Can a spectator lodge a Complaint at a match?

[MrNoo]

Had an interesting one this weekend where a spectator complained to a Steward regarding eligibility of my plough, said spectator is a ploughing coordinator for the class I generally plough in. I explained at the time (assuming it was another ploughmen) that he should lodge his complaint to the match secretary along with his fee. Steward toddled off to spectator so that's when I knew who it was.
Needless to say I have been having beef with said person for nearly two years, last week it was we were running narrow ploughs and this week a fixed landslide.
I don't happen to have a set of SOP rules, I have contacted the club to find out what exactly went on, I was excluded from the results. Just interested in was it carried out correctly? If so does the club in question have to provide reasons etc why I was excluded? All aspects judged after the Steward contacted me were way down, spectator also was chatting to the judges after.

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

I would think anyone and everyone is allowed to lodge a complaint,
But also your entitled to know the decision and how they reached that decision and should be informed accordingly.

Blimey i,m well pleased we don't have this in our class

 

[MrNoo]

I would think anyone and everyone is allowed to lodge a complaint,
But also your entitled to know the decision and how they reached that decision and should be informed accordingly.

Blimey i,m well pleased we don't have this in our class

It's just getting ridiculous now, it's supposed to be a fun hobby. I will see what the club come back with, if they do at all

 

[Dry Rot]

I wouldn't want to join any club that would have me as a member.

 

[L P]

It's just getting ridiculous now, it's supposed to be a fun hobby. I will see what the club come back with, if they do at all

The obvious question, are you outright cheating or exploiting the rules? No idea specifically on ploughing match rules, generally a member of public can give a tip off to the stewards, the stewards can pick up on it themselves or a fellow competitor can report you. Which ever way round they shouldn't omit you without giving a reason why and what you need to rectify. Cheating for ones own gain completely takes the enjoyment out for everyone else in the class unless they still beat the person with an advantage.... exploiting the rule book however... that's very different. There's a saying in motorsport, "the competition starts when the blue book is released". If its the latter, put your own money down and challenge the disqualification.

 

[MrNoo]

No I don’t believe I am according to the rules for our class. I run a fixed landslide instead of a rolling one. I’ve run one for five years, won the National at Mindrum using it with no issues.
I switched to a rolling landslide last year for the Autumn matches because I’ve had a lot of grief re my plough. I won 6 quali matches and a further 17, two 2nd places and two 3rd’s and took over £700 in prize money.
Yet I am still unable to plough at this years National because the “spectator” decides who goes/is invited.
So I also qualified in Vintage Mounted so will be at the National in that class.
Cheating I agree with your comments, I don’t garden, many do in Class and it doesn’t worry me.
I used to race so know all about the Blue book!!

 

[ford 7810]

I’m quite sure in society rules. You have to be warned first. then any sub sequent rule breaking docked accordingly until eventual disqualification. unless the Ferguson class has different rules. sounds like someone has a grape against you but has he grounds or not. there is also plough scrutineers at certain matches or supposed to be. but I haven’t got the society rules on me either.

 

[MrNoo]

I call it an "agenda"and has been ongoing for two years. I lodged an official complaint in June to the SOP about it but they "can't" come back to me until late Nov early Dec when they have their next directors meeting.

 

[Fergie Ploughman]

Blimey, is this still rumbling on? Seems to be more of a personal vendetta than 'owt to do with ploughing! They really are in danger of knackering the class up as it will just start and get a "reputation". I think the Fergie class is the best, its the cheapest way for young folk to get into ploughing...and lets face it, its needed as the average age in the Fergie class seems to be a lot older than the tractors... To be honest Chris, you'll soon get f***ed off with people telling you that your VM plough is full of mods and gizmos' as some call them. Its quite simple to me, the moaners moan coz they can't beat you. My local vintage club match decided to enforce "standard ploughs only" in just the VM class, ie not trailer or classic. I think they soon realised that if they did, the class would be empty as everyone has some slight mod or tweak...

