Group held its ploughing and produce competition at Kennerleigh Manor on Tuesday, September 12. 

Judges said it was “a nice loam”.  One added that in a perfect world you would have a flat field to plough, but you do not get flat fields in Devon.

There were 50 entries in the ploughing, mainly from all over the South West.  This was the second year after a break because of covid.  

Entries for the flower and vegetable classes were a little bit down on last year but the quality of entries was “fantastic”.

This year for the first time a Best Exhibit had been introduced in each category.  

RESULTS

Open Digger - 1 Donald Tonkin, 2 Paul Studley, 3 Don Williams.  

Three or more furrows - 1 Alan Brazier, 2 Richard Broom, 3 Peter Stevens. 

Open reversible, two or more furrows - 1 Paul Pincombe, 2 Michael Pincombe, 3 Gary Bulled. 

Classic pre 1976 - 1 Steve Teague, 2 Francis Grose, 3 Pete Ovens, 4 Norman Bulled. 

Vintage tractor and trailer ploughing - 1 P Stone, 2 Ross Hext, 3 Martyn Smale, 4 Paul Mancini. 

Vintage hydraulics - 1 John Hodges, 2 David Franklin, 3 Anthony Retallick, 4 Kelvin Phillips. 

Ferguson T20 with standard Ferguson plough - 1 Joe Paine, 2 Chris Spooner, 3 Giles Persey, 4 Nigel Stewart. 

Novice - 1 Mark Vickery, 2 Wally Butt. 

Donald Tonkin took home to Cheriton Fitzpaine the cup for the best work of the day by any plough person and for the best work in his class. 

Paul Pincombe took home three trophies - one for the best work with three or more furrow plough, for the best ploughing by a reversible plough, and for the best work in reversible open class. 

Raymond Govier left with the trophy for the best ploughing by a local plough person. 

The trophy for the best work in his class went to Alan Braizer, the trophy work the best ploughing by a person under the age of 25 was won by Jason Kneller. 

P Stone won the trophy for the best work in the vintage class, Steve Teague took the trophy for the best in the Classic class, Ross Hext took home the trophy for the best ploughing using a Ford tractor. 

Joe Paine won the trophy for the best work in the Ferguson T20 class, John Hodges won the cup for the best work in the Vintage Hydraulics class. 

In the Farm Produce classes, Dan Gibson won the trophy for most points in these classes, and he and Paul Gillbard shared the trophy for most points in the classes for straw, hay, silage and maize.

Joyce Rowcliffe won two trophies for most points in the Domestic classes.  In the children’s classes Billy Cleverdon-Brend took home the trophy for most points, Scott Baldwin took the runner-up trophy. 

Tim Blake took home the trophy for most points in the Flower and Vegetable classes. Isabel Govier went home with the trophy for most points gained by any YFC member.