WHAT THE JUDGE LOOKS FOR

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29269, 29 July 1960, Page 19

WHAT THE JUDGE LOOKS FOR

What will a judge be expecting of competitor* at the Anal of the New Zealand ploughing championshipa at Washdyke tomorrow? Thia question we* put to a Canterbury ploughing judge, administrator and plouffiunan of long standing. Mr Frank Carter, of Greenpark. The president of the Lincoln Ploughing Match Association, Mr Carter began hi* ploughing match career at Lincoln in 1511 and ha* been judging for the last 37 year*. Mr Carter say* that It is particularly important to make a good start and finish for in that way a competitor can accumulate a good many points and be doe* not need to be quite so particular about his ploughing, but nevertheless he emphasise* that the points are so allocated that a man has to endeavour to do hi* best work at all times. At th* opening or crown. Mr Carter says that it is important to shift every bit of grass. A competitor must also endeavour to get a good line up for a start —to make a straight start. If he can do that, half of his worries are over and from that stage it is just a matter of setting th* plough. The whole secret, he continues, is the setting of the skimmer*. They have to .b* set fairly flat so that when the furrow is turned over it lies on top of the previous furrow instead of sticking up with a little bit of cutting showing. The skimmer* must take just enough off to drop into th* furrow so that when the furrow is turned over it is practically airtight. ' When six round* off the finish, th* ploughman .ha* got to measure up the remaining land so that his plot comes in exactly square. Mr Carter, though doubtful at the start about the type of ploughing demanded for th* national championship* and th* world match, is now convinced that it is most valuable for everyday farm work and will gain in popularity in this country. He has also been Impresssn at the mastery of this type of ploughing Which has been achieved by a number of Canterbury ploughman. They get th* corner off it with th* skimmer and whip it right over,” he says.