PLOUGHING enthusiasts from far and wide turned out for Northern Counties Ploughing Association’s annual competition over the weekend.

The two-day event held at Beaufront Red House Farm, Beaufront, saw loyal competitors from across Northumberland, Cumbria and the Scottish Borders turn up to show off their skills in the traditional event.

“Due to the difficult harvest, people are still playing catch up, so the turn out was not quite as good as we hoped, and we were down by around twenty entries from last year,” said Reg Wilkinson, secretary of the Northern Counties Ploughing Association.

“However, that didn’t stop the competition being as intense as always, and we had a successful day all round. It’s always a highlight to have competitors who have made the effort to come from all over.”

There were three overall winners on the day. Ray Alderson from Darlington took the top spot in the vintage trailed class with an International tractor.

Making his long trip from across the Borders worthwhile was Jock Sivewright from Coupar Angus, using a MF 35 tractor to beat the competition in the vintage hydraulic class.

The winner in the classic hydraulic class was Stuart Forsyth from Berwick-upon-Tweed using a Fordson Dexta tractor.

All three champions choose to use a Ransomes plough.

The winners will go on to compete in the prestigous Society of Ploughmen’s National Championships, an event attended by hundreds, which for the first time since 1987, will be held in Northumberland on October 12 and 13.