The Waimea Ploughing Club member qualified for the nationals on the first day of the Middlemarch, Taieri and Tokomairiro ploughing matches in Strath Taieri.
"That’s really exciting," Carter said.
She got podium finishes in the conventional class on all three days — the Tokomairiro match in Sutton on August 26 and the Taieri and Middlemarch matches in Middlemarch on August 27 and 28 respectively.
"You couldn’t have asked for a better weekend."
Born and raised on a Canterbury cropping farm, she now works as a land valuer in Riversdale.
Her mid-1980s Ford 4110 tractor and Kverneland match plough were only used when she competed, she said.
"The plough never comes off it."
The appeal of the sport was its social aspect and the mental challenge.
"It’s quite mathematical. You’ve got to be patient and have a bit of skill — it’s quite hard work for your brain."
She had been competing for more than 20 years.
Some competitors were "rough and ready" but most enjoyed the sport because you needed to be "particular and mathematical".
"If you like ploughing, you’re that sort of person."
She was the only woman competing in the South.
"There’s everyone else and me."
She encouraged more women to compete.
"There’s no reason they shouldn’t be."
Middlemarch Ploughing Club president Sean Leslie, of Middlemarch, said Carter was one of three competitors at the matches to qualify for the nationals.
The Taieri club struggled to find paddocks to plough in its area.
Ground conditions had been too wet for the Tokomairiro club to hold its match in Milton this year.
The back-to-back matches over three days were "magic".
"The weather was superb and you couldn’t have got the ground conditions, food and people any better — all round it was perfect."
About 20 contestants competed each day in six classes — contemporary, conventional, classic, horses, reversible and vintage.
"It was one of the biggest turnouts for ploughing matches in Otago and Southland for a very long time."
The three clubs were considering holding a similar event next year.
National Ploughing Championships co-organiser Scott McKenzie, of Clinton, said more than 40 competitors would plough at the nationals in Milton on April 21 and 22 next year.
Practice days would be held from April 18.
Competitors would plough three paddocks, a mix of grass and grain, opposite Calder Stewart’s Revolution Hills in Milton.
The paddocks were owned by Calder Stewart and leased to Barrie Allison.
Match functions would be held at the Milton Town Hall.
The nationals was being be held in the Tokomairiro club area for the first time.
Clubs in Tokomairiro and South Otago were combining to host the nationals.
The organisation of the event was going well, he said.
"Slowly but surely. You can’t rush these things but it’s all coming together."
The same team organising the Milton event was also organising the World Ploughing Championships in Hawea Flat around Easter in 2029.
