The annual Melplash Agricultural Society Hedgelaying and Ploughing Match was held on Sunday 28th September 2025, on a beautiful site located at Toller Fratrum, just outside Maiden Newton, by kind permission of JH Yeates & Son and Mr Colin Hawkins. The Ploughing and Hedging competitions were widely spread across the land, but spectators were able to take advantage of a trailer ride around the site and enjoy the wonderful Dorset countryside on a beautiful sunny and warm September day. Beaminster Young Farmers Club provided a constant supply of homemade cakes and hot drinks to visitors, and delicious bacon rolls and burgers followed later in the day. All funds raised are for their club, thank you to the brilliant team that kept everyone well-fed and watered!
Soon after 9.30am the classes started and 34 ploughmen and ladies, 3 flail hedge cutters and 30 hedgers started work. Our team of judges spent their time assessing and marking the work ready for the final results later in the afternoon.
Thank you to our huge team of volunteers who all make the event happen. From marking out the plots before the day, arranging signage, putting up the marquee and ensuring the judges are well looked after, it’s a fantastic team effort and great to see people of all ages coming together to help. Scroll to the bottom of this article to view event photographs.
The full results are as follows:
2025 Results
Ploughing
Judges: Mr Michael Alvis – Bristol, Mr Andrew Kempster – Crewkerne, Mr Raymond Bailey – Stoke sub Hamdon, Mr David Ashdown – Beaminster.
Flail Hedge Cutting judged by Mr Colin Hawkins
Best Turned-Out Tractor Plough judged by Mr Richard King
Class 8 – Vintage Trailed:
1st David Cobb
2nd Millie Johnston
3rd Matthew Atyeo
Class 9 – Vintage Hydraulic
1st Peter Symonds
2nd Paul Kingston
3rd Michael Symonds
Trophies & Special Prizes
Champion Vintage Ploughman and winner of The Jack Dare Memorial Trophy – David Cobb
Best Strike Out in Vintage classes – David Cobb
Best Finish in Vintage classes – David Cobb
Champion Ploughman in Vintage and match ploughing classes & winner of the Blandford & Webb Perpetual Challenge cup – David Cobb
Best In’s and Outs in Vintage classes – Rodney Cuff
Class 11 – Classic Tractor & Plough (without Q cab)
1st Malcolm Selby and winner of the Tony Ascott Perpetual Challenge Cup
2nd David Rae
3rd Colin Hawkins
Class 12 – Tractor & hydraulically operated 2 or 3 furrow plough
1st Will Collard
2nd Mike Tizzard
3rd Michael Fooks
Class 13 – Tractor & hydraulically operated 4 or more plough
1st Mark Shutler
2nd John Shute
3rd Barry Dennett
Class 14 – Contractor Challenge – reversible ploughs to use both left and right hand board
1st Bernard Hayball winner of Creed Brother’s Seaborough Salver
2nd James Wallbridge
3rd Adrian Holloway
Class 15 – Mechanical Flail Hedge Cutting
1st Stewart Hyslop
2nd Jonathan Colebird
3rd Sam Mather
Trophies & Special Prizes
Winner of The Streatfeild Perpetual Cup to Best YFC Ploughman – Millie Johnston, Marshwood Vale YFC
Champion Ploughman (Open) and winner of Col. Sir Stuart Mallinson cup – Malcolm Selby
Champion Ploughman (Local) and winner of silver perpetual Challenge Cup – Michael Fooks
Best Ins & Outs – Bernard Hayball
Best Strike out – Malcolm Selby
Best Finish – Malcolm Selby
Best Ploughing with Case International Case or David Brown with Kverneland Plough presented with Silver Perpetual Challenge cup – Robert Hedditch
Best Ploughing with Ford New Holland – Malcolm Selby
Best Ploughing with a John Deere Tractor presented with a special prize donated by Hunt Forest Group, Dorchester – Garry Stevens
Sam Dennett Perpetual Memorial Trophy presented by the family for the best finish with a four or five furrow plough – Mark Shutler
Novice Ploughman: 1st Robert Hedditch, 2nd Will Fooks
Best Turned-out Tractor & Plough presented with a bottle of whisky donated by Mr Roy Vickery – Rodney Cuff
Hedgelaying
Judges: Mr Roger Vickery – Thorncombe, Mr Kevin Goodfellow – Bridport,
Mr Phil Hart – Uckfield, Mr Chris Stanton – Ashburton and Mr Peter Yeates – Bridport.
Chief Steward: Mrs Mandy Woodham
Chainsaw Steward: Mr Mark Tilley
Class 1 – Novice Pairs
1st Chloe Caddy and Eliza Curtis and winners of The Shedbush Trophy
2nd Zoe Raymond and Grace House
3rd Graham Adams and Rory Francis
Class 2 – Novice Hedgelayer
1st Jemma Baker and winner of Marcus Beresford Trophy
2nd Richard Baker
3rd David Clark
Class 3 – Intermediate Hedgelayer
1st Roly Boughton and winner of Bodger John Trophy
2nd Catherine Carter
3rd Neil Gemmell
Class 4 – Open Pairs
1st Martin Turner and Rob Sturmey and winners of The Bartletts (Dorset) Ltd Cup
2nd Simon Cullingford and Milly Cullingford
3rd Richard Clayson and Alex Clayson
Class 5 – Open Hedgelayer
1st Terry Coombe and winner of the Lady Elizabeth Perpetual Challenge Cup
2nd Russell Woodham
3rd Steve McCulloch
Trophies & Special Prizes
Champion Hedgelayer and winner of the Silver Perpetual Challenge Cup presented by Cleeves & Edwina Palmer – Terry Coombe
The Cecil A Marsh Challenge Cup presented to the Best Local competitor – Russell Woodham
The Philip Hardwill Trophy for highest placed Young Farmers – Zoe Raymond and Grace House, Beaminster YFC
The Russell Woodham Bill Hook Trophy for best hand tool competitor – Jemma Baker.
The Bill Hook Trophy for the best Lady competitor – Catherine Carter
Overall Best Veteran competitor aged 65 years and over – Terry Coombe
Thank you to our photographer Tim Russ Event Photography, please click below to visit albums:
