Prior to Ernie creating this website, our sole method of communication was via the magazine, the only other alternative is by post which unfortunately must be ruled out on cost alone.

 

The magazine has proved to be an excellent vehicle for disseminating club news and I do not see this changing, however, it is clear that as Ford and Fordson Tractors is a bimonthly publication and as the deadline for copy to be submitted to it is about a month before it drops through your doors, some three months can pass between an item of interest coming to our attention and to your being told about it.

To try and keep you better informed we shall, for a trial period, be publishing a regular ‘Club News’ item on this website. It will also feature items sent in by area representatives of ‘happenings’ they would like brought to your attention and you the members who have something you would like aired.

Please email items that you wish to be featured either to Ernie or to myself Pat Pawsey and we will do our best to include the most topical. We shall also include stories of interest that have missed publication previously due to editorial constraints or for other reasons.

 

Make no mistake this is your club and we need both input from you and feedback on the content we publish if it is to work properly.

 

Above in the blue header you can see the 7 - 11 issues of "In the Chair" 2013.

Cick on the Month & Number you want to view and this will open on another page for you.

 

Click In the Chair 2013 button in the blue header to return to this 2013 Main page.

 

I hope you enjoy reading these In the Chair information pages as it is my way of keeping the Members upto date with what is going on with Your FFA.

 

FFA Chairman

This year’s Great Dorset Steam Fair certainly had people talking but not always for the reasons the organisers would have wished......

It was the show’s fiftieth anniversary an achievement of which they were rightly proud and I must say that the numbers and range of the steam exhibits were quite splendid as was the Great War display that has been developed over the last five years but this, being the centennial anniversary of the signing of the armistice was its final year. Dorset always manages to produce a new rabbit out of the hat and it is a show where one meets up with friends that you don’t see at any other shows.
Great Dorset Steam Fair Ltd. is a professionally run plc and after staging the event for fifty years it beggars belief that the organisers could have got the provision of toilets so disastrously wrong. Martin Oliver apologised on Steam FM for their shortcomings by explaining that the provision of toilets was put out for tender as usual and that the cheapest bid was accepted.

This demonstrates at best a poor understanding of a proper tendering procedure that if carried out correctly will obtain a good service at the lowest practical cost, but only if there is a stringent assessment process when evaluating the bids. We have all witnessed the incompetence of government tendering where millions of pounds of our money have been wasted on computer programmes that don’t work and other such follies, but we are not speaking of high technology complicated systems here, we are talking about lavatories, it’s basic stuff. Any tender document must clearly specify the quantity of product required, in this case loos, the type and number needed and their distribution round the ground together with the level of servicing etc. required.

The evaluation process must also confirm that the successful provider can meet both the quality of product and service specified for example by running a check on their past performance to ensure that it is likely to meet its obligations. If during the selection process to much emphasis is focused on the lowest cost, it will certainly drive that down but it will inevitably also drive down the quality of service provided.

It is such a shame that the fiftieth anniversary of this great show should have been spoilt by such a basic error. Let us hope that this was no more than an unfortunate blip, that lessons have been learnt and that it will soon be forgotten. Here’s to the next fifty years.

Great Dorset aside there has been much talk about the rally scene in general. There is no denying that many shows raise worthwhile sums for highly deserving charitable causes, play an educational roll and also help to preserve our heritage and provide pleasure to exhibitors and public alike. This all sounds like a “win – win” situation but unfortunately that is not always the case.

They say that money is the root of all evil and it may well have been a contributory factor in Dorset’s debacle, but it also seems to me to be the prime reason for some of the problems affecting our hobby. When someone wants to raise money for a ‘good’ cause all too often his or her first choice is to inaugurate a heritage event to raise it. Any new event unfortunately has three unintended effects, the first is that it dilutes the pool of exhibitors that existing events rely on, the second is that it further overloads an already bursting show calendar and thirdly of course it inevitably reduces everyone else’s gate receipts.

