Months of practice and dedication has paid off for Hinds ploughman Dave Allan.
He took third place in the vintage class of the recent National Ploughing Championships in Middlemarch.
Allan was ploughing on his trusty 1961 Massey Ferguson 35.
He bought it in Ashburton for $2000 in running order but in need of work.
“I went to repair another tractor and found this in a shed hiding away,” he said.
It was hiding under bales of straw.
“It ran but that was about it.”
Allan worked his magic on it, and it’s been going strong for five years. He did it up during covid lockdown.
“I didn’t overhaul the engine, but I’ve done the hydraulics. It’s got new tyres and rims all round; they were all buggered.
“It’s been painted. It’s had new manifolds, new air cleaners…It’s had the whole works really.”
Allan, 63, has only been ploughing for five years, so is quite new to the sport.
His plough was a 1941 Reid and Grey trailing plough.
“I’m probably the youngest of the vintage ploughmen around.”
“I’ve had a lot of support from the older ploughmen, they’ve all helped. We’re a wee community; we’d like to get bigger actually.”
Prior to the competition Allan got in a couple of days practice on a farm at Hinds, did the competitions at Timaru, Geraldine, with Palmerston on Saturday and then went to Middlemarch on Sunday.
It was a social week-long occasion staying on-site camping among the horses.
“We had whares and campervans all around us. I had my keg fire … and had up to 35 people around our site most nights,” he said.
“We had a four-wheel drive trip on Tuesday, we practiced on Wednesday and Thursday, went for a bus trip to Macraes gold mine and stubble competition on Saturday and grass on Sunday.”
Bruce Graham of Rakaia won the stubble on Saturday while John Wild from Invercargill got second and Allan placed third.
The following day Robert Weavers from Geraldine won the grass while John Wild from Invercargill again got second and Allan third.
‘‘I’m just really pleased with how far I have come in a short time,’’ Allan said, of his placing.
“It was actually quite good because they had the prizegiving at 4pm in the paddock where all the exhibits were and so all the families and locals could come and watch. Then did the same thing again (more formally) on Sunday night.”
“It was a really well organised event, well hosted.”
Also to do well were Josh Rushton of Mayfield who placed third in the contemporary ploughing, and Bruce Graham from Rakaia who won the Wiganwood Trophy for the best presented rig.
The whole event is a learning curve for Allan, who is part of the Hinds ploughing group hosting the national event in 2027.
“It’s got to go back to being familyoriented again. We want the families there,” he said.
“There’s what’s called a contemporary class now and that’s for anybody, any type of tractor, any type of plough, new or old. It doesn’t matter what, you can plough with whatever you like.
“There’s a contemporary class in the nationals now.”
This year’s event was won by 15-year-old Jake Watt, Allan said.
“His grandfather, John, was wandering around with him all day. (John) was a national ploughman in his day. He represented New Zealand.”
Allan would love to see more people getting involved and encouraged anyone keen to get along to a meeting or make contact with the associations in the district.
“It’s very social.”
“It’s very, very hard. It’s not easy to plough. You have to be dedicated to it otherwise you’ll give up, it’s challenging, it keeps your brain in action.”
Plough matches start next month with Methven on June 7 and Hinds on June 8. There are also matches with Mid Canterbury Vintage Machinery Club and Rakaia.
Keep up to date with dates via New Zealand Plough Association Facebook page.
