Lockdown has meant that the seasons ploughing matches have been cancelled this year and for many, what are usually annual fixtures on the calendar have been crossed out. These pics were from last year at Pointzcastle Farm, just down the road from where I live in Pembrokeshire for the 96th Annual Ploughing Match of the St Davids and District Ploughing Society. A ploughing match is fairly odd concept for most people but they’re a regular fixture for parts of the rural community. Competitors are divided into classes based on the type of plough and tractor used and the aim is to produce straight and even furrows in your allocated plot. Much fettling takes place between and during a pass to make sure the depth of the furrows is even and the plough is piling the soil as neatly as possible. What was a large stubble field at the start of the day becomes a row of neatly ploughed patches that are judged when all are finished.
From the County Echo 16th March 2019
Early-morning mist did not deter the eager ploughmen from arriving at Pointz Castle on Sunday, 24 February, for the 96th Annual Ploughing Match of the St Davids and District Ploughing Society.
A fabulous day’s ploughing was furrowed in the February sunshine on stubble ground and the senior champion of the day was awarded to Roland Glanville, who had travelled from Cornwall, and the junior champion was local competitor James George.
In the crops section, Dafydd Cornock from Fishguard was awarded the perpetual trophy for the highest number of points.
The committee, under the chairmanship of John Evans, expressed sincere thanks to the Raymond and Lawrence family from Pointz Castle for hosting the event and to all the ploughmen and ploughing judges. They were Edwin Ellaway, Monmouth; John Tucker, Newport; Ken Davies, Tenby and Aled Morgan, Newcastle Emlyn. The crop judges were Richard Lawrence and William Lawrence.
The president for the day was Leslie Raymond, who presented the prizes and also selected the winner of the prize for the turnout that caught the judge’s eye. Mr Raymond presented this award to Jeremy Jacobs-Roberts of Pontyclun with his David Brown tractor and Ransomes TS86 plough who competed in the classic class.
