PLOUGHING enthusiasts from near and far pitted their skills against each other last weekend in the Northern Counties Ploughing Association’s annual competition.

The sun shone on the two-day event at Beaufront Red House, Anick, which saw competitors keeping tradition alive on tractors dating back generations.

Secretary of the NCPA, Reg Wilkinson, said it was particularly heartening to see a 14-year-old local lad win Sunday’s novice class as it proved ploughing can have an all-age appeal.

William Smith, of East Greenridge Farm, Lowgate – a member of Whitley Chapel Young Farmers Club – used a Fordson Dexta tractor which was bought new by his great grandfather, Kenneth, for around £600.

Kenneth’s son, Keith, sold it around 10 years ago to a tractor enthusiast who renovated it and then William’s dad, Steven, bought it back (for considerably more than his grandfather paid) so William could use it in matches.

“We want more young ones like William,” said Reg. “There were three in this class and four the day before – all school children – and really we need a lot more because I’m 77 now and we need the new blood coming through.”

Also using heritage machinery was champion ploughman, Jim Elliott, who normally attends with real horse power in the shape of his seven-year-old Irish draft horse, Danny Boy and his small Shire horse, Tom (11).

But this year he was competing with a Ransomes plough that belonged to his late father, Frank Elliott, another respected ploughman and a founder director of the Society of Ploughmen.

“My father died 14 years ago and about two years ago I bought some plough bodies for my father’s plough that belonged to one of his friends, the late Don Mason from Bardon Mill, who used to plough against him.

“So I thought it would be a nice tribute to them both,” said Jim (55), who is usually to be found showing off his skills at Beamish Open Air Museum.

Unfortunately he didn’t win any prizes on Saturday although he enjoyed the day.

Reg put it down to the fact that Jim’s tractor doesn’t respond to Polo mints – unlike his horses!

Other winners from the weekend were as follows:

Saturday: Vintage hydraulic – Jock Sivewright of Cooper Angus; Classic – Stewart Forsyth of Berwick; Trailer plough – Trevor Johnstone from Bothal, West Cumbria; Novice – Angus Grey of Sadberge, County Durham; YFC – James Magnay of Gretna.

Sunday: Vintage hydraulic – Alec Evans from Penrith; Classic – James Macindoe from Uphall, West Lothian; Trailer – Ray Alderson of Bolam, Darlington; Novice – William Smith of Lowgate.

Winners from all the Sunday classes (aside from the Novice) qualified for the British Championships next year.