Competitors flocked in far and wide for Melplash Agricultural Society's annual Hedgelaying and Ploughing Match.

The 175th edition of the event took place on a sixty-acre plot of land at Higher Langdon, near Beaminster following the permission of Mrs Tessa MacKenzie-Green and Mr Richard Peck, Sentry Farms.

For the big occasion, there was a demonstration of horse ploughing given by Mike Puxty with his shires, Sam and Tilly - the time fixed for ploughing half an acre with horses was three and a half hours.

The society says it is passionate about keeping traditional skills of hedgelaying and ploughing alive - with many families in the area who have been active in keeping up and passing on the skills for generations.

Families have been keeping the tradition alive for generations. Photo shared by the Melplash Agricultural Society.

Prior to the match, the society hosted a free hedgelaying taster day. Twenty-one people attended including thirteen members of Beaminster Young Farmers, all of whom took part in the novice pairs competition on Match Day.

All classes were well supported and the competition was keen. Forty-one ploughmen and forty-four hedgelayers competed in the various classes, with competitors coming from as far afield as Hereford, Bristol, Collumpton and Wellington.

Society Match Chairman, Tim Frampton, commented: "It was a fantastic day, and so good to see so many people coming to watch. Thank you to everyone who made the day possible - the landowners, the stewards and helpers, the competitors and the judges. The annual hedgelaying and ploughing match is always an important day in the Society's Calendar. As well as marking the start of the Society in 1847, it gives all of us who work on the land an opportunity to show others our skills and the pride we have in the work we do. Winning of course is a bonus and a position we can enjoy until next year."

Photo of hedgelaying shared by Melplash Agricultural Society.

Full results

Ploughing

Judges

Mr Michael Hole

Mr Austin Yeatman

Mr Malcolm White

Mr Roy French

Mr Robert Dimond

Mr Martin Jennings

Class 8 - Vintage Trailed

1st Ian Craddock

2nd David Cobb

3rd Brian Johnston

Class 9 - Vintage Hydraulic

1st Andy Westcott

2nd Michael Symonds

3rd Geoff Fry

Trophies & Special Prizes

Champion Vintage Ploughman and winner of The Jack Dare Memorial Trophy – Ian Craddock

Best Strike Out in Vintage classes – Ian Craddock

Best Finish in Vintage classes – Brian Johnston

Champion Ploughmen in Vintage and match ploughing classes & winner of the Blandford & Webb Perpetual Challenge cup – Ian Craddock

Best Ins and Outs in classes – Andy Westcott

Class 11 - Classic Tractor & Plough (without Q cab)

1st David Rae and winner of the Tony Ascott Perpetual Challenge Cup

2nd Colin Hawkins

3rd Tony Ascott

Class 12 - Tractor & hydraulically operated 2 or 3 furrow plough

1st John Harris

2nd Ted Yarde

3rd Greg Smith

Class 13 - Tractor & hydraulically operated 4 or more plough

1st Will Doble

2nd Barry Dennett

3rd John Shute

Class 14 Contractor Challenge – reversible ploughs to use both left and right-hand board

1st Bernard Hayball and winner of Creed Brother's Seaborough Salver

2nd Erin Moon

3rd Noah Doble

Trophies & Special Prizes

Winner of The Streatfeild Perpetual Cup to Best YFC Ploughman – Erin Moon, Marshwood Vale YFC

Winner of the Interclub Silver Perpetual Cup for highest placed YFC – not awarded in 2022

Champion Ploughman (Open) and winner of Col. Sir Stuart Mallinson cup – John Harris

Reserve Champion Ploughman (Open) – Bernard Hayball

Champion Ploughman (Local) and winner of silver perpetual Challenge Cup – Bernard Hayball

Reserve Champion Ploughman (Local) – David Rae

Best Ins & Outs - Bernard Hayball

Best Strike out - David Rae

Best Finish – Bernard Hayball & John Harris (joint winners)

Best Ploughing with Case International Case or David Brown with Kverneland Plough presented with Silver Perpetual Challenge cup and a voucher donated by GCS Agricentre – Bernard Hayball

Best Ploughing with Ford New Holland – Ted Yarde

Best Ploughing with a John Deere Tractor presented with a special prize donated by Hunt Forest Group, Dorchester – Colin Stacey

Sam Dennett Perpetual Memorial Trophy presented by the family for the best finish with a four or five furrow plough – Erin Moon

Novice Ploughman

1st Rodney Cuff

2nd Steve Donn

Best Turned-out Tractor & Plough presented with a bottle of whisky donated by Mr Roy Vickery - Trevor Miles.

Hedgelaying results

Hedgelaying Judges

Mr John Vickery

Mr Ian Connibeare

Mr Roger Vickery

Mr Mark Tilley

Mrs Mandy Woodham

Flail Hedge Cutting Judges

David Ashdown

Mark Vickery

Chainsaw Stewards:

Mr Kevin Goodfellow

Mr Chris Childs

Class 1 – Hedgelayer Local & Open class

1st Tim Frampton and winner of The Elizabeth Lady Williams Challenge Cup

2nd Martin Turner

3rd Colin Risdon

The Cecil A Marsh Challenge Cup presented to the Best Local competitor – Tim Frampton

Class 2 - Novice Hedgelayer

1st Anthony Brown and winner of Marcus Beresford Trophy

2nd Richard Baker

3rd Graham Adams

Class 3 - Intermediate Hedgelayer

1st Pete Etheridge and winner of Bodger John Trophy

2nd Neil Gemmell

3rd Owen Swatridge

Class 4 - Open Pairs

1st Steven and Rosie McCulloch and winners of The Bartletts (Dorset) Ltd Cup

2nd Richard Hooker and George Partridge

3rd Roger Parris and Lynda Cregan

Class 5 - Novice Pairs

1st Logan Hayball and Jack Ferret and winners of the Shedbush Farm Trophy

2nd Rebecca Mather and Sophie Raymond

3rd Amy Messer and Enya Hayball

Champion Hedgelayer and winner of the Silver Perpetual Challenge Cup presented by Cleeves & Edwina Palmer – Tim Frampton

The Philip Hardwill Trophy for highest placed Young Farmer – Owen Swatridge, Beaminster YFC

The Russell Woodham Bill Hook Trophy for best hand tool competitor – Robin Spanner

The Bill Hook Trophy for the best Lady competitor – Lynda Cregan

Tidiest Kept Site – Roger Parris and Lynda Cregan

Best work on a poor length of hedge – George Gorringe and Oliver Bagwell

Overall Best Veteran competitor aged 65 years and over – Colin Risdon

Mechanical Flail Hedge Cutting

1st Matt Frampton

2nd Richard Martin

3rd Richard R