The organisers of the 71st British National Ploughing Championships & Country Festival, which takes place this weekend (8th and 9th October) are watching the ever-changing weather forecasts closely and keeping their fingers crossed that the sun will shine for them at the weekend.
Rain is forecast earlier in the week but they say it shouldn’t affect the 250 acre site at Glapwell, North East Derbyshire. Sue Frith, Chief Executive of the Society of Ploughmen who organise the event, said, “The forecast is good for the weekend with rain earlier in the week. In fact, the competitors will probably welcome the rain after the hot, dry summer we have had as it will make the ground better to plough.”
Ploughmen and women from all over Great Britain will be travelling to Glapwell to take part in the competitions on part of the Chatsworth Estate which has been loaned by kind permission of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. The Duke of Devonshire is the President of the Society of Ploughmen this year and will be presenting the winners’ trophies on the final day of the event.
There will be lots of vintage tractors at the event
The British National Ploughing Championships & Country Festival is held in a different part of the country each year and this is the first time it has ever been held in the county of Derbyshire in its 71 year history. There will be almost 250 ploughmen and women taking part in 15 different classes over the two days, from the magnificent heavy horses, to garden tractors, conventional, reversible and various vintage tractor and club ploughing classes. The top 10 in six of the classes will go through to plough for the championship titles on the second day, aiming for the Supreme Champion title and the chance to represent England in the 2023 World and European Ploughing Championships.
For spectators attending, they will also be able to see lots of vintage tractors, both static and working, two pairs of massive Fowler BB ploughing engines, demonstrations of the most up-to-date agricultural machinery, trade stands, shopping stalls and a craft marquee.
With all this, visitors will be able to see how our farming heritage has change from horses through to mechanical machinery to the highly computerised tractors we see today. Because the site is so vast, there will be tractor and trailer ‘bus’ rides to take people around the site with volunteers from Pleasley Young Farmers taking the wheels.
The site is located just a few minutes from junction 29, off the A617. Discounted tickets are available in advance and further information can be found on www.ploughmen.co.uk or on Facebook and Twitter.
Lincs ploughman wins a wife at the European Vintage Ploughing Championships
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