Match entry fee

[Timo@hattonfarms]

At the end of the day match ploughing is a hobby and any hobby you take up you should be prepared to finance yourself and not expect others who choose the less expensive class of that hobby to subsidise you. If that is the case why are world style ploughmen not given appearance money as their equiptment is much more expensive than vintage.
As our Match is a charity match we will not pay appearance money to the horse classes but still have one or two wanting to plough as there are not many matches other than the largest ones that cater for them.
If we all would not enter unless we had appearance money then match fees would go up and you would be paying your own appearance money anyway.
If you cannot afford to finance your ploughing yourself pack up and take up a hobby you can afford.

Tony do you have a world style class at the morville match, or is it just vintage and classic?

 

[Ley253]

At the end of the day match ploughing is a hobby and any hobby you take up you should be prepared to finance yourself and not expect others who choose the less expensive class of that hobby to subsidise you. If that is the case why are world style ploughmen not given appearance money as their equiptment is much more expensive than vintage.
As our Match is a charity match we will not pay appearance money to the horse classes but still have one or two wanting to plough as there are not many matches other than the largest ones that cater for them.
If we all would not enter unless we had appearance money then match fees would go up and you would be paying your own appearance money anyway.
If you cannot afford to finance your ploughing yourself pack up and take up a hobby you can afford.

Tony, you took the words out of my mouth. As I said, the FOA entry fee is very fair, what is not is one section of competitors having preferential treatment. Mind you, its nothing new, when Fairford steam rally first started, the organisers came and asked the tractor boys to help bag up the free coal for the steamers! The late Mike Ockwell, made the comment, certainly, when the steam owners come over and bag up our free TVO! Of course, that would have been a very quick job, there being no free TVO!

 

[Tonym]

We do have world style reversible but no world style conventional as we have never had any call for it. If you just want to come along and plough we could put you with the Classics and not judge you. If you can find three or more entrants we could put you with the Classics and judge you sepearately. We do not have a trophy but for three or more we would pay a little prize money and give you a certificate.

email me at [email protected] if you require an entry form.

 

[Timo@hattonfarms]

We do have world style reversible but no world style conventional as we have never had any call for it. If you just want to come along and plough we could put you with the Classics and not judge you. If you can find three or more entrants we could put you with the Classics and judge you sepearately. We do not have a trophy but for three or more we would pay a little prize money and give you a certificate.

email me at [email protected] if you require an entry form.

Thanks, could always plough in the classic with my dads plough, if I can get a chance to have a practice first

 

[Tonym]

I have had the offer of a Bonning match plough to "shine up" for a friend so I might have joined you world style. Not A very competitive plough by modern standards but then I am not the best ploughman on the field.

 

[Timo@hattonfarms]

I have had the offer of a Bonning match plough to "shine up" for a friend so I might have joined you world style. Not A very competitive plough by modern standards but then I am not the best ploughman on the field.

I doubt it would be less competitive than my plough Whith me at the controls, @tafetractorman ploughs world style he not to far and might be able to make up a trio

 

[wilt434]

I'm coming along maybe I could use my bonning aswell.

 

[Fergie Ploughman]

One thing that does wind me up is when they do FOC entry for the reversible parallel ploughs and charge everyone else. Some of the Staffordshire matches eg Ecclehall district, do that in an attempt to drag more of the modern reversible guys along off local a farms. Sometimes they even get a greater prize fund!

 

[Fergie Ploughman]

Our society - Forest of Arden - charge £7.50
With that you get a ticket for your dinner, same dinner costs the public I think £10 & it's bloomin good (well worth being a steward for the free dinner)
As discussed elsewhere about profitability of a ploughing match, I can assure you the Forest doesn't do it for the money !
Apart from the loss on feeding the ploughmen,hedge layers & stewards, there's marquee hire, toilet hire, appearance money for horse ploughmen, cutting money for hedge layers - the list goes on. Then there's the risk it may be cancelled due to bad weather, this happened in 2012. ( We were honoured to host it in 2011 & weather was perfect)

My Mrs is in it at 1.08 !

