Sop rules

[Ley253]

Point taken Tony. Been ploughing a lot longer than you and it was always taken as read that you were not allowed to clear straw once ploughing had commenced, even as late as 2007.
The new Scottish rulebook says only the competitor is allowed to clear the plot of straw and stones. There is no qualifying time period.
Again in the rules for Southern Ireland straw or loose objects may be removed but the raking of stubble is not permitted. Working on a plot before the competition commences by either the competitor or someone working on his behalf will result in the competitor being eliminated from the completion.

I like the last! Get a mate to go and pick up a handful of straw from all the other plots, telling the organisers that he was asked to do it,(but not by yourself) and your the only competitor!
Joking aside, Straw stones etc have been fair game for removal at any time down here. My first national was in 1979, dont know how that scores in the age stakes!

 

[Howard150]

I like the last! Get a mate to go and pick up a handful of straw from all the other plots, telling the organisers that he was asked to do it,(but not by yourself) and your the only competitor!
Joking aside, Straw stones etc have been fair game for removal at any time down here. My first national was in 1979, dont know how that scores in the age stakes!

Myself, Stuart Burden and Mike Holloway had 3 really bad plots covered in laid straw at York in 2007. I had the foresight to go and buy a hay rake on the Saturday and managed to get most of it off. Luckily I had the end plot and was able just to throw it off to one side, knowing my plot was the low number. I was told that I would not be allowed to touch it once ploughing had started. Just smiled and said I won’t need to!

 

[Ray996]

The rule book does not say you cannot clear your plot after starting ploughing. It states - Only the competitor is allowed to clean the plot of straw,stones, etc. Clearing of stubble is not allowed and will be penalised.
No mention of when you are allowed to do it.

Would use of a strimmer be worthy of a penalty?disqualification?

 

[Tonym]

Surely that would be classed as clearing stubble and carry the death penalty.
Best option is surely the non ground engaging, underslung, flame thrower.
Clearing stubble? What stubble steward and show me the rule that says I can't?

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

well a local man won a local match at penrith, fortnight ago, never gripped the rippling away, not picked any stones or straw off the plot at all, he even did not put any poles up on the plot, yet results where given out and in the paper that he won,
now that takes some beating, as he was ploughing 250 mile away in Herefordshire on the same day,
will this be a record ? Or has someone else done this

 

[Ley253]

well a local man won a local match at penrith, fortnight ago, never gripped the rippling away, not picked any stones or straw off the plot at all, he even did not put any poles up on the plot, yet results where given out and in the paper that he won,
now that takes some beating, as he was ploughing 250 mile away in Herefordshire on the same day,
will this be a record ? Or has someone else done this

I could have done similar, received half(thanks royal mail)a prize card from Royal east Berks, for fourth place, in the four furrow and over class. I was actually third in the match plough class. Still I was at least in the same place!

 

[Howard150]

well a local man won a local match at penrith, fortnight ago, never gripped the rippling away, not picked any stones or straw off the plot at all, he even did not put any poles up on the plot, yet results where given out and in the paper that he won,
now that takes some beating, as he was ploughing 250 mile away in Herefordshire on the same day,
will this be a record ? Or has someone else done this

Reputation going before him - or following him

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

Reputation going before him - or following him

either way, takes some doing

 

[arcobob]

There was a vintage qualifier in Norfolk last Sunday which was run as a separate class and judged by separate judges. I was awarded first and presented with a cup even though I was not in the qualifier and was judged by different judges from those who came second third and fourth. I handed the cup back, saying I had not won it as I was not in that class. No explanation has yet emerged and nothing mentioned about the class I was in. Something in a brewery springs to mind.

 

[Howard150]

I like the last! Get a mate to go and pick up a handful of straw from all the other plots, telling the organisers that he was asked to do it,(but not by yourself) and your the only competitor!
Joking aside, Straw stones etc have been fair game for removal at any time down here. My first national was in 1979, dont know how that scores in the age stakes!

Nice try Aitch but he would only be working on behalf of one man and not each individual in the entire class - qualified in the original NPA rules by ‘working on their behalf on their plot’

 

[Tonym]

You can interpret the rules how you like but the ultimate rule in the book is



Any questions arising and not provided for in these rules shall be decided by the Executive Committee, whose decision shall be final.

 

[arcobob]

I like the last! Get a mate to go and pick up a handful of straw from all the other plots, telling the organisers that he was asked to do it,(but not by yourself) and your the only competitor!
Joking aside, Straw stones etc have been fair game for removal at any time down here. My first national was in 1979, dont know how that scores in the age stakes!

There is nothing to say that you cannot remove stones and straw at any time from the plot but the question arises is this from the unploughed portion or all of it.
If you rake your straw into heaps for subsequent burial in the open furrow the second moving of the straw is an act of removal after the commencement of ploughing. The official interpretation that I was given was that you could remove straw etc at any time from the unlploughed plot but it is not clear in the rules. Thus if you have to remove it before ploughing you have to dump it on the ends because there is no choice.

 

[Howard150]

You can interpret the rules how you like but the ultimate rule in the book is



Any questions arising and not provided for in these rules shall be decided by the Executive Committee, whose decision shall be final.

For those brave enough to challenge them over incorrect and misleading entries and issuing the wrong prize schedule, they have one even better. ‘The executive cannot be held responsible for what was after all, an error in the printing’

 

[MrNoo]

Interesting one!! I had a plot this weekend that in some places had straw 14" tall and some laid, some still had the heads on, course it was damp first thing in the morning but I cleaned some as best I could before I did my split, got into my midwork and it was terrible, I borrowed a rake from next door and raked the remaining unploughed area and dumped it on the headlands (there was too much of it to put in the furrow) it went ok after that. This was at a Qualifier and no one said a word but Fergie skims are no match for 14" tall stubble!!

 

[TrickyT]

Interesting one!! I had a plot this weekend that in some places had straw 14" tall and some laid, some still had the heads on, course it was damp first thing in the morning but I cleaned some as best I could before I did my split, got into my midwork and it was terrible, I borrowed a rake from next door and raked the remaining unploughed area and dumped it on the headlands (there was too much of it to put in the furrow) it went ok after that. This was at a Qualifier and no one said a word but Fergie skims are no match for 14" tall stubble!!

I was on the adjacent plot to NrNoo, was challenging conditions!

 

[Ley253]

Had similar at Chertsey years ago. I hung my heavy tow chain under the tractor, that beat it down in the direction of travel, seemed to help.

 

[Dealer]

I was on the adjacent plot to NrNoo, was challenging conditions!View attachment 730536 View attachment 730538

nothing in rules about not being able to harvest crop once plough has commenced crack on and pull it up !!!

 

[arcobob]

Had similar at Chertsey years ago. I hung my heavy tow chain under the tractor, that beat it down in the direction of travel, seemed to help.

Very questionable behaviour Harry A long time has elapsed since harvest and any organiser worth their salt would have run a topper over it. They would say that it is the same for everyone, AKA hell for everyone. Why pee people off when there is no need?

 

[arcobob]

nothing in rules about not being able to harvest crop once plough has commenced crack on and pull it up !!!

Wrong ! You can remove straw but not stubble

 

[Dealer]

chop it to bits then start at ground level its not stuble then