A strong case can be made that events should combine and cooperate rather than compete directly with one another. If done with a spirit of good will it could result in better more interesting events and reduction of the costs involved to stage them, as there would be fewer shows, thereby making more money available for good causes. I know that several rally committees find that sourcing the volunteers needed to build their shows, then operate and finally clear up afterwards increasingly difficult, so it could also help on that front........ I don’t expect that much will change but it should be considered.


Book Review: ‘The Combine Harvester’

Another new soft cover book by Jonathan Whitlam. It is a similar format to the previous two volumes and is again from Amberley Publishing, it measures 234mm x 165mm with 96 pages and is profusely illustrated with matt colour mostly half page illustrations, priced at £14-99; the book is not on glossy paper.
This book tells the story from the inception of the early machines known as reaper-threshers that were derived from two separate machines, the binder and the threshing drum and charts its course from these early, rather cumbersome trailed implements, through to the arrival of the self-propelled combine harvester. It covers the combines development, both the earlier straw walker designs and later axial flow types and touches on possible future developments of the leviathans of today.
It is packed with information and shows examples of brands once quite popular but now no more and certainly brought back memories of how itchy the job used to be particularly in barley and how black one was at the end of the day when cutting beans, a worthy addition to your book shelf.


From Around the Country:

Dacorum Steam and Country Fayre - July 28th & 29th
John Worley our Hertfordshire Representative writes, this year’s show was another success on the Saturday as the weather held, although rather windy, but by Sunday we had started rain and this put a damper on events.
There were 30 Ford or Fordson Tractors out of a total of 60. Models included Standard N, Dexta’s Major, 4000, Power Major, 3000, Super Major, and the best turned out went to Dick Trotts, DOE 130.
This Tractor is winning at all our local show and is a credit to Dick and the restorers.
On a sad note, we remembered Ivan Papworth who had passed away some weeks earlier and who made his living by restoring Tractors and Steam Engines. More about this later, when we shall be reporting on having a road run to raise funds for the family charity.
Thanks go to the organisers for another well run-event, let us hope that it was a money-making show as the funds raised will go to the Hospice of St Francis Berkhamsted.


Pembrokeshire County Show 2018 - 14th to 16th August:
John Skipper reports. This three-day county show was my inaugural baptism as the South Wales Association Representative and it was good to start the networking at such a prestigious show - many thanks in particular to John Husband for his support. Of the 45 vintage tractors on show there were about 12 Ford and Fordson, the oldest being a restored 1945 E27N.
Celebrating the year of the Dexta it was great to see five of these workhorses lined up. Coincidence it was that my 1964 Super Dexta NP was next to another that was sold within the same six-month period that year by Greens of Haverfordwest!

The middle day of the show should have seen all the tractors parading around the main arena, but very heavy rain that day and quite a serious accident in the show jumping area saw this event cancelled. Unfortunately no Ford and Fordsons received a prize, although great credit to Michael Evans' 1950 David Brown Cropmaster for achieving best in Show. I'm glad to report there was quite a lot of interest in the Association and this has translated into some new member applications. There was a good deal of interest shown by the younger show attendees and I think it's important to raise awareness amongst these budding enthusiasts.


This is a good county show and is generally well attended over the three days - it will be held again over a similar period next year. I was a little disappointed that the vintage show area was located at the very far end of the airfield, quite a few saying they had real problems finding us. I've made that known to the organisers so hopefully we will be in a more prominent position next year.


Biddenden Tractorfest & Country Fair

18th and 19th August Ernie reports; This was my first time at this show and as I walked through the entrance and paid my very reasonable £9, I was pleasantly surprised.... a vast area of tractors, vintage equipment, steam, working area, countryside stalls, wood carving and a couple of tractor pulled carts that you could hop on and off around the site for a relaxing ride around.


Just how a Country Fair should be. There were cultivators, farm working equipment and vintage stalls, a brilliant variety from years gone by. I really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and lay out of the show.
A Good Day out for anyone.


