PLOUGHING MATCH AT STOKE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 69, 22 March 1871, Page 2

PLOUGHING MATCH AT STOKE.

[Judges : Messrs. J. Smith, W. Songer, and W. Biggar.] The ploughing match advertised by the Stoke Farmers' Club took place in a paddock belouging to Mr. Gondell yesterday, when, considering the terms, namely, that the prizes were offered only to young men of 25 years and under, residents in the district, there was a very fair attendance of competitors, the entries consisting of four wheel, and two swing ploughs. The field, owing to the late raius, was in excellent order, and though a little uueven in places gave every opportunity for a display of skill on the part of the ploughmen. The following is a list of the competitors with wheel ploughs, for which the prizes were £1 and 10s. : — Ploughmen. Own-ir. Maker. TGibiin . . F Gite'iin . . Ransonie&Sims 1 C Norgate . W I^but . . „ „ 2 J Cressweli . E Cresswell . „ „ CChing . . B.Condell . Hornsby Swing Ploughs. First prize, £1 ; second prize, 10s. H Cbing . . R Ching . . Unknown 1 JDoidge. . J)rßenwick. Ransome&Shns 2 A subscription was then raised,, among those on the ground as a prize for the straightest furrow, and for this six' competitors entered, the first prize being

won by J. Cresswell, aud the second by T. Giblin. The whole affair passed off most successful^ and the work was considered by the judges to have been very creditably performed considering that the ploughmen were only beginners. The clubs that are now formed, or being formed, in other parts of the country will do well to follow tho good example set them by the Stoke farmers, as district prizes being occasionally offered for competition would be an excellent preparation for, and would certaifry load to, an annual match on a large se\lei wa some central part of our agTleuUurar\jjs\ricts.