Ploughing a way to the USA
West Gippsland ploughmen once again did the area proud, taking home first and second places in both conventional and reversible sections at the national ploughing championship held at Cressy in Tasmania.
It was a father and son team who were the winners with Brett Loughridge winning the reversible competition and his son Scott taking home his first national win in the conventional class from a field of 13 competitors.
Scott did some skilful and consistent ploughing to win in just his third national contest.
Pryde Inglis was runner up in the reversible and Adrian Tilling runner up in conventional. All four ploughmen who placed are from Poowong.
Dan Cunstance also ploughed in his first ploughing national competition and in his third time in a ploughing competition, finished a credible ninth place.
The ploughing is judged on many aspects including weed control, general work, finish and straightness to name a few.
The West Gippsland area has had more National winners than any state.
Victoria sent a team of six ploughmen to the contest and they won the teams prize with Tasmania being runner up.
Scott and Brett will now represent Australia in Minnesota, United States later next year.
West Gippsland will host the state and national contests in May next year north of Wonthaggi. More details reagrding that event will be posted to the National Ploughing Association of Australia Facebook page closer to the date.