After an absence of over thirty years the British National Ploughing Championships are returning to North Yorkshire. Held in a different part of the country each year, this year's event is taking place less than 5 miles from York city centre, at Crockey Hill, on Saturday and Sunday, October 13th and 14th, by kind permission of the Hobson Farming.

The Championships were last held in the county at Thorpe Willoughby, near Selby in 1973.

Over 280 acres will be home for the weekend to more than 170 top ploughmen from all over Britain, including past World and European champions. They will contest 12 ploughing classes, each hoping to take home one of the coveted British national titles on offer.

The classes embrace many different styles of ploughing and different types of plough, from the graceful horse ploughing of bygone years to today's sophisticated tractors and ploughs. The ultimate prize of the Championships is to represent England at the 2008 World Ploughing Contest in Austria, a prize that goes to the winners of the conventional and reversible classes.

The organisers of the event, the Society of Ploughmen, expect upwards of 15,000 spectators over the two days and already many companies, both national and local, are supporting the championships by demonstrating, exhibiting or by providing sponsorship. Main sponsors are National Grid, Goodyear and Bridgestone/Firestone. Additional support is being given by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, Ripon Farm Services, ARD and J R Prescott. Executive Director of the Society of Ploughmen, Ken Chappell said, "Already the Championships have attracted lots of attention and we are looking forward to a first class event. There is tremendous interest and support both in the immediate area and surrounding counties and it is great to be coming back to North Yorkshire - Hobson Farming have provided a superb site and the event will be a great day out for all the family!"

Visitors will see not only the highly skilled competition ploughing and an extensive trade stand area but also attractions such as vintage tractors, ploughs and equipment; a craft marquee with a wide variety of stands; and working demonstrations of the latest tractors, farm machinery and equipment.

One of the major "family" attractions will be the horse ploughing with around a dozen pairs of heavy horses at work each day. Magnificently turned out with ornate brass and leather harness, these true farm 'workhorses' will be seen competing to produce the best general purpose ploughing on the first day and the stylish traditional 'high cut' work on the second day.

On the first day, more than 150 ploughmen - including young farmers - will parade to their plots and compete in two classes - either the practical reversible ploughing most commonly used today or the more traditional conventional style. The qualifying ploughmen will go through to the finals on the second day to find the national champions of the two styles and the 2008 World Contest contenders.

On the second day, lovers of classic machinery and equipment will enjoy three classes for vintage tractor ploughing - with trailing ploughs, hydraulic ploughs and classic ploughs - area champions competing for the honour of being the British Vintage Champion Ploughman.

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