N.I. Ploughman Wins For First Time

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31725, 8 July 1968, Page 20

N.I. Ploughman Wins For First Time

(From Our Own Reporter) BLENHEIM, July 7.

For the first time since national ploughing championships began in 1956 a North Island man won the title yesterday.

He is 29-year-old A. J|. Wallace, a dairy farmer, of Bruntwood, near Cambridge, who will represent New Zealand in the world championships in Jugoslavia in the spring of next year.

Wallace’s win over more experienced competitors from the arable farming districts of Canterbury, Southland and Otago was a popular one, and speaking afterwards he graciously acknowledged the help and advice he had had from South Island ploughmen when he had been practising in the South Island before ■ the national championships. The two Canterbury judges in the five-man judging panel, Messrs J. G. Carter, of Templeton, and J. S. T. Me-

Giffert, of Sefton, praised Wallace’s workmanship “It was the work of a tradesman,” said Mr Carter. However, he might have improved his body work. Mr McGiffert said that Wallace had made an excellent finish; in this department he was two points ahead of any other competitor. Married with two children, Wallace farms 98 acres on which he milks about 100 cows. This was the seventh time he had ploughed in a national final. His previous best performance was at Rotorua in 1963 when he was tenth.

“To become the first North Islander to win this is truly a thrill,” said Wallace aftei the Minister of Labour (Mr Shand) had handed him the Atlantic Silver Plough. Wallace said that he was especially pleased to have won this year because his coach and friend, Mr J. R. Murray, of Hamilton, was also president of the New Zealand Ploughing Association.

Wallace said that he did not feel that he had the experience to win this honour

or to take part in the world championships, but he hoped that with the help of other competitors he might be able to gain that experience in the next 14 months.

In the match yesterday Wallace used an English plough, which was one of those brought out for the world championships at Prebbleton-Broadfield last year. He has owned it for about 10 months. South Island ploughmen filled all the other major placings. The next t>est North Islander was equal thirteenth.

Two points behind Wallace in second place was 31-year-old J. C. Kyle, who farms 360 acres with his father at Seadown, South Canterbury, and is also an agricultural contractor.

Kyle, who was representing the Taieri Ploughing Match Association in the final, was using an English plough of the same make as that used by Wallace. He has now ploughed in eight finals and his best previous placing was seventh at Prebbleton-Broadfield last year. He said that the condi-

tions yesterday did not altogether suit his plough. In the first year that he has tried to qualify for the national event, I. W. Miller, a 29-year-old farmer, of Wendon, near Gore, ploughed into third place. He has been match ploughing since he was 15 and comes from a family noted for its ploughing prowess. His father, Mr W. G. Miller, is a former president of the New Zealand Ploughing Association. Miller was one of three men using Swedish ploughs. It was also one of those brought to New Zealand last year for the world contest.

P. I. McCallum, a Marlborough ploughman, finished fourth and P. D. Carter, of Greenpark, was next. Three former national champions, H. A. Walker, of Ota Creek, Edendale, E. J. Croy, of Wakanui, and S. M. Allison, of Moneymore, near Milton, were respectively sixth, seventh and eighth equal. Allison is the only man to have won the national title twice.

The two Canterbury judges said that the standard of the

ploughing had been high and up to that of any previous contest.

The ground was in good order after rain but it was not quite as kind as had been expected and there had been a little crumbling underneath.

Both a measure of skill and luck are required in ploughing like any other sport and there was a striking example of this yesterday when after ploughing a very good plot, K. J. Taylor, of Clinton, slumped in his finish. He ended tieing for 10th place. With a good finish he would have been near the top. The weather for the match varied from rain to overcast to occasional glimpses of the sun, but it was always cold. There was an attendance of between 4000 and 5000.

The main placings were: A. J. Wallace, 158 points. 1; J. C. Kyle, 156, 2; I. W. Miller, 147. 3; P. I. McCallum, 145, 4: P. D. Carter, 144, 5; H. A. Walker, 142. 6; E. J. Croy. 1401, 7: S. M. Allison and D. Brown (Temuka). 140 (equal), 8; I. W. Winter (Ranglora) and K. J. Tavlor, 139.5 (equal), 10. The W. G. Miller trophy for the leading Young Farmers’ Club competitor also went to Wallace.'