Farming: Championship time for Scottish ploughing

Published on 26/10/2012 03:34

This coming weekend the focus of competitive ploughing in Scotland will turn to the Scottish Ploughing Championships to be held at Coldstream Mains and Lennel Estate, Coldstream.

World conventional champion Andrew Mitchell of Forfar will defend his Scottish title and also competing will be his father, runner up in the World reversible class in Croatia last month.

Some 180 competitors will take part on the 250 acre site in a range of classes from the ancient art of horse ploughing, vintage, classic and modern reversible classes through to the latest tackle working in the demonstration plots.

This will be the 50th Scottish Championships after the first one was held at Tibbermore in Perthshire in 1963. Members of the Borders Vintage Agricultural Association and local farmers will put on a special display of 50 vintage tractors and ploughs alongside the hosts’ mighty Case Quadtrac articulated tractor which took part in this summer’s Charity Quadtrac Challenge.

The culmination will be the crowning of the champions who get the opportunity to represent Scotland internationally next year. The 2013 Scottish competition moves to the other end of the country for its first ever visit to Caithness.

ANDREW ARBUCKLE