One man went to plough, went to win a medal. One man and his favourite tractor (shipped specially from Scotland to Minnesota for the world championships at a cost of £16,000) went to win a medal
Farmer digs in to prepare for international field of battle
Achampion ploughman is gearing up to take on the Russians and Americans in the field of battle.
Farmer Dave Carnegie, 75, is competing in the World Ploughing Championships in Minnesota later this month.
He will be up against wheat belt farmers from the Russian Steppes and the American mid-west.
The granddad from Laurencekirk, Aberdeenshire, is spending £16,000 to ship his own tractor and plough to the USA for the prestigious event.
“I will be up against the world’s top ploughers and it will be pretty tough,” said Dave.
“With a bit of luck I will have a field day and see off the opposition.
“They were sent on in a container and will be ready and waiting for us in Minnesota.
“It’s all down to how you perform on the day and whether you hit a tricky patch in the field you have to plough.
“But worth every penny of taking part.”
Dave, won the competition in 1996, the same year Damon Hill won the Formula 1 World Championship and Goodyear signed them both to promote their tyres.
“Who would have guessed that I would ever have got on the same billboard as Damon Hill,” he smiled.
The wheat, barley, oil-seed rape and potato farmer was asked to judge the Russian competition last year.
“I flew over to Moscow and travelled to their wheat fields to see the country’s top ploughers and have an idea of what the competition will be like.
“They have decades of agriculture behind them. So too, have the American and Austrian farmers who are also taking part. Them and the English, Welsh and Northern Ireland competitors.”
Dave’s family started farming in Laurencekirk 80 years ago when his dad, Dave, established the family farm, Steelstrath.
Dave began driving tractors on the family farm in Laurencekirk, at the age of eight.
His son Derek, 46, will travel with Dave to give him support for the event on August 30.
His task will be to plough a grassy area of 328 feet long to create perfect folds.
“It will be a 6am rise to scope out the area and prepare myself.”
It will also be an opportunity for Dave to catch up with the Russian farmers he met on his previous trip.
“They are very much like us, hardworking and like to show the world their skills in ploughing,” he said.
Dave’s wheat is used by the whisky industry to produce top brands.
The prestigious international competition sees the world’s best ploughers from over 30 countries compete.
All of the competitors will have won their own countries’ national competitions. Categories include stubble and grassland ploughing and competitors must prove their expertise.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Dave added.