Lincs ploughman wins a wife at the European Vintage Ploughing Championships

A romantic ploughman has won a wife, thanks to his victory at a recent ploughing contest.

John Crowder from Sturton-by-Stow, Lincolnshire, travelled to Northern Ireland to represent England in the European Vintage Ploughing Championships and swept the board, winning not just the title for Vintage Trailing Ploughing and the overall European Vintage Ploughing Champion title – but his future bride too!

John had decided beforehand that if he won his class, he would propose to his girlfriend Laura Dickson, so when he also took the overall title, he asked her the all-important question. And she said yes!

John was ploughing in Ballykelly, Northern Ireland against other European countries and finished a massive 120 points ahead of second place in his class. He will now be getting his Fordson N tractor and Ransome RSLD Major plough ready for the forthcoming British National Ploughing Championships where he will defend his title as British Vintage Trailing Plough Champion – and bid to win a place at next year’s European Championships.

More than 240 ploughmen and women from around Great Britain will be taking part in the championships, held on the Chatsworth Estate at Glapwell, North East Derybshire on 8th and 9th October. As well as classes including vintage trailed, vintage hydraulic, classic, world style conventional and heavy horses, there will also be championship classes for the Ferguson, Ford & Fordson and David Brown tractor clubs.

The top 60 competitors on the first day will take part in their respective ‘Plough-Off Final’ on the second day, bidding to win the British title, as well as a chance to represent England in next year’s World and European Ploughing Contests. The title of Supreme Champion is also up for grabs.

Alongside the competitions, on a site covering more than 250 acres provided by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, visitors will be able to see displays and working demonstrations of various vintage tractors and machinery from over the years; agricultural based trade stands; new machinery demonstrations; shopping stalls; craft stalls and four giant Fowler BB steam ploughing engines working the fields. To get around this huge site there will be tractor and trailer rides provided by members of Pleasley Young Farmers Club.

The British Championships are organised and run by volunteers from the Society of Ploughmen, a registered charity.

The site is just a few minutes from Junction 29 of the M1 between Chesterfield and Mansfield.

The Country Smallholder Editor, Liz Wright, is looking forward to visiting these Championships.

Further information can be found on www.ploughmen.co.uk or on Facebook and Twitter.

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