IT was all hands to the plough last weekend at the Scottish Ploughing Championships in Kelso.

The event broke last year’s record with 180 contestants, as well as seven pairs of horses, taking part in the two-day event at Bettyfield Farm.

The competition included classes in modern, classic, vintage and horse ploughing and competitors were marked on various aspects of their work.

Uniformity, narrowness, shallowness and straightness of furrows and good weed control were all considered by the judges.

And the champions from each section will now go on to represent Scotland at next year’s World, European Vintage, Six and Five Nations championships.

Also at the event was Hay Farm Heavy Horse Centre which offered carriage rides and Border Vintage Agricultural Association which displayed vintage tractors and machinery.

Visitors also enjoyed craft stalls, trade and machinery stands and demonstrations.

Chairman of the Scottish Ploughing Championships Bill Wood told the Border Telegraph: “The weekend went well and we had 180 competing on the Saturday with the plough-offs taking place on the Sunday. We also had a good turnout of spectators, more than we expected.

“We were lucky with the weather, it was good on the Saturday with just a shower of rain on the Sunday.

“The competition was of a very high standard this year.

“The ground here at Bettyfield is very, very good and that goes towards good standards. Thank you to our hosts William Kirk and Sons at Bettyfield and to everyone for all of their help and support in the lead up to the weekend.”

Next year’s competition will be held at St Monans, Fife, and will also include the European Vintage and Classic Ploughing Championships.

The winners were:

Conventional – Andrew Mitchell Snr

Reversible Butts – David M Carnegie

Multi Furrow – Stewart Shaw

Horticultural – David Williams

High Cut – John Broomfield

Classic – David J Thomlinson

Non Hyd Classic Reversible – Raymond Middleton

Vintage Mounted – Richard Ingram

Vintage Trailing – Ray Alderson.