Southern Area Working Weekend
Held on 2nd and 3rd September on Langham Airfield courtesy of Rix Farms was again well attended with good weather. Member’s wives, Paula Smart and Maureen Starling provided the catering and an excellent job they made of it too. Eighteen tractors attended on each day and there was a brilliant atmosphere. These ‘fun’ events are becoming more popular, perhaps everyday life is already competitive enough and people just want to exercise themselves and their ‘toys’ without the competitive element of, for example, a ploughing match? Some £478 was raised in aid of the Air Ambulance service. An excellent event and our particular thanks go to the landowner and to Roger Starling.


Kent Ploughing Match
at Melmains Farm 26th September Rodney Gibson reports, , a good day with 3 tractors on the stand. Peter Mitchem brought his narrow Dexta 1958. I brought my narrow Dexta 1962 and Andy Edmunds brought his narrow Fordson N. Kent Area Representative John Vowel Kent was on plough off with his Power Major and Ransoms plough. Bob Baseby FFA member came second with his New Performance Major and Ransoms plough.
We recruited new members wife Grace Moon, who cooks good sausage rolls, cheese straws and cakes and kept us with food all day. Thanks Grace, watch this space...


Autumn Tractor World, held at Newbury October 6th and 7th, Lin Prince reports: this show is now in its third year but for some reason remains quite small. Tractor clubs were well represented as were some of the well-known tractor spares companies and an assortment of other traders. There was also a selection of commercials to look at. The weather was good on Friday and Sunday but Saturday was cold, wet and windy. Despite this the auction did well but the weather may have kept some of the public away.
There was a nice display of Fordson Standards ranging through the ages on the Blue Force stand, mainly owned by one of their members. On the FFA stand we had Peter Nutley’s Land Army display, two Dextas a narrow and a Super and our Sandbanks Ferry Power Major along with merchandise sales and teas and coffees. This combination won us the best club stand trophy again.



68th National Ploughing Championships
Held at Atherstone, 13th and 14th October.
The weather was unkind with high wind and some rain on Saturday, the rain stopped in late morning but the wind kept blowing and we had to give up trying to erect the Club marquee. By afternoon the sun shone and it turned pleasantly warm even though the wind persisted and we had a good look round. I was particularly taken with the Foden steam tractor coupled to a Ransome trailer plough and also by the double drum Howard 8 hp built around 1876 that was demonstrating ‘windlass’ ploughing, you don’t see one of these working very often. There were some interesting tractors on the stand especially Ben Hassel’s imposing and practically unique County HSH 140 that was originally exported to Africa where it languished for many years on the dock side before working in Zimbabwe. David Suttons Howard trencher fitted to a Ford 5000 on rotor pads also drew a steady throng of observers throughout the weeken; these combinations were quite a common sight on Majors but more unusual on the later Fords.
The Club’s ploughmen had all qualified at earlier events but unfortunately mainly due to mechanical problems three were unable to attend. They were due to perform on Sunday that turned out to be both cold and wet but nevertheless I thought they made a splendid job in adverse conditions.

The results were:

Champion: Stephen Jones - Ford 4100 and Ransome TS 59 plough
Second: John Lewis - Fordson Dexta and Ransome TS 59
Third: Terence Stinson - Ford 3000 and Ransome TS 59

Steven Jones and John Lewis, Club Champion and runner up....ploughing away.
Well Done Guy's

Stephen’s 4100 was the only tractor fitted with a cab and I expect he was pleased about having some protection. I must say I liked John Snape’s E27N and TD 59 outfit and felt for Harry Williams with his lovely P6 powered N and RSLD 9 combination as his plough’s lift mechanism failed and he was forced to wind it out after each run that made for hard work in unfavourable conditions. It was the sort of day that sorts the men from the boys and they all passed with flying colours. Our thanks to ploughman’s wife Michelle Partridge and Raymond Govier, who had tractor trouble and was unable to plough for acting as Club Stewards.
We had trouble leaving site on the Monday as there had been more rain overnight and it continued damp in the morning. Sue and I were grateful for the help given to us by one of the ploughman Rob Laybourn, who had been ploughing in class 2 on Saturday, he came over with his International and Kverneland plough and not only helped us all hook up but towed us getting on for a mile to the road, complete with loaded lorry and caravan


