The Melplash Agricultural Society’s Annual Hedgelaying and Ploughing match promotes and celebrates local agriculture and farming skills. This year the contest took place at Higher Langdon Farm, Beaminster DT8 3NA by kind permission of Mrs Tessa McKenzie-Green. Standing high above Beaminster it really was a sight to see. 40 ploughman and 40 hedgelayers of all ages and abilities took part.
The ploughing match includes classes for vintage tractors with trailed or hydraulic ploughs (before 1960), classic tractor with plough (manufactured before 1971), hydraulic 2 or 3 and 4 or more furrow ploughs and a Contractor Challenge for tractors with reversible ploughs. As well as prizes being given to the best in each class, prizes are awarded to the best novice, open, young farmer and local ploughman.
Competitors in the hedgelaying competition have to lay the hedge Dorset Style, a style that has been championed by the Society and is now recognised by the National Hedgelaying Society. This means that it should be low to the bank/ground and be tightly woven using itself and bonds/binders used internally and externally as and where required to secure. The finished hedge should be a half barrel finish at a height of 2ft 6” to 3ft. The competition was again well supported with a very good novice section including a number of individuals who had attended the Society’s free hedgelaying training day which took place a couple of weeks before.
Tim Frampton, Melplash Agricultural Society, Ploughing and Hedgelaying Section Chairman commented ‘Thank you to everyone who entered this year and special thanks to the judges and all the volunteers who help put the day on. We had a good turnout in all the competitions and it was very pleasing to see so many youngsters getting involved and participating. Despite the unsettled weather and the odd rain storm, we were delighted with the number of spectators who turned out to watch too.’
RESULTS
Hedgelaying Judges
Mr P Yeates
Mr J Vickery
Mr M Frampton
Mr L Bagwell
CLASS 1 – HEDGING LOCAL (12 miles of Melplash Village Church)
1st – Russell Woodham
2nd – Steve Eldridge
3rd – Jon Sibthorp
Cecil A Marsh Memorial Perpetual Trophy awarded to Russell Woodham
CLASS 2 – HEDGING NOVICE (not won a 1st prize in any previous Melplash Agricultural Society Hedgelaying Match
1st – Harry Dale
2nd – J Barber
3rd – G Pitt
Marcus Beresford Trophy to best novice awarded to Harry Dale
CLASS 3 – HEDGING INTERMEDIATE
1st – Chris Claxton
2nd – Rob Wood
3rd – Roly Boughton
CLASS 3 – HEDGING OPEN
1st – Terry Coombe
2nd – Ed Goodfellow
3rd – Steve McCulloch
Elizabeth Lady Williams Perpetual Challenge Cup awarded to Terry Coombe
CLASS 5 – LADIES
1st – Lydia Lee
CLASS 6 – OPEN PAIRS
1st – Duncan Frazer & Malcolm Dowding
2nd – Simon Cullingford & Stuart Curtis
3rd – William Baker & Leo Bonning
Bartletts (Dorset) Limited Cup awaded to Duncan Frazer & Malcolm Dowding
CLASS 7 – NOVICE PAIRS
1st – Mr A Martin & Mr S Martin
2nd – Richard Clayson & Alex Clayson
3rd – Heath Gregan & Alex Gregan
Overall Hedgelaying Champion receiving the SILVER PERPETUAL CUP PRESENTED BY CLEEVES & EDWINA PALMER awarded to Terry Coombe.
THE BILL HOOK TROPHY (best lady hedgelayer) awarded to Lydia Lee
PHILIP HARDWILL CUP (Highest placed Young Farmer) awarded to Harry Dale
TIDIEST KEPT SITE presented a Desktop Henry Hoover sponsored by Pneumatic awarded to Rob Wood
CLEANEST CUT special prize awarded to Richard Hooker
PLOUGHING
Judges
Vintage Ploughing – Mr Jim Balsdon, Reading & Mr P Froom, Reading
Commercial Ploughing – Mr David Wareham, Dorchester & Mr Les House
CLASS 8 – VINTAGE TRAILED
1st – B Johnson
2nd – T Miles
3rd – V Legg
4th – M Trott
CLASS 9 – VINTAGE HYDRAULIC
1st – M Symonds
2nd – S Symonds
3rd – P Symonds
4th – R Collett
JACK DARE MEMORIAL TROPHY FOR CHAMPION VINTAGE PLOUGHMAN awarded to Brian Johnston
Best Strike Out: Trevor Miles
Best Finish: Brian Johnston
CHAMPION PLOUGHMAN – The Blandford & Web Perpetual Cup awarded to Brian Johnston
Reserve Champion – Trevor Miles
CLASS 12 – CLASSIC TRACTOR & PLOUGH
1st – T Ascott
2nd – B Carter
3rd – C Dyre
4th – J Mentern
CLASS 13 – 2 or 3 FURROW
1st – J Harris
2nd – M Fooks
3rd – E Yarde
4th – P Legg
CLASS 14 – 4 or more FURROW
1st – B Dennett
2nd – J Shute
CREED BROTHERS SILVER PERPETUAL CHALLENGE TRAY awarded to B Dennett.
CLASS 15 – CONTRACTORS CHALLENGE
1st – A Lecheninang
2nd – G Doble
3rd – B Norman
4th – W Fooks
CHAMPION PLOUGHMAN OPEN – SIR STUART MALLINSON PERPETUAL CHALLENGE CUP
Champion – J Harris
Reserve Champion – T Ascott
CHAMPION PLOUGHMAN LOCAL – MAS SILVER PERPETUAL CHALLENGE CUP
Champion – Mike Fooks
Best Strike Out (except Classes 7, 8 & 9)
Winner: J Harris
Best Finish (except Classes 7, 8 & 9)
Winner: J Harris
Silver Perpetual Challenge Cup for Best Ploughing using a Case or David Brown tractor using a KV plough. Silver Perpetual Challenge Cup kindly sponsored by GSC Ltd., Dorchester awarded to M Symonds.
Prize kindly donated by Francis Bugler Ltd of Beaminster for Best Ploughing by a Ford Tractor awarded to B Dennett.
NOVICE PLOUGHMAN
1st – A Lecheninang
2nd – P Legg
Prize kindly donated by Smart Agricultural Services of Dorchester for Best Ploughing with a John Deere Tractor awarded to B Norman.
Sam Dennett Perpetual Memorial Trophy – Best Finish with 4 or 5 furrow plough awarded to Barry Dennett
Streatfeild Perpetual Challenge Trophy presented to best Young Farmer awarded to G Doble
JRB Bowditch Perpetual Challenge Trophy presented to YFC club with highest score awarded to Beaminster YFC
