Learning how to do it the correct way.

[Donald]

A number of you, even though you may not know it, live in countries where competitive ploughing is a big thing. There are national and world championships taking place every year. With a very strong agricultural industry, Scotland is big in the world of competitive ploughing (well, we're no good at rugby or football (soccer) ... or netball, or .....!).

The Scottish Ploughing Championship Association was holding a training weekend close by to where I live. Too good a chance to miss. Especially as in my normal genre you'd be forgiven for thinking that there are no human beings in the places I live and visit. So, I thought I'd better go and see what I could do with people in the frame. And tractors! Got to have tractors.

You'd better believe it - this competitive ploughing is deadly serious stuff.

I've made a gallery of the pictures I made in my own website. If you'd like to have a look, click here.

Comments and thoughts always welcome.


40D, 70-200mm f/4L IS @ 78mm. ISO800. 1/250@f5.6.

[tbob]

This brings back a lot of memories.

When I was growing up in southern Ontario, in the sixties, ploughing matches were dead serious as well and maybe still are. A farmer's reputation in the local community hinged on how straight, even and regular his furrows were. And not just at the competition. One of our neighbours sold his place and the first spring the new owner did a slightly poor job of planting his crop. Crooked rows right next to the road. His poor son (eight years old!) had to endure two months of ridicule at school until we were let out for summer holidays.

When I was working on a grain farm Saskatchewan, the field next to the main road was reserved for the father. Even his twenty five year old son was not allowed to seed or fertilize that field. The rows had to be perfect. One mile by one mile of perfection with no room for error.

[chauncey]

Competitive ploughing...competitive ploughing...Donald, coming from anyone else, I would have assumed that there was some leg pulling going on. Over here they're called "tractor pulls".

[FootLoose]

That is a marvellous composition, Donald. The look of concentration on the men's faces, and their body language convey the seriousness of it all. You have captured just the right moment, and the subtle tones in the conversion makes them seem animated. Very impressive.


It is a wonder we don't have international ploughing competitions. I guess the cost of transporting the competitors' equipment could be expensive, though. Still, it would be interesting to see how well the champions would do on foreign soils.

[Donald]

It is a wonder we don't have international ploughing competitions. I guess the cost of transporting the competitors' equipment could be expensive, though. Still, it would be interesting to see how well the champions would do on foreign soils.

Greg - There are.

One of the guys who was leading the teaching at this training weekend is current world champion in one of the categories.

Presumably if you go from Scotland to compete in, say, the US or Canada, you have to use equipment that's made available over there.

Anyway, thanks for the comments guys. Just discovered that if you Google 'ploughing' you get a whole lot of YouTube stuff. Can't wait for the Scottish championships in October (again, near my home) and the chance to try photographing the heavy horses in action.

[Bobobird]

Horse ploughs now that is something to wait for.

I looked at all the pics in the gallery and like that "war and peace" shot with the sheep in the top half and the chaos in the lower.

[mknittle]

Competitive ploughing...competitive ploughing...Donald, coming from anyone else, I would have assumed that there was some leg pulling going on. Over here they're called "tractor pulls".

No those aren't the same. But interesting especially the multi-thousand horsepower tractors with five engines.

[NorthernFocus]

I took a look at the gallery, Donald. Not too shabby for a guy that doesn't shoot people.

Doesn't Scotland have a rich history of beating ploughshares into swords? Is all competition suspended on those occasions ?

[Brownbear]

Beautiful image... I think these are special.

PS The first time I've seen your gallery... exquisite

[Sponge]

Great job Donald, as always I enjoyed your B&W conversions and I would be overjoyed to get as many keepers as you have.
I have to agree with Bobo, horse ploughs sounds especially interesting.

[Donald]

Doesn't Scotland have a rich history of beating ploughshares into swords? Is all competition suspended on those occasions ?

Ah, but we're now a very gentle and peace-loving lot .. except when we play England at soccer, or rugby .... or anything. That's when the Braveheart effect kicks in and we all become rampaging warriors!

Thanks for all the comments folks. I've already started visualising the pictures I want to make of the horses ploughing. Having been at this event over the past weekend certainly gives a good sense of what happens and how it all works, so that when I go to shoot again I won't need so much time to work out angles, shots etc.