PLOUGHMEN and women from accross the country took part in the 72nd British National Ploughing Championships at the weekend. 

On October 14 and 15, more than 250 competitors took part in the competition, which was held on land near Bishops Lydeard, Taunton, Somerset, loaned by K S Coles and Family.

A spokesperson for the Society of Ploughmen, organisers of the event, said 'the sun shone brightly and the mud dried up'. 

"What a weekend! There were a lot of smiling faces throughout - those taking part and those visiting this year's British National Ploughing Championships & Country Festival at Bishops Lydeard in Somerset," they added.

Visitors had the chance to see how farming has changed over the years, with 18 pairs of heavy horses ploughing, vintage tractors and machinery, steam ploughing engines, as well as classic and modern tractors.

The class winners from day one were as follows: 

  • Class 1: One Way Ploughing - WILLIAM TUPPER
  • Class 2: Conventional - NIGEL VICKERS
  • Class 3: Trailing Vintage Ploughing - JOHN CROWDER
  • Class 4: Hydraulic Vintage Ploughing - RICHARD INGRAM
  • Class 5: Classic Tractor Ploughing - RAY ALDERSON
  • Class 6: Classic Reversible Ploughing - GRAHAM SUTTON
  • Class 7: Oat Seed Furrow Work (Tractors) - DEREK NEEDHAM
  • Class 8: Horse Ploughing - General Purpose - DAVID KERSWELL
  • Class 9: Horticultural Ploughing Championship - ALISTAIR HETT

The class winners from day two were: 

  • Class 10: Ferguson - KEITH WILLIAMS
  • Class 11: Ford & Fordson. RICHARD WILSON
  • Class 12: David Brown - JEREMY JACOBS-ROBERTS
  • Class 13: Crawler - RICHARD COOK
  • Class 14: High Cut Tractor - SHAUN GARROD
  • Class 15: High Cut Horse - MARTIN KERSWELL
  • Vintage Trailed Plough Off - TREVOR JOHNSTONE
  • Vintage Hydraulic Plough Off - RICHARD INGRAM
  • Classic Plough Off - JON COLE
  • Classic Reversible Plough Off - STEPHEN WATKINS
  • Reversible Plough Off - WILLIAM TUPPER
  • Conventional Plough Off - ASHLEY BOYLES
  • British Horse Champion - MARTIN KERSWELL
  • British High Cut Champion - DEREK NEEDHAM
  • British Vintage Champion - TREVOR JOHNSTONE
  • Supreme Champion - TREVOR JOHNSTONE