Jim Brooker became the first New Zealand representative in world ploughing after winning the country's first national ploughing competition in 1956.
Mr Brooker was a guest of honour at the 60th New Zealand Ploughing Championships held at Palmerston at the weekend.
Winning the inaugural New Zealand Ploughing Championships at Papakaio, earned Mr Brooker a ticket to the world championships in Oxfordshire, England, in October 1956.
Up against representatives from 26 countries, some countries with more than one representative, he placed 11th.
He went to the world championships with all borrowed gear and it was not what he was used to.
But that was no excuse for his performance, he said.
''I was well up on the stubble the first day, I was probably first or second ... and then I made a wrong decision to change my mulboards on my plough and it was no good the next day,'' he said.
As part of his prize, he was able to travel around the world.
''I had such a wonderful trip and made so many friends within the ploughing fraternity,'' he said.
''It was a chance of a lifetime for me _ it opened a lot of doors.''
Mr Brooker never competed at a national level again after winning the inaugural event.
''I thought I'd been more than spoilt with one win; I'd let someone else have a go,'' he said.
He has continued to be involved in the sport ever since, though, competing at Young Farmers matches and judging competitions around the country.
Mr Brooker had been using his father's tractor and plough before he had a licence to drive, but his interest in competitive ploughing was sparked at the Hawarden Waikari Young Farmers Club.
The Hawarden Waikari Young Farmers Club started a ploughing competition to improve the standard of ploughing in the district.
''Its a skill and you like to do it well and if you don't plough well, there's no other implement on your property that will put it right,'' he said.
''The other thing is the camaraderie - the touring and the people you meet around New Zealand and the world.''
He remains good friends with ploughmen around the world.
Mr Brooker said, now aged 83, he felt ''very lucky'' to be at this year's championships.
Thousands flocked to Palmerston to watch the country's top ploughmen compete in four events being held on the Sheat family property.
New Zealand Ploughing Association executive officer Noel Sheat said he was thrilled with the good weather and the support for events.
The Case IH Silver Plough overall winner was Ian Woolley, who will represent New Zealand at the World Ploughing Contest in England next year.
Malcolm Taylor won the Medallions Farmland Fuel Reversible Plough.
Fred Pilling won the Rural News Horse Plough and Paul Houghton took out the Mainland Minerals Vintage Plough.
