PLOUGHMEN from far afield collected the main spoils at Herefordshire Ploughing Association's match at Bromsberrow Heath, near Ledbury, last Sunday.

A good number of local ploughmen competed but only Mike Watkins, formerly of Leominster and now living in Rotherham, was among the first-prize winners. He won the vintage trailing class.

Among the younger competitors was Daniel Mallard, 16, from Leominster.

The judges remarked on the high standard of ploughing and mentioned the good work by the garden tractors.

Secretary Eric Gane said a Flintshire enthusiast had told him the standard of ploughing was higher than that seen at the national match.

With the weather kind and with an excellent site for ploughing and access at Vineyard Farm, there was considerable support from the public.

The event drew 131 entries - thought to be a record number for a Herefordshire match. Classic: 1 Mike Childerley, Nottingham, 2 Stuart Burden, Rotherham, 3 Jon Cole, Monmouth, 4 Nigel Pantry, Oxford; vintage trailing: 1 Mike Watkins, Rotherham, 2 David Bryant, Stone, 3 Barry Evans, Kington, 4 John Hodges, Wiltshire; vintage hydraulic: 1 Richard Ingram, Warwick, 2 Ian Wilson, Chester, 3 Alan Lucas, Glamorgan, 4 Ted Green, Hereford; novice vintage: 1 Jeremy Jacobs, Glamorgan, 2 Peter Williams, Shrewsbury, 3 Martin Mann, Shropshire, 4 Chris Meek, Monmouth; high cut: 1 John Milnes, Sheffield, 2 Robert Irving, Truro, 3 Derek Needham, Kings Lynn, 4 Clive Underhill, Oxford; Ferguson: 1 Harry Carter, Cheltenham, 2 Iain Ferguson, Harewood End, 3 Jeff Taylor, Tewkesbury, 4 Gordon Evans, Shropshire; garden tractors: 1 Adrian Marshall, Leicester, 2 George Allen, Bromyard, 3 David Price, Builth Wells, 4 D Grubb, Worcester.

See this week's Hereford Times for more farming news