Are Ploughing Matches Under Threat?

Cordiale · Apr 1, 2018

I have read on here from several contributors, about the possible demise of ploughing matches in the future. It is mainly perceived that when the older generation die out/retire that there won't be enough younger people to carry it on.

However, is there a more immediate threat.

Mr Gove who apparently is supposed to be Conservative, but in my opinion is a mole from the Greens.
It looks like he is going to pay a subsidy for no till farming post Brexit, so it may be that match sites will become even more difficult to find, thus reducing the amount of landowners willing to provide sites and forgo valuable income.

Kenham · Apr 1, 2018

Only reading last week that ploughing will be coming back as they are thinking of banning the glyphosates that make no till possible.

Ley253 · Apr 1, 2018

Many of the matches I did last year were on min till land, and dammed hard it was too! First time I have ever seen hampshire chalk and flint cut and shine!

Sprayer · Apr 1, 2018

I would think possibly 70% of the matches round here, midlands, are on land destined for potatoes or maize.

Cordiale · Apr 1, 2018

Kenham said:
Only reading last week that ploughing will be coming back as they are thinking of banning the glyphosates that make no till possible.

All the farming mags are carrying articles about no till farming subsidies.
It's ironic, when as you say, the sword hangs over glyphosate future.
Maybe we will keep glyphosate here when we leave the club. Either way I have seen min till before in the seventies, it wasn't the panacea then and it won't be now. The plough will always be used as no other implement does so much in one pass.

12 bore · Apr 1, 2018

Hopefully this will not cause problems for the future for this enjoyable hobby, interesting point though. I would imagine there will always be a place for the plough and as such ploughing matches. Just need to keep encouraging people to enter to continue the tradition of the sport to ensure its long term future.

Mydexta · Apr 2, 2018

I reckon that getting new people involved is as big a problem to our hobby.

Up here, out of an average of 50 competitors per match, I reckon there are only 8-10 under 50.

Most are in their late 50s/early 60s and a few more in their 70s.

It doesn’t take a genius to see which way it’s going, each season, another 1-2 of the elder generation give up or pass away, however there isn’t the new entrants joining at the other end

Pennine Ploughing · Apr 2, 2018

I think the problem is the fact that you get say a young lad interested in his teens, he leaves school and starts working, still doing a little bit, then he gets on with a girl, then ploughing goes back seat, he then gets married, and buys a house, has a mortgage to pay, so no ploughing, then kids come into it, again no ploughing, not untill their 50 plus when kids have gone, life is easier and spare money does he return to ploughing,

so this is why there is not many young or sub 50 years old doing it
I am lucky, i have had about 20 years of it, and sometimes think its time to do something else,
a nice vintage car, out for drives in the good weather, out for Sunday lunch, a drive around the lakes,
or a drive up Scotland, sometimes think it would be better than getting up early, driving couple hours, getting rained on all day, having to clean the soil off the plough, then driving home cold and wet for a 30p rosette, as if you do win, it takes the prize money to get your name on the cup, spend time polishing and cleaning it, and you have to give it back next year,

anyone want to but some ploughs lol

Longneck · Apr 2, 2018

If less people are going to ploughing matches what are they doing with their old ploughs cos I’ve been half looking for one to go on my IH 574 for a while so that I can get my kids into it a bit.

Any offers.....?

Pennine Ploughing · Apr 2, 2018

what you looking for

Still Farming · Apr 2, 2018

Don't know about under threat more like under water ??

Longneck · Apr 2, 2018

Pennine Ploughing said:
what you looking for

Not really sure, I’m only a novice ploughman myself!!

But two or three furrow, something of a similar era to the 574 and something that I can get parts for easily. I guess ransoms or something..?

Pennine Ploughing · Apr 2, 2018

Longneck said:
Not really sure, I’m only a novice ploughman myself!!

But two or three furrow, something of a similar era to the 574 and something that I can get parts for easily. I guess ransoms or something..?

thing is what class are you wanting to go into ?
as your ok in the novice in most cases with any tractor or plough,
it when you leave the novice class that is the problem, as the 574 would only go into the world style as on now,
it will have a Q cab when new, so no good in the classic,

so its back to what class will you go into after the novice, that way,you can get the right plough now, and not have to change later on the plough

Fergie Ploughman · Apr 2, 2018

I just see matches getting bigger and bigger! Some of the old district matches seem to be falling by the way side, but the stronger ones do well. There is so much choice for matches now, I have many that clash! I prefer the nice vintage matches, a lot more firiendly and fun!

