2012 South Africa - NIPA members give ploughing demonstration
On Thursday 10th May 2012, William Hood, Chairman of the World Ploughing Organisation and David Gill, 2007 World Champion, both representing the World Ploughing Organisation and the Northern Ireland Ploughing Association left Belfast International Airport for South Africa. Representing Scotland was Andrew Mitchell, 2006 World Champion, assisted by Ronald Coulter.
The team arrived in Johannesburg on Friday 11th May after an 11 hour flight from Heathrow and then travelled another 2 and a half hour drive to Nampo Agricultural Show grounds where the event was being held along side the annual agricultural trade show which has over 500 trade exhibitors and livestock covering a 24 hectare site.
Tubestone Tyre Company, who supply BKT and Nankang tyres sponsored the project, which was to introduce South Africans to competition ploughing, with the aim that one day, South Africa will have representatives at the world ploughing match.
The team was supplied with 2 John Deere tractors and 2 Kverneland ploughs. Obtaining the equipment was a massive job in itself. There weren’t any match ploughs available in South Africa as minimum tillage is the main means of cultivation. However through much form filling and patience from the staff at Tubestone, 2 ploughs belonging to Roy Fuller, former World Ploughing competitor, were transported from Zimbabwe. Assisted by local vintage tractor fanatic, Hannis, these ploughs were refurbished to a very high standard and with a little work from the team, they were ready for action.
Taking Sunday off, Rudi de Tout, who managed the ploughing project, along with his wife, Susan, and other Tubestone employees, took the team to the Camary Game Reserve where they saw Elephants, Zebras, Ostrich, Hippos and Spring Bucks. This was a very enjoyable day, seeing these wild animals in their natural environment.
On Monday it was business as usual. The ground was extremely hard so the main objective of the day was building up plough points. A few tractor repairs were also necessary but all was ready by night fall.
On Tuesday morning there was a mixed feeling of excitement and nerves. As competition ploughing is new to South Africa, no one knew exactly how many people would be keen to give it a go. No one needed to worry; the team were inundated with potential ploughmen and women. Over the next 4 days nearly 100 people tried their hand at competition ploughing. The success of the event by this stage had reached the press with the story appearing in the newspapers, on radio and even on national television.
On the last day of the event, all the Tubestone staff had a go and were judged on tractor driving, ability to work the plough, uniformity, ins and outs, and most importantly good looks! This was won by Natasha, with 4 people tying for second place. Surely this makes Natasha the first South African Ploughing Champion?
The project was both enjoyable and extremely worthwhile. From the 100 or so people coached, two have been chosen to go to the World Ploughing Championships held in Croatia in September later this year to observe a World Plough Match.
It has been an honour for the team to be part of this project and huge congratulations should go to the Tubestone staff. We wish them well in the future, watch out ploughing world, South Africa are on their way!
The team arrived in Johannesburg on Friday 11th May after an 11 hour flight from Heathrow and then travelled another 2 and a half hour drive to Nampo Agricultural Show grounds where the event was being held along side the annual agricultural trade show which has over 500 trade exhibitors and livestock covering a 24 hectare site.
Tubestone Tyre Company, who supply BKT and Nankang tyres sponsored the project, which was to introduce South Africans to competition ploughing, with the aim that one day, South Africa will have representatives at the world ploughing match.
The team was supplied with 2 John Deere tractors and 2 Kverneland ploughs. Obtaining the equipment was a massive job in itself. There weren’t any match ploughs available in South Africa as minimum tillage is the main means of cultivation. However through much form filling and patience from the staff at Tubestone, 2 ploughs belonging to Roy Fuller, former World Ploughing competitor, were transported from Zimbabwe. Assisted by local vintage tractor fanatic, Hannis, these ploughs were refurbished to a very high standard and with a little work from the team, they were ready for action.
Taking Sunday off, Rudi de Tout, who managed the ploughing project, along with his wife, Susan, and other Tubestone employees, took the team to the Camary Game Reserve where they saw Elephants, Zebras, Ostrich, Hippos and Spring Bucks. This was a very enjoyable day, seeing these wild animals in their natural environment.
On Monday it was business as usual. The ground was extremely hard so the main objective of the day was building up plough points. A few tractor repairs were also necessary but all was ready by night fall.
On Tuesday morning there was a mixed feeling of excitement and nerves. As competition ploughing is new to South Africa, no one knew exactly how many people would be keen to give it a go. No one needed to worry; the team were inundated with potential ploughmen and women. Over the next 4 days nearly 100 people tried their hand at competition ploughing. The success of the event by this stage had reached the press with the story appearing in the newspapers, on radio and even on national television.
On the last day of the event, all the Tubestone staff had a go and were judged on tractor driving, ability to work the plough, uniformity, ins and outs, and most importantly good looks! This was won by Natasha, with 4 people tying for second place. Surely this makes Natasha the first South African Ploughing Champion?
The project was both enjoyable and extremely worthwhile. From the 100 or so people coached, two have been chosen to go to the World Ploughing Championships held in Croatia in September later this year to observe a World Plough Match.
It has been an honour for the team to be part of this project and huge congratulations should go to the Tubestone staff. We wish them well in the future, watch out ploughing world, South Africa are on their way!