Andrew Green from Devon writes:
I'm sat in glorious October sunshine as a wonderful conclusion to a memorable Summer! However this spell can't last too long, after all we are into our winter evening meetings season! The next date is December 7th when Julian Pratt is coming to talk to us about his early years when he was employed as a racing car mechanic and subsequently as a race driver. This was originally cancelled back in February due to snow, so let's hope history doesn't repeat itself! Looking further ahead to next year, we have dates booked at Whiddon Down on 23rd January and 27th February and more information will follow in due course.
We are already starting to note events for next year. The Somerset Tractor Show is to be held on the weekend of 26th and 27th January at Shepton Mallet with a special display of IH tractors and including the usual sale on the Saturday. We wish Nick Bryne and his colleagues the very best for another successful Charitable event. Also please note down Tractor World at Malvern which incorporates our very own FFA AGM on February 23rd and 24th. I have also been asked to draw your attention to our County Show on May 16th to 18th at Westpoint and also the Honiton Hill Rally on 25th and 26th August. It all seems some long way off but it will be here all too soon!
Well that's all for now and as I usually say, please keep in touch : Andrew Chilverton


Coming Event News: 2018 & 2019

Isle of Wight Road Run to be held on 27th December. For details contact David Lemonius Pool Barn, Thorncross, Newport, IW, PO30 4PN Telephone 07831 773561.

2019 Spring Tractor World at Malvern February 23rd and 24th
This traditionally is the Club’s show opener, and we shall be having our AGM there as usual, please do come and have your say. Preferably bring a tractor and be part of our display, the Club’s special feature at the show will be the Fordson model N so you might like to take part in that. Get your entries in to Mark but remember to put the FFA on your entry form and if you need any help please contact Ian and Lin Prince on 01268 710143

The Heritage and Transport April 6th
Held on the Kent show ground where they are featuring the N and would like to display ninety model Ns.
Contact Rodney Gibson on 01795 841775

Finally:
As 2019 fast approaches we have another tractor anniversary to celebrate, the birth of the Fordson N. It is fact that the first model N was demonstrated in 1928 with an Oliver 38 three furrow plough, but production did not commence at Cork until April 1929. So, you pays your money and takes your choice. Actually it’s a very similar scenario to the Dexta’s launch at Alexandra Palace in 1957, although probably most examples displayed were partial mock-ups, but production did not start until the following year. After the ground-breaking launch of the Fordson F in 1917 the improved version, the model N, is hardly less important to Britain’s survival through the dark days of war that followed.
I expect that the N will feature strongly at events this year, I know of two to date the first is as part of the FFA display at Spring Tractor World at Malvern on February 23rd and 24th and the other is the Kent Heritage and Transport Show on 6th April.

I have to say that sitting in my study in the cool writing this is really rather pleasant as its a tad too warm for me outside on this the hottest day yet of this exceptional summer weather we have been enjoying. Actually it has been almost too hot and dry so far this year, of course it must break eventually and we really mustn't complain, but I cannot recall such a prolonged period without rain, at least in this part of the country, nor one that has been so hot for so long. Some rallies have suffered a quite dramatic drop in gate receipts mostly, I think, because it has been just too hot for the paying public to attend and if you watch the crowds it appears that often people just stay for an hour or so rather than for most of the day as they usually do. You cannot altogether blame them, in this weather, as many sites offer neither shade nor anywhere to sit and relax for a spell.

Talking to both visitors and exhibitors it would seem that the attendance problems facing some events run deeper than that caused by a passing heat wave. There will always be those who criticise everything on principle but do nothing to improve matters themselves, they make a lot of noise but frankly their views are usually best ignored as they add nothing new nor do they offer anything constructive to the debate. However there are several recurring arguments that might improve the experience of attending rallies that perhaps organisers should consider and a few points that do affect attendance but are unfortunately outside their control.

