Special plough day for village
TRACTOR FIELD: Tractors at Ballafreer in Union Mills for the match. PHOTO: Mike Wade MW130216 (14).
A SPECIAL match to commemorate 150 years of comnpetitive ploughing in the parish of Marown proved a good day out – despite the weather.
The Marown Royal Ploughing Match Society held the match on Saturday at Ballafreer, Union Mills, at the top of the Ballahutchin Hill on the main Peel to Douglas road.
More than 20 competitors took part – with eight entries in the horse ploughing and the remainder in the tractor ploughing.
There were classes for Manx Style (tractor and horses), Classic tractors, Vintage tractors and General Purpose (tractors and horses).
It was a drizzly day, but ‘everyone had a good time despite the weather’, said David Rawnsley, Marown Royal Ploughing Match Society committee member.
He competed in the horse ploughing – ‘The ground was a bit wet so it [the plough] cut through nicely, ploughing really well with the horses.’
But he explained having wet ground can make it hard for the tractors to get a grip.
The prize presentation and an evening of nostalgia will be held on Thursday, March 7, 8pm, at the Glen Helen Inn. Tickets are available from the committee secretary on 618938 or enquiries can be made to tickets@marown150.info
The field was marked out ahead of the ploughing match using horses and plough to create a long furrow along the edge of the field.
The plough used was that of famous 50s ploughman Joe Quine, whose equipment is now owned by the Marown Royal Ploughing Match Society.
Mr Rawnsley explained that this was the first time horses had been used for the marking out, instead of a tractor, for decades.
‘In 1937 it was all done using horses, no tractors involved,’ he said. ‘1938 one tractor on field, 1939 there was five or six and by mid-50s [it was] all tractors.’
l Order pictures at www.iomtoday.co.im/buyaphoto or call 695623.
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Weather for Isle of Man
Saturday 18 May 2013
Today
Heavy rain
Temperature: 8 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
