Ploughing Seminars

As part of the Ploughing Academy, the Society of Ploughmen have been organising seminars to help judges to work on the same level across the country.  This makes the standard of judging less varied in the level of points awarded for different aspects.  Hopefully,  judges will work together and learn from each others' experiences, making the quality of judging throughout the country better overall.

These seminars are also extremely beneficial to ploughmen and women as they are with the judges, looking at closely at what the judges are looking for in their ploughing and their reasoning behind it.  Both experienced and novice ploughmen have benefited from attending the seminars.

The Society of Ploughmen holds a list of judges who are nominated by affiliated societies throughout Great Britain.  This list is available to all affiliated societies on request when choosing judges for their own match.

Our first seminar took place in February 2003 near Doncaster, South Yorkshire and since then well over 50 seminars have been held throughout the country with hundreds of judges and ploughmen from throughout the Great Britain attending. 

Different styles of ploughing plots are completed by some of the country's top ploughmen and judged by the expert group leaders, and then in turn by all the attendees.  These are then discussed in detail, in groups, with the team leaders.  Everyone receives a certificate of attendance and also a breakdown of their own scores to compare with the group leaders.  We have received very positive comments from people who have attended past seminars, all saying how helpful they have been.

Further judges seminars will be organised in future and any forthcoming ones will be listed below.

Next Seminars:

Spring 2025

 

Please email - info@ploughmen.co.uk - or telephone 01302 852469 (in office hours) for further details of seminars or to register your interest in future ones.

 

 

Training Days

As part of the Ploughing Academy, the Society of Ploughmen will be organising a Training Day for ploughmen and women. 

The day will be structured as follows: during the morning plough settings will be looked at in depth with technical advice which will apply to all styles of ploughs.  In the afternoon two or three ploughmen will complete plots with attendees in groups in the field with Team Leaders - watching, discussing and learning about what is being done, why and how it could be improved.   

Although ploughing plots will be limited to a few types of ploughs, advice on settings and in the field will cover a broad spectrum which will apply to all styles of ploughing.

Next Training Day:

                        Sunday 24th March 2024 - Allesley, Coventry, West Midlands
                        With plots ploughed in World Style Reversible, Classic and Vintage Hydraulic
 

Please email - info@ploughmen.co.uk - or telephone 01302 852469 (in office hours) for further details of training days or to register your interest in future ones.

 

 

Ploughing Courses

Some very successful ploughing courses have been held since 2002 for both novices and experienced ploughmen.

Held at Callington, Cornwall, they were two day ploughing courses for reversible and conventional ploughing and for ploughmen and women of all ages. 

Pictured on the right are some of those who attended the first Ploughing School when instruction was is given by champion ploughmen, Ken Chappell, Phil Barriball and Adrian Brewer.  Some of the ploughmen who attended one course are Ian Brewer, Peter Curbiskley, James George, Daniel Trewern and John Martin.

No further ploughing courses are planned at the moment.