The 50th Scottish Ploughing Championships 27 & 28 October at Coldstream Mains TD12 4ES on the Scottish Borders

[BC]

Peter Small sent me this about the Scottish Ploughing Championships. I'm tempted to go I must say but I'm not long back from that neck of the woods and probably will wait and go to next years one in Caithness.

World Champion to Plough at Coldstream

The new World Conventional Ploughing Champion Andrew Mitchell of Forfar will defend his Scottish title won last year on the Black Isle in the 2012 Scottish Ploughing Championships at Coldstream on October 27th and 28th. His father Andrew who was runner up in the World Reversible class at last months World Event in Croatia will also defend his Scottish title.

The Championships are being held at Coldstream Mains and Lennel Estate by permission of Colin McGregor and the Lennel Estate Trustees. It returns to the Borders two years after the highly successful Championships held at Upper Nisbet at Jedburgh in 2010 when Scotland hosted the European Vintage Championships for the first time.

This time Scotland hosts the Six Nations Vintage Championships over two days when ploughmen will come from Northern Ireland, Wales, England, Rep of Ireland and the Isle of Man to compete against three Scotsmen keen to win on home soil. Taking part for Scotland are George Mutch from Abernethy, Alex Irving from Kirkcudbright and Charles Manson from Linlithgow.

Whilst the bulk of the ploughing action takes place on the Saturday and Sunday the Friday will see some preliminary events take place including a visit from local schoolchildren from Coldstream, Chirnside and Swinton as part of the Royal Highland Education Trusts involvement with the event.

A huge entry of 180 will take part on the 250 acres site with all types of ploughing being carried out from the ancient art of horse ploughing through to vintage trailing and mounted to modern reversible classes while the latest tackle will be put through its paces in the demonstration plots.

This year the Championships will host a special class for Ferguson tractors and ploughs featuring Harry Ferguson’s famous hydraulic three point linkage system which completely revolutionised tractor design in the 1940s.

The event is a tractor spotter’s paradise with virtually every age and make you can think of at work on the stubble fields which are accessed by tractor buses.

As usual there will be plenty of trade stands including a visit from Westlake Ploughs who specialise in the supply older plough metal and parts. The stands will offer products and services ranging from a new tractor to children’s books, a fairground and full catering and toilet facilities will also on site.

This will be the 50th Scottish Championships after the first one was held at Tibbermore in Perthshire in 1963. To celebrate this achievement, members of the Borders Vintage Agricultural Association and local farmers will attempt to assemble fifty tractors and ploughs in a special vintage display.

Also on display (work permitting) will be host Colin McGregor’s mighty Case Quadtrac articulated tractor which took part in this summers Quadtrac Challenge in Lincolnshire where fifty of the giant beasts cultivated a field at once for charity.

The culmination of the weekend will see the 2012 Scottish Champions crowned and given the opportunity to represent their country in international competition next year including the World Championships in Alberta in Canada next July.

Next year the Championships move to other end of the county for its first visit to Caithness where this year’s champions can defend their titles.

Details on

www.scotplough.co.uk

www.mcgregorfarms.co.uk

Edited October 18, 2012 by BC

[BC]

At the Deveron Valley vintage ploughing match held at Gamrie yesterday there were two champion plough men there demonstating but both will be completing in the Scottish match next weeekend.

Both Ian's....Williamson with his tidy IH and Macdonald with his Ford.

[BC]

Now this man is a master and can make that plough move in all directions.

Getting ready for his finish.

Edited October 22, 2012 by BC

[WillTEF20]

I'm coming up for the championships this year!

[BC]

I'm sure it will be a good sight to see. I hope for you and the competitors and the other spectators the weather is kind to you all.

[James T]

It's just down the road from me, but a busy weekend ahead so don't think I'll make it.

[BC]

Shame James..but there is more to life than photo's ;D

[BC]

I'm coming up for the championships this year!

Did you enjoy them and any photos taken

I see the result have now been posted on their website.

http://www.scotplough.co.uk/results/

It was good to see there were placings for Ian Williams and Ian MacDonald in both Saturdays conventional plough off and on Sundays Conventional plough off with the IH man taking second and the Ford man 4th. I saw those two demonstrating at the Deveron Valley match a week past Sunday. Mr Williams on his IH and Mr MacDonald on his Ford 7610.

Also Gordon Hepburn from Elgin was 1st in class 7 the vintage trailing section.

Edited October 29, 2012 by BC