On Saturday the 17th August the sun shone as Gerard Schoenmaker and his team of helpers staged the 2013 Dutch Ford and Fordson Championship at Emmen ( DR ).The day started with a cup of tea kindly provided by Gerards wife Ineke and followed by a short briefing on the rules and regulations to be followed.

 

  

22 Ploughmen on various Ford tractors and an even more various makes of ploughs headed off to their plots on land kindly donated by Gerards brother and landowner Jos Schoenmakers.

     

        Gerard Schoenmaker ready to set off to his plot        Garich Hibma on his fordson major with

                   on a lovely standard fordson                                 weather protection

  

 

Rinko Koburg with his immaculate decta and platex plough

  

 

                                                                            Menno de Graf fine tuning his lovely Ford

               A happy DJ Vos on his lovely ford 9n                         cockshutt combination

  

 

                  Fordson Major and Platex plough                         Very nice looking Super Major

  

 

Soil conditions were dry and sandy and many ploughmen had difficulty burying the stubble, after the crown and six furrows were ploughed  the whole of the ploughmen broke off for tea and sandwiches,laughter and discussions on how it was going to plough were held. Soon they were back in action and producing a good standard of work.

 

Denand Nicopai on 9n & cockshutt also favouring wind protection

  

 

Jos Witte on his immaculate dexta who is soon to visit & plough in England

  

 

                                                                                              Menno de Graf

                    Egbert Regibn on his dexta                   and his lovely ford cockshutt combination

  

 

 

  

 

                                                                              Co Looyesteyn ploughing to victory

          Nice work with super major and 3 furrows              on his dexta and ransome plough 

  

 

While the match was in progress I spoke to many of the ploughmen about the type of plough they used, platex seemed to be a popular make but the plough and mouldboards would not catch on in England.

 

Plenty of Ford tractors in wonderful condition - a couple of outfits in particular stood out, the Dexta

platex plough combination of Rinko Koburg flying the English flag, aswell as a very original E1A major

of Garich Hibma with some unusual weather protection. 

  

 

  

 

Judges for the days ploughing were Klaas Vernhout and Anko Broekema

 

Soon the plots were completed and the judges finalised their verdicts and after a lovely tea the happy ploughmen awaited their results.

 

1st Menno de Graf

2nd Gerard Shoenmaker

3rd Evert Mennega

 

  1st Co Looyesteyn

2nd Dirk Vos

3rd Jurrie Potze

 

 

First in the Mounted class was Co Looyesteyn who ploughed a good plot on his dexta ransome combination. First in the Trailed class was Menno de Graf on his wonderfully original fordson and cockshut plough, both are very keen ploughmen and are travelling to England with four others to compete in the northern FFA final at Towton near Tadcaster on the 3rd of November.

Thanks to Mr and Mrs Jarich and Djoeke Hibma who have help Gerard for many years now in organising this Ploughing event and ofcourse his wife Ineke for the all day refreshments and my invite to be part of this great annual ploughing event.

 

Thanks to all who made a most enjoyable day for us and I hope they could understand my Yorkshire accent.

 

Words & Photo's - Roger Ingham