The comment most often heard is that there are just too many rallies, its a fair point and it might be better all-round if there were a few less but of better quality. Any rally should provide enough 'substance' to make an interesting day out for both punter and exhibitor but in many cases particularly at the smaller ones there is no more than an hour or two at best. I know that it's 'meeting people' that largely makes it all worthwhile for us exhibitors, but you are there usually for at least two days?

Both the entry fee and the food and beer concessions should be reasonably priced too, certainly if you wish families to attend there must be something for the ladies and children. The gate receipts really suffer if there is nothing to draw the family.

Free or cheap site transport is increasingly important as we are all getting older and find large rally fields difficult to get round.

Several rallies, I mention no names and no pack drill here, are getting very tired with the same layout and formula followed every year and, in many cases the same exhibits, it may make life easy for the stewards, but it doesn't do much either for the regular punters or the exhibitors.

For exhibitors the cost of diesel has risen sharply again which makes one-day events and distant sites relatively expensive to attend.

Steam attendance payments continue to be a bone of contention for tractor men, but it does give us something to talk about and is unlikely to change much in the foreseeable future. I think it's simply that years ago the steam boys were better negotiators than our men were, it may not be logical or justifiable but that's life.

I do think rally programs should be given to exhibitors, in some cases it may be justifiable to make a small charge or ask for a donation. Dorset charges £7 each, or did last year, and you really need a programme to plan your viewing itinerary at a rally of that size - but charging exhibitors £7?

The practise of a few exhibitors that leave early without a good reason should be stopped - it is a free country and they cannot legally be prevented from leaving, but just ban them next year, its that simple. I've left rallies early because of necessity but I always explained why to the steward first and have never had a problem. We sign up to stay on our pegs and should honour that commitment unless the punters leave early. It's always the same ones who go first!

We all have opinions on improvements that could or should be made and those listed above are the ones I hear most often but there is one more that I think merits a separate mention. Safety. None of us like rules but there are too many accidents that could be avoided not to mention those we have all seen that 'nearly happened'. Rules and rally site regulations are in place to protect the public and exhibitors alike and I would particularly stress the importance of observing the usual 5 m.p.h. site speed limits, the illegality of having more than one person on a tractor and in particularly under age and reckless driving. Compliance must be rigidly enforced, make no mistake one bad slip up and the killjoys will try to impose further swingeing restrictions on future events, just look at how some people misuse Health and Safety regulations now.


DVLA
The importance of having the correct licence to drive cannot be over-emphasised. A long time member was pulled over by the police because his vehicle was registered as a box van and is now a flat bed, not because of any infringement. That probably wouldn't have mattered but of course they checked his licence, he still has a paper one and thought he was entitled to drive it under grandfather's rights. He thought that these were never taken away, of course they were not but if you did not apply for the class of licence you required within the period allocated for such applications they effectively did. Be warned.


Book Review:

'New Holland Tractors' a new soft cover book by Jonathan Whitlam. This is the sequel to 'Ford Tractors' reviewed a month or so back from Amberley Publishing and again measures 234mm x 165mm with 96 pages and some hundred fifty matt colour mostly half page illustrations, priced at £14-99; the book is again not on glossy paper. It is a similar format to the previous volume and although the text runs to only some thirteen pages it is densely packed with information.

It does seem strange that although this book covers a relatively short period of time that there have been so many different models in these few years, a result of various Fiat acquisitions and the establishment of New Holland as a world brand. I feel that it was a pity that the paper quality was not better as it does not really do justice to the high quality of the photographs. I did like this edition better than the previous title and it proved a welcome addition to a New Holland enthusiast's book shelf.


