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

The two day event at Blackhill Farm, Wark, drew competitors from across Northumberland, Cumbria and the Scottish Borders, keen to keep tradition alive on tractors dating back generations.

Secretary of the NCPA, Reg Wilkinson, was particularly pleased to see youngsters such as local lad William Smith, of East Greenridge Farm, Lowgate, taking part. It proved ploughing had an all-age appeal.

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

Kenneth’s son, Keith, sold it a decade or so 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.

A couple of stalwarts of the Northern Counties competition, Allen Hutchinson, of Horsley, and Tom Cormack, of Cambo - William’s senior by just a few years! - were ready and present for action, as always. They fired up their trusty old Case and Ford 3000 tractors respectively for this grand day out.

They joined the 40-plus mostly amateur ploughmen demonstrating their skills in four categories, entitled classic, vintage hydraulic, vintage trailed and novice.

They were each allotted a strip 100 yards long by 40 yards wide and watched by two eagle-eyed judges, who were looking for everything from straightness to weed control.

Precision was the name of the game - with every furrow the same width as the next.