The Society of Ploughmen

[Sprayer]

Just out of general interest I wondered how many of the people who read this forum are members of the Society of Ploughmen.
A further point of interest is what percentage of ploughmen from tractor club level to national qualifiers do you think are members of the Society of Ploughmen.

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

Yes I am a member, but I know a few that won't pay up unless they qualify

 

[arcobob]

I am not a member. I gave up financing that bunch of dudes three years ago. I would estimate that they have lost more than a third of their membership in the last three years and all because of their intransigence and subterfuge. A great pity.

 

[Petetheploughman]

No I'm not a member, the only ones I know of qualify as far as I know.

 

[Ley253]

Unless your a member, you dont go to the national. I am not a member.Dick Turpin gave more value for money.

 

[arcobob]

They could give value for money but just seem to misappropriate it and ignore the bulk of the membership. Only idiots and puppets put up with that crowd.

 

[Ley253]

Too busy writing rule books so that they have something to ignore when they are competing!

 

[ploughman1963]

entitled to your opinion but your talking b****cks - don't tar all with the same brush. I have openly criticised the organisation in the past - have been on the executive myself and along with others argued hard for change - but there are good men there trying hard to adapt the organisation to modern needs.
In my experience, the ones who moan about SOP and say no need for it are the ones who usually don't stand a cat in hells chance of qualifying

 

[arcobob]

I have qualified on at least two occasions in each of the last three years and have no intention to drive half way round the country spending money on accommodation only to be dished out a crappy plot that should never have been use. My complaints have been ignored as have those of many others. We all know who gets the best land and it is not the vintage boys (the majority). I know a number of people who have been on the executive and they have worked very hard to bring about change but most of them are heartily sick of being deliberately bypassed when crucial decisions are being made on all sorts of issues. These people are a huge potential asset to the SOP but they have become disillusioned by the autocratic and undemocratic process that prevails. This is not b*****cks but fact.

 

[roscoe erf]

sounds like my kind of society

 

[Nearly]

sounds like my kind of society

 

[arcobob]

They`ve got comedians as well !

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

I do agree that there are some things that need changing, and maybe after next year they will, but as with any organization there will always be them that don't think any thing is right and always pull the other way, well why don't you lot that think that you could do better, not get on and form a new society, and if your all that good, it will be better than the SOP,
Or is it the fact that you would make a bigger hash of it and be proved wrong,
Either put up with it, or do something about it, you moaning about it just won't do any good

 

[arcobob]

At the age of seventy and still running a business I don`t want any new jobs. I left because I was not happy with the way those that put in a lot of time and effort were continually thwarted and even despised because they did not always adhere to the party line. I used to attend the AGM and witnessed several attempts to overthrow the heirarchy but nobody had a plan B to offer and therefore failed. Unfortunately, with some justification, a them and us situation developed and now there is a complete lack of trust which I feel cannot easily be repaired unless nepotism is thrown out of the window. Until then the whole show will run for the primary satisfaction of one man and his family.
As for post world champs, you obviously do not appreciate or have not become aware of the next piece of the jigsaw.

 

[ploughman1963]

Fact is no one will put up or shut up - which is why KC remains. I hope no one does form a rival organisation because despite some obvious failings the sum of the two organisations would be poorer than what we have now. Better to voice your opinion from within and improve what we have already

 

[arcobob]

I agree with most of this because the basic essentials are well placed but the problems of the past are currently becoming shoehorned into the problems of the future.

 

[ploughman1963]

Again, a successor has been appointed that you may or may not agree with but who else knows the ropes and who else would offer themselves as an alternative. Criticise all you like, but the job is full time and no-one else seems to fancy putting the time in.
How would a rival organisation source/fund the labour to run/operate itself? The pressure would be on to run a rival national championship - a rival championship might drum up the support for a couple of years but in-fighting and personal egos would soon drain the enthusiasm.

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

a rival organisation would have to be far better than the 1 we got, and i dont think that is possible, so really in my thoughts are it would not work,
as for the one we got now, the members could change things, that is if they wanted, only the few are out numbered, by the ones that want it as it is,
so if the masses want it like it is, then it will be that way,
i am not saying i agree with it all, but that is how it is,
and really the none members have not got a say in how its run, so they cannot moan about it

 

[arcobob]

I became a non member because I had no voice. as had certain members of the executive. It is time to return the SOP to the membership, not the executive.

 

[arcobob]

We love our pass time and hate to see it destroyed because the aspirations of a few have delusions of grandeur