Other social events that the society run through the year help cover the cost of running the match / show

Been to FoA many times, it's a a crackin match, won the vintage the last 2 years! Beautiful trophies... They also do prizes for best start, finish, inns/outs, etc, makes it all the worthwhile.

 

[Ley253]

We do have world style reversible but no world style conventional as we have never had any call for it. If you just want to come along and plough we could put you with the Classics and not judge you. If you can find three or more entrants we could put you with the Classics and judge you sepearately. We do not have a trophy but for three or more we would pay a little prize money and give you a certificate.

email me at [email protected] if you require an entry form.

I ploughed world style conventional a couple of years ago, if you need me to make up a class, let me know.

 

[Tonym]

I ploughed world style conventional a couple of years ago, if you need me to make up a class, let me know.

I have sent an entry form to Tim so if you want to come along Harry send me your email address. Anyone else will be very welcome . The more the better to make it worthwhile.
For an entry form email -

[email protected]

 

[Howard150]

Devils Advocate but what is the point of local ploughing societies holding vast funds? Surely covering the cost is all that is required. There are many variables to consider - how much sponsorship is there - how much prize money is given - what facilities have to be hired - are the judges given anything - what other costs are there?

At Scarcroft & District we have managed to keep the cost at £6. With between 80 and a hundred entries and two or three good sponsors, we are able to cover our costs, £50 per class prize money, £250 for a road sweeper, tents for headquarters and toilets. Over the years we have gathered together all we need to run a good match. What is the point of a massive bank balance.

Having a dinner after the match is OK up to a point. If the entry fee reflects this then what is the point other than tradition. Where lots of older competitors are counting cost then the cheaper the better.

We are also conscious of local charities. In order not to offend sponsors by giving to charities then we set up 'Friends of Scarcroft and District Ploughing Society' which is basically an account in which we hold funds raised by raffles at our Match, our Dinner and a Summer Barbecue. Normally we give £1100 / £1200 to charity each year. Normal beneficiaries are Yorkshire air ambulance, Martin House - a local children's hospice, cancer research and the British Heart Foundation.

 

[Petetheploughman]

At my local match I think the entry fee for an adult is £4.50 which in my opinion is not enough. For children under 16 it is free!
I know it is a funny thing to say but I think they are not charging enough.

 

[Ley253]

At my local match I think the entry fee for an adult is £4.50 which in my opinion is not enough. For children under 16 it is free!
I know it is a funny thing to say but I think they are not charging enough.

But, if they are not running at a loss, where is the fault? Remember, its an entry fee, not a "nice little earner" or shouldn`t be!

 

[Ley253]

I have had the offer of a Bonning match plough to "shine up" for a friend so I might have joined you world style. Not A very competitive plough by modern standards but then I am not the best ploughman on the field.

Well, chaps, so far the following are interested in Morville having a world style class. David Chappel ,John Lander and friend, and myself. Plus I hope Tim, Wilt, and Fred! So there you are Tony, you can come in with the "Big boys", no need to in the classic with the Bonning, and don`t worry , the Dowdswell boards are really slightly modified Bonnings, so you wont be outclassed.

 

[Timo@hattonfarms]

Well, chaps, so far the following are interested in Morville having a world style class. David Chappel ,John Lander and friend, and myself. Plus I hope Tim, Wilt, and Fred! So there you are Tony, you can come in with the "Big boys", no need to in the classic with the Bonning, and don`t worry , the Dowdswell boards are really slightly modified Bonnings, so you wont be outclassed.

I'm ploughing, should be interesting to see the difference in boards, 25's super hydreins bonnings wills Dowdeswell specials and my fiskars. I doubt there's been that variation at a match for a long time.

 

[Petetheploughman]

But, if they are not running at a loss, where is the fault? Remember, its an entry fee, not a "nice little earner" or shouldn`t be!

Yep your right!