From Around the Country:

Whitwell Steam and Country Fair - 9th and 10th June held at Codicote near Hitchin. This was my first visit to this rally for many years; it has grown considerably since and the present site is much better. I had hoped to meet up with John Worley our Hertfordshire representative as this is part of his patch but, unfortunately, he was unable to attend through ill-health, but I am glad to report he is much better now. We were made very welcome on arrival and all the Ford and Fordsons, over fifty of them, were grouped together, just as they should be. Dick Trott's splendid Doe 130 had pride of place; this tractor has been featured during its restoration in Tractor and Machinery and it looks even better in the flesh. It developed an oil leak on the front pump that just goes to show that gremlins can strike at any time they just have, in the modern parlance, 'no respect'. We met some very friendly people and it was an interesting rally, tractors on the stand were judged and our prize winners were:

Best in Show: Dick Trott - Doe 150


Best unrestored: Jack Hooper - Roadless 95

Judges Favourite:Peter RobinsonFordson N


Pink Ladies Ride Again


Jane Broomhall writes: Who would have believed that the Ladies Tractor Road Run established in July 2004 could continue with the same support and enthusiasm fifteen year later? Believe me, it does.
There is no doubt of the commitment and passion held by Annie and John Chapman, who came up with the idea all those years ago and, for every participant and supporter, the day provides a rollercoaster of emotion.
I personally am always grateful of full sunshine, so that I can wear dark glasses, or rain, so that onlookers are unable to see the tears that flow, particularly when driving through Harleston, where the crowds line the streets and cheer every driver through.
It is true to say that we all have family members or friends who have been affected by breast cancer and have seen the sometimes devastation this has caused. But, because of treatments available today, the odds of recovery are greater than ever.
On the 1st July, another of our very hot summer days, 120 ladies took to the road in support of the charity, all with a strong focus on realising the long-term ambition to reach a target of one million pounds raised. £584,000 has been raised to date.
Thank you to everyone who was kind enough to sponsor me again this year, it really is appreciated.


Journey Through The Ages

16th and 17th June at Palgrave held near Diss. This is the rally's fourth year and for the second year running it was very hot, which undoubtedly adversely affected gate receipts. This is a rally that seems to take two steps forward and then one back, it really doesn't seem to know quite where its going probably because the management does not appear to have a clear idea of what its actually trying to achieve, there was no programme again this year.

That said we had a good turn-out of Ford and Fordsons on display, which we were allowed to arrange and were given more space than last year. They ranged from Roy Pratt's 1917 MOM F Oliver and plough through to both a New Holland TM and TZ 190, with a good selection of interesting models in between. It is a very friendly rally and I hope they improve their management skills before the good will, that has been so far engendered, evaporates. The tractors on the stand were judged and prize winners were presented by Jane Broomhall:

Best in Show:
Gerald Hunting - County 4000 Four
Best unrestored:
Robert Pratt - Fordson Row crop and binder
Judges Favourite:
Roger Starling - Fordson Major and compressor

Jane Broomhall presenting Roger Starling with his prize....
Well Done Roger



Tractor Fest
9th - 10th June near Ripon, Roger Ingham reports. The weather smiled on Newby Hall at this years tractor show with a beautiful sunny weekend attracting large crowds to this, one of Yorkshires largest tractor shows. Friday saw the arrival of Margaret and Derek Badham with the stand and all its clothing and a large selection of trinkets to tempt potential purchasers to the stand. A welcome addition to the FFA stand was our president Nick Batelle with his Twenty Parts stand. Soon the stands were up and running and, complemented by Twenty Parts, it looked outstanding and we were ready for one of Margaret's famous cuppas. Saturday brought tractors from far and near filling the stand with a stunning selection of restored and unrestored gems including Alan Nicholson's stunning display of 1000 series.


On the FFA stand we had an amazing home manufactured bale handler, an ingenious bit of work, and a credit to its very pleasant genius gentleman who manned the stand all weekend explaining how it worked what a nice chap.

Crowds flocked in on both days and we all enjoyed another wonderful weekend in Newby Halls lovely grounds. Thanks to all FFA members for calling on the stand and bringing their stunning tractors, also to all our staff on the stand and to Twenty Parts for joining us and making a great weekend of the 2018 show season.

The Kent County & Heritage Show
6th - 8th July.
Our website genius - Ernie - reports: As you know 2018 is the Centenary of the end of WW1 and the show displays included 'The Kent, the aircraft flies in memory of No. 131 (County of Kent) Fighter Squadron and the Kent Spitfire completed an exciting display over the Kent Showground on all three Show days.


