Over 81 entries for Llangattock’s ploughing match made for a memorable day for the society’s annual event held on home turf courtesy of Jeff Preece, a lifelong member.

Llangattock-Vibon-Avel and District Ploughing and Agricultural Society had horse and tractor ploughing, farming classes, horticultural and homecraft competitions, with competitions for young adults, displays of vintage tractors, military vehicles, stationary steam engines as well as rural crafts and sidestalls.

Best working team from Newent
(Des Pugh)

The main event though was the ploughmen with their tractors from all eras: From three furrows behind a vintage tractor, to the reversible six furrow ploughs behind the latest in modern behemoths.

There was also three teams of horses showing a side of farming just about forgotten now but proved to be the most endearing to rural life. The winners were:

VintageTrailer, Tony Windridge; Open Hydraulic, Emlyn Jones; Novice Vintage, Alan Bayman; Trellech Cup for Under 26, Charlie Malsom, who just beat Jack Price into second place; Ferguson Class, Dave Bryant; High Cut, Derek Needham; Classic Class, John Cole; Open reversible, Dan Cornish; Reversible 26 and under went to 15-year-old Tom Sheppard; Classic Reversible was won by Martin Williams; Open Conventional Phil Nugent, with Phil Miles second and David Gunter third; Horse Ploughing High Cut won by Roger Smith; Horse Ploughing - General Purpose, Kim Williams, second place was Derek Hilton.

The Ron Williams Challenge Cup for champion ploughman went to John Cole.

Champion ploughman John Cole
(Des Pugh)

The Gordon Sutton Memorial Shield for Best Monmouthshire Ploughman - Alan Davies; Basil Williams (Perpetual) Trophy for Best Working Horse Team - Kim Williams; YFC Argus Cup for Best Young Farmer from Gwent - Charlie Malsom; Trellech Farmers Perpetual Challenge Cup for youngest competitor in a match - Charlie Malsom; The Bill Wood Cup for excellence for the Best Turned Out Tractor and Plough in Class 8 - Robert Pugh; Best Turned out Vintage Tractor and Trailer Plough in a competition class - Mike Yates; The Jeff Preece and Family Perpetual Trophy for the best turned out Grey Ferguson and plough - Phil Jones.

The society are grateful to Jeff Preece, David Davies and the Heath family for allowing the use of their fields.

See next week's paper for Horticulture and Childrens' results