A YOUNG farmers club is holding a ploughing match next month. 

Puddletown YFC are hosting the competition at Maiden Castle Farm, by permission of the Hoskin family, on Sunday, February 18. This is the fifteenth ploughing match the club has organised.

The event will also include the Dorset YFC annual ploughing competition. 

There will be eight classes (seven including 1a and 1b), and prizes will be awarded for each class up to fourth place. 

As well as the classes, there will be additional cups or prizes for the following: 

  • Best looking overall outfit (Tractor, Plough)
  • Best work done by a John Deere Tractor
  • Best work done by a Ford or Fordson and Ransomes plough
  • Best bye, finish, ins+outs for non-prize winners

Hot drinks and snacks will be available at the event to raise money for Puddletown YFC. 

Club secretary for the young farmers club, Alexandra Cartwright, said:  "You will see vintage machinery ploughing, as would have been seen by our grandparents and great-grandparents, through to more modern day machinery operating a plough on a much larger scale.

"Spectators of all ages will enjoy the event. The ploughmen and women often like nothing more than to share the history of their machinery and their ploughing skills.

"Whilst they are ploughing, you will see the ploughmen and women constantly look behind them to see if the furrows are deep enough, in a straight line and showing uniformity - it is an art form!"

Judges will be on site to assess and check the work completed during the day. 

Closing date for entries to the event is February 10 2024.