More than 70 competitors turned out for an agricultural society's annual hedge laying and ploughing match.

The Melplash Agricultural Society's 171st annual hedge laying and ploughing match took place on land near Corscombe by kind permission of Mr and Mrs Oliver Hemsley of Urless Farm.

Competitors ranging from farmers, contractors, young farmers, vintage tractor and rural craft enthusiasts put their skills to the test with the aim of winning a prize.

Alongside the competition was the opportunity for spectators to have a go at ploughing, test their woodland knowledge and enjoy refreshments provided by Beaminster Young Farmers Club (YFC).

Whilst the judges compiled their scores, competitors and spectators were treated to music played by the Chantry Buoys, who this year are raising funds for the RNLI.

Unusually, the ploughing competition took place on grass land, which challenged all taking part.

Ploughing match judge, Roy French, said: "Although a very testing day for the ploughmen, everyone did very well."

The winners from this year's ploughing match are:

  • Class Eight- Vintage Trailed- Roger Nicholls
  • Class Nine- Vintage Hydraulic- Mike Symonds
  • Champion Vintage and winner of The Jack Dare Memorial Trophy- Roger Nicholls
  • Best Strike Out Vintage- Mike Symonds
  • Best Finish Vintage- Alan Hayball
  • Champion Ploughmen (classes eight, nine and 10) and winner of the Blandford & Webb Perpetual Challenge Cup- Roger Nicholls
  • Class 11- Young Farmers General Purpose Ploughing- winner of The Streatfeild Perpetual Cup- Mike Crabb, winner of the Interclub Silver Perpetual Cup- Beaminster YFC
  • Class 12- Classic Tractor and Plough (without Q cab) and winner of the Tony Ascott Perpetual Challenge Cup- Tony Ascott
  • Class 13- Tractor and hydraulically operated two or three furrow plough- Greg Smith
  • Class 14- Tractor and hydraulically operated four or more plough- Will Doble
  • Class 15- Contractor Challenge- Tim Frampton
  • Champion Ploughman (open) and winner of the Stuart Mallinson Silver Perpetual Challenge Cup- Tony Ascott
  • Champion Ploughman (local) and winner of the Silver Perpetual Challenge Cup- Tony Ascott
  • Novice Ploughman- Philip Fry
  • Best ins and outs- Tony Ascott
  • Best Strike Out- Greg Smith
  • Best Finish- Greg Smith
  • Best Ploughing Case Int, Case or David Brown with Kverneland Plough- Greg Smith
  • Best Ploughing with Ford New Holland- Mike Fooks
  • Best Ploughing John Deere Tractor- Colin Stacey

HEDGELAYING:

In the hedge laying competition, all hedges had to be laid to a Dorset Style.

Dorset Style hedges are low to the bank/ground, tightly woven with itself and bonds/binders are used internally and externally as and where required to secure.

The finished hedge had to be a half barrel at a height of two foot six inches to three foot.

Some who entered had already participated in the society's free hedge laying training day.

Hedge laying judge, Peter Yeates, said: "It was a good even hedge for all competitors. Being a long straight hedge meant it was not just easy for the judges to assess their work, but also good for the spectators to see the skills and techniques required to lay a hedge well."

The results for the 2018 hedgelaying competition are:

  • Class One open- Russell Woodham
  • Winner of The Elizabeth Lady Williams Perpetual Challenge Cup- Russell Woodham
  • Winner of The Cecil A Marsh Memorial Perpetual Challenge Cup- Russell Woodham
  • Class Two Novice and winner of The Marcus Beresford Trophy- Alex Clayson
  • Class Three Intermediate and winner of the Bodger John Trophy- John Sibthorpe
  • Class Four Ladies and winner of The Bill Hook Trophy- Mandy Woodham
  • Class 5 Open Pairs and winner of The Bartletts (Dorset) Cup- Heath and Lynda Cregan
  • Class Six Novice Pairs and winner of the Shedbush Farm Trophy- Will and Sam Cross
  • Champion Hedge layer and winner of the Cleaves & Edwina Palmers Cup- Russell Woodham
  • Highest placed Young Farmer and winner of The Philip Hardwill Cup- Alex Clayson
  • Best Hand Tool competitor and winner of the R Woodham Bill Hook Trophy- David Ewers
  • Tidiest Kept Site- Liam Jefferson
  • Cleanest Cut- Colin Risdon

All prizes were presented to the winners by the society's 2018 president, Richard King.