Two Clydesdale teams were the star attractions on day one of two ploughing contests held in North Canterbury earlier this month.
Saturday’s event was hosted by the Oxford Working Men’s Club’s ploughing section and Sunday’s event was hosted by the North Canterbury Ploughing Match Association.
Both events were held at Allen Winter’s farm in Swannanoa.
‘‘The events were held with the help of a long list of sponsors, for which we were very grateful,’’ he said.
The two Clydesdale teams in the limelight on Saturday included this year’s recent horse ploughing championship winners John and Sharon Chynoweth, competing with their Clydesdales Blue and Flash.
The opposing team at Saturday’s event included John Booth, owner of the Dayboo Clydesdale Stud, in Ashburton, and Bruce Johnson, also of Ashburton, with Clydesdales Sam and Anja.
After the two days of competition, Simon Reed was chosen to represent the Oxford Working Men’s Club and Ken Readman, of Christchurch, will represent the North Canterbury Ploughing Match Association at the New Zealand Ploughing Championships, in Blenheim next May.
Mr Readman, who is also North Canterbury Ploughing Match Association secretary, said the organisers of both events were happy the heavy rain earlier in the week had stayed away for the weekend events and conditions for ploughing were good on both days, after the heavy frosts had thawed.
- By Shelley Topp
