The Melplash Agricultural Society’s annual Hedgelaying and Ploughing Match took place on a sixty-acres plot of land at Higher Langdon, near Beaminster by kind permission of Mrs Tessa MacKenzie-Green and Mr Richard Peck, Sentry Farms. It has been 175 years since the first Melplash Agricultural Society’s ploughing match took place in Melplash, Beaminster. To remind us all how land was ploughed at that time, and to mark the occasion, there was a demonstration of horse ploughing given by Mike Puxty with his magnificent shires, Sam and Tilly. The time fixed for ploughing half an acre with horses was three and a half hours!
The Society is passionate about keeping the traditional skills of hedgelaying and ploughing alive and is fortunate to have many farming families and countrymen in the area who have for generations been active in keeping up and passing on the skills. Prior to the match, the Society hosted a free hedgelaying taster day. Twenty-one people attended including thirteen members of Beaminster Young Farmers, all of whom took part in the novice pairs competition on Match Day.
All classes were well supported, and the competition was keen. Forty-one ploughmen and forty-four hedgelayers competed in the various classes, with competitors coming from as far afield as Hereford, Bristol, Cullompton and Wellington.
Society Match Chairman, Tim Frampton commented “It was a fantastic day, and so good to see so many people coming to watch. Thank you to everyone who made the day possible, the landowners, the stewards and helpers, the competitors, sponsors and the judges. The annual hedgelaying and ploughing match is always an important day in the Society’s Calendar. As well as marking the start of the Society in 1847, it gives all of us who work on the land an opportunity to show others our skills and the pride we have in the work we do. Winning of course is a bonus and a position we can enjoy until next year!”
The prizes were presented by the Society President, Nigel Jones and landowner, Mrs Tessa Mackenzie-Green. Scroll to the bottom of this post to view photographs.
PLOUGHING RESULTS:
Judges:
Mr Michael Hole
Mr Austin Yeatman
Mr Malcolm White
Mr Roy French
Mr Robert Dimond
Mr Martin Jennings
Class 8 – Vintage Trailed:
1st Ian Craddock
2nd David Cobb
3rd Brian Johnston
Class 9 – Vintage Hydraulic
1st Andy Westcott
2nd Michael Symonds
3rd Geoff Fry
Trophies & Special Prizes
Champion Vintage Ploughman and winner of The Jack Dare Memorial Trophy – Ian Craddock
Best Strike Out in Vintage classes – Ian Craddock
Best Finish in Vintage classes – Brian Johnston
Champion Ploughmen in Vintage and match ploughing classes & winner of the Blandford & Webb Perpetual Challenge cup – Ian Craddock
Best Ins and Outs in classes – Andy Westcott
Class 11 – Classic Tractor & Plough (without Q cab)
1st David Rae and winner of the Tony Ascott Perpetual Challenge Cup
2nd Colin Hawkins
3rd Tony Ascott
Class 12 – Tractor & hydraulically operated 2 or 3 furrow plough
1st John Harris
2nd Ted Yarde
3rd Greg Smith
Class 13 – Tractor & hydraulically operated 4 or more plough
1st Will Doble
2nd Barry Dennett
3rd John Shute
Class 14 – Contractor Challenge – reversible ploughs to use both left- and right-hand board
1st Bernard Hayball and winner of Creed Brother’s Seaborough Salver
2nd Erin Moon
3rd Noah Doble
Trophies & Special Prizes
Winner of The Streatfeild Perpetual Cup to Best YFC Ploughman – Erin Moon, Marshwood Vale YFC
Winner of the Interclub Silver Perpetual Cup for highest placed YFC – not awarded in 2022
Champion Ploughman (Open) and winner of Col. Sir Stuart Mallinson cup – John Harris
Reserve Champion Ploughman (Open) – Bernard Hayball
Champion Ploughman (Local) and winner of silver perpetual Challenge Cup – Bernard Hayball
Reserve Champion Ploughman (Local) – David Rae
Best Ins & Outs – Bernard Hayball
Best Strike out – David Rae
Best Finish – Bernard Hayball & John Harris (joint winners)
Best Ploughing with Case International Case or David Brown with Kverneland Plough presented with Silver Perpetual Challenge cup and a voucher donated by GCS Agricentre – Bernard Hayball
Best Ploughing with Ford New Holland – Ted Yarde
Best Ploughing with a John Deere Tractor presented with a special prize donated by Hunt Forest Group, Dorchester – Colin Stacey
Sam Dennett Perpetual Memorial Trophy presented by the family for the best finish with a four or five furrow plough – Erin Moon
Novice Ploughman – 1st Rodney Cuff 2nd Steve Donn
Best Turned-out Tractor & Plough presented with a bottle of whisky donated by Mr Roy Vickery – Trevor Miles.
HEDGELAYING RESULTS
Judges & Stewards:
Mr John Vickery
Mr Ian Connibeare
Mr Roger Vickery
Mr Mark Tilley
Mrs Mandy Woodham
Flail Hedge Cutting Judges:
David Ashdown and Mark Vickery
Chainsaw Stewards:
Mr Kevin Goodfellow and Mr Chris Childs
Class 1 – Hedgelayer – Local & Open class
1st Tim Frampton and winner of The Elizabeth Lady Williams Challenge Cup
2nd Martin Turner
3rd Colin Risdon
The Cecil A Marsh Challenge Cup presented to the Best Local competitor – Tim Frampton
Class 2 – Novice Hedgelayer
1st Anthony Brown and winner of Marcus Beresford Trophy
2nd Richard Baker
3rd Graham Adams
Class 3 – Intermediate Hedgelayer
1st Pete Etheridge and winner of Bodger John Trophy
2nd Neil Gemmell
3rd Owen Swatridge
Class 4 – Open Pairs
1st Steven and Rosie McCulloch and winners of The Bartletts (Dorset) Ltd Cup
2nd Richard Hooker and George Partridge
3rd Roger Parris and Lynda Cregan
Class 5 – Novice Pairs
1st Logan Hayball and Jack Ferret and winners of the Shedbush Farm Trophy
2nd Rebecca Mather and Sophie Raymond
3rd Amy Messer and Enya Hayball
Champion Hedgelayer and winner of the Silver Perpetual Challenge Cup presented by Cleeves & Edwina Palmer – Tim Frampton
The Philip Hardwill Trophy for highest placed Young Farmer – Owen Swatridge, Beaminster YFC
The Russell Woodham Bill Hook Trophy for best hand tool competitor – Robin Spanner
The Bill Hook Trophy for the best Lady competitor – Lynda Cregan
Tidiest Kept Site – Roger Parris and Lynda Cregan
Best work on a poor length of hedge – George Gorringe and Oliver Bagwell
Overall Best Veteran competitor aged 65 years and over – Colin Risdon
Mechanical Flail Hedge Cutting
1st Matt Frampton
2nd Richard Martin
3rd Richard Rowe
