The ploughing match is held on the last Wednesday of September every year (except for last year when it was cancelled due to rain) and has been running for 79 years.

Virtually all of the local agricultural firms exhibit here, but for me the main event is to see the competitions.

These are for ploughing and hedgecutting and there are many different classes ranging from the modern to the vintage.

This tractor is a modern Renault pulling a reversible plough its size and 4-wheel drive allows it to pull this 4-furrow plough. Equipment such as this is common for contractors or larger farmers in Cheshire.

50 years ago this Ferguson T20 with its 2 furrow conventional plough would have been the equivalent to today's modern system. Many of us including myself learnt to drive on these little tractors.

Tractor engine power is measured in horsepower (HP) and for comparison the Renault is some where above 100 HP where the Ferguson T20 is 25 HP.

The final picture would be from 80 years ago and before. The 1HP system pulling 1 furrow. There are always many entries in this class.

The Renault can probably plough 2ha/hour. The Ferguson T20 2ha/day (day = 8 hours) and the horse 0.3ha/day.

Home page Ploughing 2002

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