Lincolnshire Working Weekend – 14/15th September

Delgate Bank-Weston – Spalding – Lincolnshire. By Kind Permission of Lincolnshire Field Products

Around a year ago club member, Paul Beecham, who often helps with Lincolnshire events, offered to organise a working weekend. This set the ball rolling and ‘the team’ offered to hold the Ferguson Club European T20 annual Ploughing Match which follows the Ferguson Club Ploughing Rules of no weights on the plough and a straight top link. Rather challenging for land pounded down by huge combines and tractors with heavily laden trailers. The ploughman’s skills are certainly tested.

Lincolnshire Field Products were once again very obliging and two huge fields were made available for the general working day on Saturday and the ploughing on Sunday. Planning began immediately: entry forms, welfare facilities, catering, ‘office’ for booking in, how many other ploughing classes, prizes, advertising, judges for the ploughing matches.

Lincolnshire has a good working team, with two area reps and members who readily come forward to assist in many different ways.John Sharpe works meticulously to ensure the ploughing matches are run properly. The team are guided by his expertise and his enthusiasm is infectious.

The weather was really good for the whole time from getting ready on Friday to clearing up Sunday when the event had finished. Many enthusiasts took part on both days, there was much laughter and enjoyment. Simon Durrant stayed on site with his family, Julian and Alison Bellamy, whose property bordered on to the fields were very accommodating and helpful. Local tractor dealers bought modern tractors which looked enormous alongside a little Grey Ferguson and MF35. Many local companies donated raffle prizes which resulted in £205 being raised from tractor drivers and the public on Sunday. Over 50 tractors took part over the two day event which, after prize money was deducted, donations and raffle included, resulted in a total of £341 being raised for Spalding and Holbeach Macmillan Cancer Support.

The organisers would like to thank all who took part. We had tractors from Gloucestershire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Cambridgeshire and all parts of Lincolnshire. Club General Secretary, James Holland, came on his grey Fergie by road, travelling in excess of 20 miles each way.

Stephen Watson attended on Sunday and I am sure you will soon see some of his photographs, some are already on Facebook.

Three other classes were run alongside the European T20 and the winners for all are as follows:

European T20 Ploughing Championship    Vintage
1st Place    Charlie Roberts    Alan Thorpe
2nd Place John Kitching Brian Tidswell
3rd Place Martin Jeffrey    David Savage

Classic    Novice
1st Place John Sharpe    Paul Green
2nd Place    Gerry Hutchinson    Darren Shearwood
3rd Place Mickey Smith