I totally get the “life” bit slowing the younger guys down. When your young you have loads of time and no money and when you get older you have more money and no time! Kids, work, family, etc all take time... life is all a balance, you have to decide what’s important.

Who knows what’s involved in the future ag economy, we all have to eat and people don’t like the thought of pumping chemicals into the ground, proper cultivation is key... the bit that winds me up more is how much farmland we’re giving up to housing, is rediculous around us, makes me angry! There is loads of brownfield that needs developing, why keep using green sites, once it’s gone it’s gone forever, we’ll leave nothing for our kids!

I certainly don’t think they’re under threat, certainly the vintage/classic side goes from strength to strength.

I do like the idea of buying a classic car though, beats getting pee wet through, swearing at a plough and pumping tax, sorry diesel into my lorry!

For sales MF35, Ransome TS54 with lots of gizmos....

arcobob · Apr 2, 2018

Pennine Ploughing said:
thing is what class are you wanting to go into ?
as your ok in the novice in most cases with any tractor or plough,
it when you leave the novice class that is the problem, as the 574 would only go into the world style as on now,
it will have a Q cab when new, so no good in the classic,

so its back to what class will you go into after the novice, that way,you can get the right plough now, and not have to change later on the plough

Not necessarily. 574 is 1970 to 1978 so pre Q cab is OK for classic but it is a fairly heavy tractor to move about and I would suggest too big for a trailer when plough is fitted. Three furrow is out of the question and best bet is a Ransomes TS59 with TCN boards for classic or if you are wealthy a TS86.

Tonym · Apr 2, 2018

arcobob said:
Not necessarily. 574 is 1970 to 1978 so pre Q cab is OK for classic but it is a fairly heavy tractor to move about and I would suggest too big for a trailer when plough is fitted. Three furrow is out of the question and best bet is a Ransomes TS59 with TCN boards for classic or if you are wealthy a TS86.

So what are you saying Bob? In vintage a 1962 Ferguson can plough in the vintage as it was in production before 31st Dec 1959 (only just) so can a 574 with a Q cab also plough as it was in production before the 1976 Q cab regulations?
I would love to know the answer as I have a Fiat 450 4wd with a Q cab and they were in production from 1968 to 1981.

arcobob · Apr 2, 2018

The rules are a bit vague but I assume that if it has a Q cab it is outside the scope of classic and if not it is OK.

Ley253 · Apr 2, 2018

Pennine Ploughing said:
I think the problem is the fact that you get say a young lad interested in his teens, he leaves school and starts working, still doing a little bit, then he gets on with a girl, then ploughing goes back seat, he then gets married, and buys a house, has a mortgage to pay, so no ploughing, then kids come into it, again no ploughing, not untill their 50 plus when kids have gone, life is easier and spare money does he return to ploughing,

so this is why there is not many young or sub 50 years old doing it
I am lucky, i have had about 20 years of it, and sometimes think its time to do something else,
a nice vintage car, out for drives in the good weather, out for Sunday lunch, a drive around the lakes,
or a drive up Scotland, sometimes think it would be better than getting up early, driving couple hours, getting rained on all day, having to clean the soil off the plough, then driving home cold and wet for a 30p rosette, as if you do win, it takes the prize money to get your name on the cup, spend time polishing and cleaning it, and you have to give it back next year,

anyone want to but some ploughs lol

You can get around the engraving cost. Dont accept the trophy, after all, its the organising societies history that`s on it, not yours, so why should you pay?

Sprayer · Apr 2, 2018

perhaps we need another, class classic reversible 2 - 3 furrow, basic plough only no gizmos, tractor pre electronic hydraulics. We have two or three lads round here who want to enter that class. They currently enter the open 2 furrow class and don't stand a chance against the kverneland type reversible match ploughs. These lads are mainly late 30's and quite keen to use the tractors they have done up. Ford 100 series, David Brown Case, Inty world series all Q cabs late 70s and 80s tractors.

Mydexta · Apr 2, 2018

Sprayer said:
perhaps we need another, class classic reversible 2 - 3 furrow, basic plough only no gizmos, tractor pre electronic hydraulics. We have two or three lads round here who want to enter that class. They currently enter the open 2 furrow class and don't stand a chance against the kverneland type reversible match ploughs. These lads are mainly late 30's and quite keen to use the tractors they have done up. Ford 100 series, David Brown Case, Inty world series all Q cabs late 70s and 80s tractors.

We have that class up here, a classic reversible class.

Ploughs must be hand trip only, not sure about restrictions on tractors but it is a class that is growing in popularity

Are Ploughing Matches Under Threat?

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Up to 25%

25-50%

50-75%

75-100%

100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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