PLOUGHMEN from across the South West travelled to Barnstaple Cross, Crediton, to compete at Mid Devon Ploughing Association's annual ploughing match.

There was intense competition for regional qualifiers for national Fordson tractor and Ransome plough classes, as well as many other ploughing classes.

The ploughing began at 10am, with competition for vintage trailed, vintage hydraulic, high cut, classic, semi-digger, multi-furrow, reversible, novice and County tractors.

The fields, by kind permission of Richard Cheriton and family, proved testing for the ploughmen, with the soil described as "fluffy".

The competition judges were J Kerslake, P Studley, A Brewer, M Vowles, D Horlar and W Baker.

Stewards were D Jones and P Cole.

Champion ploughman was Roland Glanville.

Results: Vintage trailed - 1 A Walker, 2 J Hodge, 3 D Bryant. Vintage Hydraulic - 1 C Heard, 2 J Jacobs, 3 J Hill, 4 P Phillips. High Cut - 1 R Irvine, 2 M Holloway, 3 R Hill. Classic - 1 D Jenkins, 2 R Jury, 3 T West. Semi-digger - 1 R Glanville, 2 D Tonkin, 3 M Adams. Multi-furrow - 1 G Henson, 2 A Bickley, 3 G Summerhayes. Novice - R Soper.

Mid Devon Ploughing Association chairman, Ron Moyse, presented the awards.

He thanked all those who took part or helped in any way, notably John and Sheila Kerslake for their help with the results and raffle and the Cheriton family for the use of the fields.

He congratulated Dennis Harvey and Tony West on qualifying for the national Fordson tractor and Ransome plough competition final, which will take place in 2010.

Alan Quick

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