Y.F.C.-SPONSORED PLOUGHING MATCH ACHIEVED OBJECT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22729, 30 August 1948, Page 4

Y.F.C.-SPONSORED PLOUGHING MATCH ACHIEVED OBJECT

INITIAL FIXTURE

The ploughing of many of the home paddocKs in the district will improve this season as the result of the tractor ploughing match conducted at Patutahi on Saturday, an event —likely now to becime an annual fixture in Gisborne—sponsored by the Manutuke Young Farmers’ Club. The object of the club in that respect was achieved. In the two classes, one for two-furrow and the other for three-furrow ploughs, there were 18 entries and the competitors were watched- by a large gathering of agriculturally-minded farmers as eager as the competitors to learn what they could. The set of the ploughs and their manufacture, the performances of the various tractors in use and the advantages and disadvantages of this and that were freely discussed throughout the day. Many of the older hands, who did most of their ploughing before this mechanical age, would have been more satisfied if there had been one or two horse teams on exhibition. However, all agreed that the day was a most successful one.

The we ither was ideal and the paddocks were in excellent heart. In fact, everything was in favour of the competitor. Many of them, from the lower Revels of the flats and from silted or water-logged areas, had not had their ploughs out prior to the fixture. They set about their work full of enthusiasm and determined to give of their best and seek out their faults. Music While You Work Many. of the veteran farmers of the district have seen modern methods brougnt into the realm of farming and eyebrows have been raised frequently as some revolutionary change has been introduced. Music while you work has been a labour-enticing scheme of city factories and now it has infiltrated on to the farm. There was something strange about one of the tractors as it was striking out in the three-furrow competition. It had a long thin pole sticking up in the air. As it approached nearer to the group on the Headland a popular foxtrot was . heard coming from the machine and it was then realised that the pole was an aerial for the radio-equipped tractor. Because of the number of entries it was necessary to split the competitions, one being held on Mr. A. E. Stevens' property and the other a short distance away on another grass paddock ot Messrs. Hair Brothers. The committee hope next year to be able to stage the event in the Manutuke area on a paddock of sufficient size'to cater for the two matches.

An old teamster himself and a man with a son who has been a Hawke’s Bay cnampion ploughman on a number of occasions, Mr. J. C. Baird, Napier, was-the judge. He said that the competitors could improve their ploughing in a number of cases with some under-* cut on their skeiths to turn the grass under more effectively.

Committee Complimented

When they made tneir breaks in striking out he suggested the use of only one share each way, and then the setting up of the plough with the other one or two shares to continue the job. That made a tidy job and did not leave any grass showing on top. He complimented the club match committee, which did a splendid job considering it was its first attempt at a competition of the kind. The paddocks were in beautiful condition for the purpose. When the results were announced, Mr. Baird commented on various aspects of ploughing ana gave the competitors some useful information. The owners of' the fields and donors of prize-money were thanked for their generosity. Results were:— Class A, three-furrow plough (10 entries). —H. Rickard, jun., 1; P. Fisken 2; J. Tietjen, 3; D. Braybrook, 4. Class B, two-furrow plough (8). —J. McFarlane, 1; B. Kingi, 2; T. Stevens, 3; J Davidson, 4 Special Prizes. Holmes Motors special for best strike out in Class A: H. Rickard, jun. Allen Brothers and Johnstone’s special for best strike-out in Class B: T. Stevens. H.S. Motors’ special for best finish in Class A: D. Braybrook. Gisborne Wool-Brokers Association’s special for best finish in Class B: J. Davidson. Gisborne WoolBrokers Association’s special for straightest ploughing in Class A: P. Fisken W. J Langlands’ special for straightest ploughing in Class B.: B. Kingi. W J Langlands’ special for best ins and outs in Class A: H. Rickard D. Braybrook and P. Fisken, equal. G. V. Smith's special for best ins and outs in Class B: B Kingi and J. McFarlane. Special prize of £5 5s donated by Mr. S. D. Briant and miniature cup by Mr. R. G. Hine lor competition by members of the Y.F.C. movement were awarded as follows:—Member gaining most points in Class A: H. Rickard, jun. In Class

B: E H. Buckley.

Special donated by Scragg’s garage and anonymous for competitor, under 20 years, gaining most points:—P. Fisken. 1; J. McFarlane, 2.