"2m Match Ploughmen"

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31365, 10 May 1967, Page 23

"2m Match Ploughmen"

“The teams of many member associations of the World Ploughing Organisation

have arrived on New Zealand soil,” says the president of the World Ploughing Organisation, Mr W. (Walter) Feuerlein, of Germany, in a message to “The Press” on the eve of the 14th World Ploughing Contest. “They are the top ploughmen of their respective homelands and they represent two million active match ploughmen, or one-sixth of the 12 million power farmers round the world. They have left their farms, their homes and their families in the custody of friends and neighbours to fulfil a promise given to New Zealand ploughmen in 1960.

“During the world ploughing contest near Rome, Italy, in that year, Mr George Scott extended an invitation from the New Zealand Ploughing Association to hold the world contest in this Southern Hemisphere

country some year soon—and he was a very fierce advocate of his case. He obtained a promise to accept his invitation and this promise was renewed to Mr Evan Faibhall after the world contest in Austria in 1964. “It means something to fly around the world for the job of drawing a furrow on a field 12,000 miles from home. We realise and appreciate that New Zealand ploughmen have done this every year since 1956 when, for the first time, a New Zealand ploughman, Mr Jim Brooker, participated in the 4th World Ploughing Contest at Shillingford, near Oxford, in England. The next year Mr Bob Heenan brought his own self-made plough with him to Ohio in the United States of America. He soon discovered that his plough would not fit into the dry Ohio soil but he stuck to it even though it meant losing the game. I never have heard such thundering cheers for a ploughman as when he was called to the stage in the final ceremony at Peebles, Ohio! We are, by our presence in New Zealand, honouring such perseverance, steadfastness and sportmanship as this which we have since met from each New Zealand representative.

“New Zealanders have gained several honours since 1956. For the 1958 contest Mr Bob Kingsbury went to Stuttgart, Germany, with the intention not to be the backlight and won seventh place. In 1961, Mr Alan Magson, at the world contest held near Paris, France, became the runner-up and brought the Silver Rosebowl to New Zealand. Everybody in New Zealand knows of their other competitors in world ploughing contests—Messrs S. M. Allison, Barry J. McPhedran (who did not win the Golden Plough but won a ploughman’s daughter as his wife), W. A. Simpson, Charles E. Read, Eric J. Croy and Henry A. Walker, and also their respective team managers who gave of their best in representing New Zealand.

“It is very encouraging to see how many spectators usually attend the contests and how interested they are to follow all the actions in

the field. On several occasions, more than 200,000 visitors have lined the fences around the huge contest field and nobody can deny the improvement in soil cultivation which stems from such meetings of experts who know the right treatment for the soil. And none can escape from the wave of friendship and goodwill that prevails around a ploughing match field. “Our ploughmen are, however, not at all like glamourous sports stars. They apply the same care, diligence and quietness to their performance as they do to their work at home, for they know that the good earth is no place for stunts. They are always willing to learn from each other and they are very conscious of all thoughtfulness shown towards themselves, which they will certainly enjoy in this country. They are eager to learn how New Zealanders do their job, live on their farms, and welcome their guests. We already have proof of what warm hospitality will greet us and so we are very much looking forward to meeting the New Zealand people, to enjoying their landscape and to make friends in both the countryside and in the towns and cities. "We know what hard work, idealism and sacrifices are required to prepare an event like the world plough-

ing contest. I wish to express our great appreciation of the magnificent work of so many people and of the effective co-operation between various committees. All has been achieved in the spirit of mutual reliability, which does not so much need written agreements but an honourable attitude. On behalf of ploughmen everywhere I congratulate New Zealand upon having an abundance of efficient, reliable and unselfish men and women.”