Who will be crowned ploughing champion?

Winner of the event in Compton will qualify for the National Ploughing Championships

NEWBURY and District Agricultural Society's annual ploughing match is to commence today (Saturday).

The popular event is taking place at Ilsley Barn Farm, Compton. It begins at 9am and is hosted by the Institute of Animal Health.

The match is a popular event in the society's calendar and is regularly attended by around 750 local ploughing champions.

Visitors can watch classes for conventional, reversible and horse-drawn ploughs, as well as classes for vintage tractors and ploughs and vintage horticultural machinery.

The champion of the day qualifies to go forward to the National Ploughing Championships.

Visitors will also be able to track the development of ploughing over the centuries, as they will see teams of magnificent shire horses ploughing in the old fashioned way.

Alongside them will be steam ploughing and vintage tractors going through to the top-of-the-range ploughing units that are available today.

Leading machinery firms will be demonstrating their latest, most up-to-date, multi-furrow units which can turn over in under an hour what it would have taken a horse a day to do.

Alongside the ploughing competitions, there are a number of other attractions for all the family to enjoy. The Society runs highly competitive chutney and cake making competitions and all food exhibits will be auctioned off at the end of day for charity.

There will also be a refreshment stall and a bar and the Society's education officer will be running activities for young visitors including paper making, guess the vintage farm implements and name the grain.

In addition there will be a scarecrow competition with a prize for the local nursery or primary school which created the best.

Entrance is free to children under £16 and £5 for adults.

For further information visit the Society's website at www.newburyshowground.co.uk