Regarding "Not Won" He does in fact hold a world match gold medal, for the stubble at York, and would have won the overall but for one mistake on the grass.
Yeh, I guess you can do it on the cheaper side, but you do need kit that's capable of handling the plough, unless you've got some meat in the tractor the plough will mawl you about. You really need a a decent amount of spool valves otherwise you start to put yourself at a disadvantage, you then need a decent truck.....so it all adds up. I can understand the class size issue, unless your have 3+ its pretty pointless, you become a demo!
Oh yes....I'd happily support Richard going into world style.....I'l definitely stay in the vintage then!!
I kind of agree on the luck verses skill bit, what I'm saying is at the top level you simply can't afford any mistakes, and although its the skill of the ploughman to avoid the mistakes, sometimes sh!t happens ie you hit a stone, break a share, etc and then its game over. I suppose the higher skilled people can deal with the setback better, so yes skill is king.
My tractor is not that big, its also of a non preferred make, so was cheap. Spool valves, I have five, a new five service block was £130 when I checked up recently, but mine came from a scrap fork lift. My truck is 32 years old, so can be insured on a vintage policy. Demo or not, you are there to be seen, that could interest some one to join, so increasing the numbers in years to come. Shutting people out does nothing.A cheap caravan can save a fortune in fuel costs, and of course B&B costs.
Harry, you obviously get immense pleasure from your pastime, especially as your equipment is basic and largely self made, but you are not exactly top of the tree. You may be offering a way in with minimal expenditure but perhaps not a way to the ultimate goal. Whatever floats your boat and gives you pleasure but to hit the top rung requires more I feel plus the tail wind of good luck and fair play of which there is very little I feel..
To be honest, my equipment is in advance in some areas, were it to be fitted with 25 bodies, it would be as good as any, and that is not my description, its comes from one of the respected Hereford men. As an example, in the Hereford spring match, I was only one point behind DC, RG NV on the start, and I didnt finish last, even in that company. Because I built the plough from scrap, there are advantages, for example, I only had a 14" beam, that required more spacers, but has given me more width adjustment. I can widen the plough far enough for the grassland opening with little effort. I had to make a cross shaft as the headstock frame I had was worn, I made a longer one, and so can go from one two two furrows, and back without leaving the tractor seat. No Bob, the only reason I am as you quite rightly say, a lesser light is the nut behind the steering wheel, IE myself!
Fair and honest reply but you have to admit that the regular winners need more in every category and for many this is beyond them. It is the same in every category of ploughing but the water gets muddier and deeper in world style.
Not just world style, before that it was whole work. The late John Gwilliam was at the FFF&B match, (late 50`s) and had won it hands down. A couple of locals walked up and said" You have won this lad, but you wont get the prize, the fellow next to you will, he is the landowners son, and your judge is the farm foreman! John never forgot that, and as far as I know, never ploughed there again, though he did judge in later years
Your views on the national results this year? And the standards?
Why just the first day?
