N.Z. ploughmen placed at lowa

Press, 12 September 1988, Page 3

N.Z. ploughmen placed at lowa

Two New Zealand men have ploughed their way to success at the World Ploughing Championchips in lowa.

Graham Gifford, of Blenheim, and Norman Wimer, of Waiuku, near Auckland, proved they could plough a straight furrow with the best of them at this year’s championships, which attracted 50 entries from 25 countries.

Gifford achieved sixth place over all, with 291.25 points. Wimer gained eight place, with 286 points, and will also bring home a bronze medal for his efforts in the grasslands section.

New Zealand had the best average placing in the grasslands on Saturday. Wimer had the top bodywork (seed bed and weed control), but the poor ground conditions hampered the beginning of the ploughing. In a telephone call to Methven yesterday, the team manager, Mr Alan Wallace, said the over-all standard of ploughing in the grasslands section was very poor. The New Zealand competitors

achieved their placings in the grasslands by ploughing the widest of any competitor.

The stubble ploughing was better, although the straightness and finishing on both Friday and Saturday were poor because of uneven ground conditions. Gifford was eleventh and Wimer was eighteenth in this section.

The winner of the championships and the Esso Golden Plower was Graham Witty, of Britain, with 331.5 points. A Danish competior was second. A Swede was third.

New Zealand has competed in the competition since 1961. Both of this yeyar’s contestants have had experience in former world championships.

They were chosen to represent New Zealand after winning the Mobil Silver Plough Championships.

The world contest was held over four days and was combined with the lowa state championships, the United States national championships, and the World Agriculture Expo. The event attracted 380,000 spectators.