Also the 'Everyone Remembered 1914 - 1918 " Bronze Centenary Soldier, with poppy cascade encased statue, that is touring the country. The Household Cavalry Musical Ride in the main area and a superb poppy display in the Gardeners tent. Next year the Kent County Show will be celebrating a milestone, our 90th Show on 5th, 6th & 7th July 2019, come and see what is going on for you then.

Kent County & Heritage Show Full Report
& more photos click here


Cambridgeshire Steam and Vintage Vehicle Rally
July 14th - 15th Stow- Cum - Quy
Lin Prince reports:- the sun rose over Quy Park for the start and kept shining all weekend; it wasn't half hot. The organiser requested that all the Ford and Fordson tractors be parked together in front of the FFA stand.


There was about 20 tractors, various models over the two days. These ranged in age from a harvest gold standard to a Ford 3600, E27Ns being the most popular model.


But unfortunately not as many exhibited as listed in the programme. Perhaps they were doing what a lot of the public must have been doing, watching football and tennis. Our thanks to Ray and Vanda for all their help over a glorious weekend.


Andrew Green from Devon reports:

As I write this in the midst of our Devon Show season, I always marvel at the commitment of organisers, exhibitors and above all else the numbers of people who turn up to make all of these events such a great success - admittedly some nice weather does help and makes a huge difference! Comparisons are being made with the 1976 summer but locally comments are that this drought is more severe due to the wet autumn and winter of 2017, so that crops didn't have properly developed root systems. However, we are enjoying a wonderful Show season and an upturn in lots of extra tourism and a boost to the local economy.

We are now looking ahead to the Autumn. I have booked up our usual evening meeting venue of Whiddon Down Village Hall and please make a note of these dates and put them in your diary NOW, they are all Wednesdays:- 7th November, 5th December, 23rd January and 27th February 2019. I am currently working on organising speakers and/or entertainment. One meeting will probably be a rearranged evening with Julian Pratt recounting his motor racing experiences, which originally fell victim to the snow at the end of February. If you do have any suggestions or contacts to help me please do let me know as it is always quite difficult to provide interesting topics.

Well, that's all for now but as I always say, keep in touch:- This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..


Late Event News:

The Fairford, Faringdon, Filkins & Burford Ploughing Society's annual ploughing match is to be held on 29th September at Clanfield, Oxon, OX18 2SU. This year is their big 70, there is a class for pre-1976 Ford and Fordson tractors without safety cabs and the winner will be offered one of the FFA's plots at next year's Nationals. Contact Bob Jeffrey on 01451 833636 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Megan Saunders wwwploughingmatch.co.uk

The Dutch FFA Ploughing Match, will be held October 20th at Noorderweg 9621 BN Slochteren (Groningen). All enquiries to Jans Stevens at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone 0031 0 640469094. My thanks to Gerrard Schoenmakers for this.

Northern FFA Ploughing Championship is to be held by kind permission of the landowner Mr Peter Zeigler and Scarcroft and District Ploughing Society on Sunday 11th of November at 10 am at Sweep Hill Farm Wetherby. All FFA members are welcome.
Contact Roger Ingham for information on 01937 531532


Some shows & Rallies for 2018:

OCTOBER
6-7 Tractor World, Newbury FFA
6-7 FFA Southern area ploughing match
13 -14 British Ploughing Championships, Austrey, Nr Atherstone, Warks, CV9 3ED FFA
20 Dutch FFA Ploughing Match at Noorderweg 9621 BN Slochteren
NOVEMBER
10 - 11 Newark Vintage Tractor and Heritage Show FFA
11 Northern Area FFA Ploughing Championships at Sweep Hill Farm Wetherby


Finally:
I would just like to congratulate The Starting Handle Club and especially Mike Curtis and Bob Parke for the excellent way that the Summer Show at Marsham is organised. The camping area was clearly marked out which saves a lot of hassle, the loos were cleaner when I left than they are at many rallies when you arrive. It is a well-run friendly event and their teams hard work certainly paid off.