 

[MrNoo]

Ironic @Fergie Ploughman, you asked him the question on the Fofh forum regarding fixed landslide, I have the copy of his reply stating they were made within dates etc etc. so you would assume this is ok but no.
He reported me at Bridgewater and when I questioned why I was docked 20 points they told me because of gardening, to which I didn't take kindly to, they then changed to "fixed landslide"
And now Webb is saying that a fixed landslide plough was in the Massey era so out of date, he calls me misguided, yet he is unable to answer simple questions regarding legality and shouldn't be in a position of power.
He also decided that certain individuals were scrutinised 5 minutes before the off at the National, one pre and after he'd done his split!! Ironic that the ones given the most grief were friends of mine!!
I gather a few ploughmen were seriously pee'd off at this occurring at quite a high pressure time for them pre start.

I agree re the class but FOFH shouldn't have anything to do with it at National level, they just invite their friends, last year there were 11 invites and again this year a few, makes a mockery of the whole qualification process and completely devalues the Class.

 

[MrNoo]

So what do you make of the following? All written by the same person, the FOFH ploughing coordinator Tim Webb. I’ve used a fixed landslide for 5 years or so, been to the National numerous times, won it at Mindrum and now apparently it’s illegal!! You couldn’t make it up!

 

[TrickyT]

This is an article that is in the Friends of Ferguson Heritage own archives, clearly showing a Ferguson, not MHF, plough with a fixed landslide.

So to say the didn't know the existed, or have not seen any is beyond belief.

 

[Fergie Ploughman]

I wonder what the origins of the rolling landslide were? In my mind it was there to reduce draft because it rolled as opposed to slid. I suspect the difference was unmeasurable. Then, when you see some Ransome TS86's they have a rolling landslide. As the TS86 was a "designed" match plough, did someone think that the rolling landslide disturbed the furrow wall less, hence allowing a neater finish? I always thought the rolling version actually did the opposite when I use to use my Fergie, hence I swapped it for a fixed version....

 

[MrNoo]

I wonder what the origins of the rolling landslide were? In my mind it was there to reduce draft because it rolled as opposed to slid. I suspect the difference was unmeasurable. Then, when you see some Ransome TS86's they have a rolling landslide. As the TS86 was a "designed" match plough, did someone think that the rolling landslide disturbed the furrow wall less, hence allowing a neater finish? I always thought the rolling version actually did the opposite when I use to use my Fergie, hence I swapped it for a fixed version....

It’s not really to do with that though is it Charlie, the rules change to suit the mood at the time!
Father bought two 59’s and Dexta’s and first thing they did was junk the rolling landslides.
But as a ploughman confronted with the above, what are the actual rules?? One minute it’s fine and the next it’s not, zero consistency.
They amended the rules this year, if they felt fixed slides were not “wanted” then why the bloody hell didn’t they include that in the rule change????
Instead, as a ploughman, it’s a constant guessing game as to which whim of a rule you’re supposed to have broken next.
They should have no place at the National.

 

[GEMS]

Wow ! politics of ploughing clubs -would never of thought it !!!
Have an allottment ,-full of little Hitlers quoting rules on use of glass to % tilled and how you shold mow grass..........
It's only the fact that i grow veg there that keeps me there ....... as soon as i can afford larger garden it's 2 fingers.....
I say if the rules are shite move on................

 

[glasshouse]

What a shower of hoors

 

[uztrac]

Getting to be like F1 ?
Anyway of to a ploughing match tomorrow,and will lookout for the landslide issue on fergie ploughs.

 

[glasshouse]

Wtf is a rolling landside?

 

[Harrysfergie]

It would be interesting to know the Ferguson club stance on this one. Perhaps it's time for a change in the club that is affiliated with the SOP for ploughing. As there are two high level clubs associated with the Ferguson make surely it should be done in conjunction with the two which may result in more discussion and a clearer set of rules going forward.

 

[MrNoo]

It would be interesting to know the Ferguson club stance on this one. Perhaps it's time for a change in the club that is affiliated with the SOP for ploughing. As there are two high level clubs associated with the Ferguson make surely it should be done in conjunction with the two which may result in more discussion and a clearer set of rules going forward.

The Ferguson Club and FOFH from what I understand don't tend to get along.
They also spec flat top links and no weights, so not ideal.
My personal thought along with a lot of others in the Class is that the SOP should run them. There would be full transparency re National selection and also the National would consist of 24 of the "best" Fergie ploughmen in the Country, like it should be, not 12 decent ploughmen and then a load of invites (most who'd struggle to win a club match) It devalues the whole Class after all the National should be the pinnacle of the ploughing year, the best against the best which it currently is not.