Two master ploughmen from the same area will be representing Scotland at the World Ploughing Championships in Estonia next year, having landed the top honours in the Scottish Championships.
The 59th Scottish Ploughing Championships staged over two days at Monktonhill Farm, Prestwick, saw Andrew Mitchell senior and Brian Baxter, both from Forfar, win the world-style conventional and world-style reversible, respectively. In doing so, both qualify for the prestigious World Championships in August 2024.
Andrew who was winning his 13th Scottish Championship, is no stranger to the top awards having won the World title six times with a reversible and once with a conventional plough. What made his achievement more impressive this time is the fact he lost sight in one eye last year after an accident.
Keeping it in the family, Andrew’s son, Liam has also won the world championships on three previous occasions.
Brian was also in good form having previously won the British Championships in England. He has also just returned from the European Championships in Denmark where he was representing Scotland and finished sixth equal overall having been placed third on stubble and 10th on grass.
The Scottish Ploughing Championships, which saw entries from as far north as Caithness, the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway, also saw Willie Grieve, Ladybank, win the reserve overall conventional, while James Tait, Thurso, landed the runner-up in the reversible section.
A strong entry in the vintage category was won by George Black, Earlston, while Colin Crawford, Linlithgow, won the overall classic reversible.
Leading Awards
World style conventional – 1, Andrew Mitchell snr, Forfar; 2, Willie Grieve, Ladybank; 3, Mark Skea, Inverurie; 4, John Sivewright, Meigle.
World style reversible – 1, Brian Baxter, Forfar; 2, James Tait, Thurso; 3, Gavin Robertson, Caithness; 4, Andrew Greenhill, Bridge of Earn.
Modern classic – 1, James McIndoe, Broxburn; 2, Bob Milne, Ellon.
Classic conventional – 1, Gordon Hepburn jnr, Elgin; 2, Euan Anderson, Dundee; 3, John Griffin, Kelso; 4, Robert McKechnie, Larkhall.
Classic reversible – 1, Colin Crawford, Linlithgow; 2, Neil Ramsay, Earlston; 3, Kenneth Wood, Kelso; 4, Bruce Richardson, Kelso.
Reversible multi-furrow – 1, Matthew Henry, Stoneykirk; 2, David Taylor, Crieff; 3, Ross Anderson, Cumnock; 4, James Baird, Castle Douglas.
Vintage trailing – 1, Michael Mackay, Thurso; 2, Douglas Stewart, Turriff; 3, Ed Bennie, Freuchie; 4, George Melville, Falkirk.
Vintage mounted – 1, George Black, Earlston; 2, Jim McKechnie, Stonehouse; 3, David Veitch, Scotlandwell; 4, Stuart Bathgate, Dunbar.
Juniors – 1, Jack Forsyth, Whithorn; 2, Robert Kennedy, Haddington; 3, Struan Trewartha, St Andrews; 4, Campbell Morrison, Castletown.
High cut – 1, James Fleming, Forfar.
Horticultural – 1, Tom Tweedie Biggar.
Horse broken furrow – 1, John Fletcher, Cardigan; 2, Craig Duncan, Cupar; 3, Adam Young, Cleish.
Demo non GPS – 1, Lemken UK; 2, Kverneland UK; 3, Kverneland UK; 4, Amazone Ltd.
Demo with GPS – 1, Lemken; 2, Bryson Tractors.
Ferguson TE20 – 1, Richard Birkbeck, Appleby; 2, Douglas Scott, Cults; 3, Peter Walker, East Calder; 4, Brian Tait, East Lothian.
Horse whole furrow – 1, John Fletcher, Cardigan; 2, Craig Duncan, Cupar.
Visitors – World style – 1, Nigel Vickers, Malpas; 2, Stuart Vickers, Malpas; 3, Allen Mcanally, Ballyclare.
Classic – 1, Nigel Gamble, Ballynure; 2, Marc Gamble, Ballynure.
Vintage – 1, RG Wilkinson, Hexham; 2, David Grattan, Banbridge.
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