THE weather was perfect for ploughing for the 28th Annual Mid Devon Ploughing Match, which took place on Saturday, October 20 at Court Barton, Venny Tedburn, by kind permission of George and Iain Mortimer.

More than 50 ploughmen entered the nine ploughing classes, travelling from across Devon, Cornwall and Somerset, as well as Gloucestershire and Surrey, to plough in the match.

Several companies sponsored the match, without whose support the match would not be possible, the secretary, Fiona Mortimer, expressed the clubs thanks to Andrew Symons, Sandford Orchards, Buckland Timber, Conibear Bros, Meadowside Garage, Hamblys, Langford Plant Hire, Mole Avon, Masons Kings, Fry and Son, Adam Home Hardware, Ben Kingsland, Tucker’s and Dunn’s Ploughs for their contribution to the match.

The match welcomed David Jones and his daughter, Myrtle, from Camborne along with their horses Harry and Bess who ploughed a demonstration plot.

The Vintage Trailed class was won by John Hodges of Gloucestershire. Colin Heard took first place in the Vintage Hydraulic.

The large class of 10 Classic tractors and ploughs was won by R Morgen, with the Semi Digger trophy being presented to Rowland Glanville.

Sam Reed of Cadeleigh beat last year’s winner Paul Pincombe in the Reversible Class, and having their first go at Match ploughing, and representing Cheriton and Tedburn YFC, George Taylor just pipped Ethan Pearce in the YFC Reversible Class.

Ed Vigers took the Ferguson T20 cup in a strong class of eight, and his grandaughter, Anna Mortimer, competing for the first time, won the novice class also using a Ferguson T20, competing against two fellow YFC members, Joshua Yelland and Robbie Northway.

This year’s match saw a good entry of YFC members, and therefore the committee decided to hold a YFC Championship, with the members who had competed in three different classes being judged for overall YFC champion by Peter Hammett and Graham Dunn.

The judges said it was a difficult decision, but they awarded the Champion Award to Rachel Pincombe of Meshaw YFC, and Anna Mortimer representing Cheriton and Tedburn YFC was given Reserve Champion.

Ross Hext from Cheriton Fitzpaine was given the Best Tractor Prize, and the overall Champion Ploughman was awarded to Rowland Glanville.

Chairman of the Mid Devon Ploughing Club is Ron ‘Bonzo’ Moyse.

Judges were John Kerslake, Peter Hammett, Phil Barriball, Colin Reed, Chris Norman, Graham Dunn and George Metherell.

Stewards were Ron Moyse, Roger Ford, Roy Stacey, Ronald Waycott and Graham Cheriton.