Do you have a large paddock you want ploughed on the cheap?

[Tony Smith]

So what do you do? Fuel costs are high, the tractor's playing up and frankly it's hot work doing it yourself. How can you get someone else to plough your paddock, and more importantly, WANT to do it for free?

Max has come up with the perfect solution!

http://www.wooback.com.au/

Surely we can throw in a Blitz demo or two, or trials of a Strickland Carrier Vs a 2 horse team of Clydesdales.

[hrpearce]

I will have to mark that date in my diary and apply for day release.

[David Dunlop]

If you make it to that show, Tony, take lots of pictures! Back in 1952, my parents built a home in a new subdivision here in Winnipeg and the city was using horse teams to plow and prep the boulevards for grass seeding. The team that worked our area was a great brown Clydesdale and an equally sized grey with smokey spots on it's hips. They knew when it was lunch time and would stop work and walk back to a large, wooden, four wheel work shed and wait for their canvas oat bags and water. We used to race home from school to feed them carrots and apples before they went home for the evening (wherever that was).

Great memories!


David

[hrpearce]

Vicki has managed to get the forth off so we are planning to attend.

[Max Hedges]

Tony we finaly caught up with this thread

This all started from a great idea to buy a draught horse to be used and kept at a friends historic property and has now escalated to this.The organisation of this event is well under way, and it will be interesting to see how many horses actually turn up, there has been quite a bit of interest shown in being a spectator, offers of help and as an entrant. Now that Michael is back from the west he is also showing a great interest both in the horses and the old ploughs (oh no he is getting rust in his veins, maybe be it is inherited after all). Don't worry I'm sure some one will spot the odd Blitz or two there.

[hrpearce]

Getting close now. See you on the 4th looking forward to a day off.

[hrpearce]

It was a freezing day at Yass and still the horses pulled a good crowd

[Howard]

I am sorry I could not make it... Jo is out of town in the family rig.
It looked to be a great day, more reports (and photos, of course) would be appreciated.
Cheers
H

[Phil Waterman]

Hi

Was wondering did they give a prize for the straightest furrow and neatest set of furrow.

When we moved into the town lived in for the last 41 years there was one old timer that was still plowing with his team of horses. There a number of working farms now there is only one.

Cheers Phil

[hrpearce]

Phil there was some demonstration ploughing but the main aim was to set a record for the most number of horses turning soil at the same time. Hopefully Max will give us the results.

[Max Hedges]

Firstly this event was put on by the Yass Antique Farm Machinery Club. Yes there was a World Record Set, there was no other record, so this was the easy part. Considering the extremely cold wind on sunday the event was a huge success. Horses came from WA, Vic, & NSW. Some people came from WA, SA & Tasmania. The most disappointing thing perhaps was that only 28 horses actually made the event, the weather apparently had the horses stirred up and it was quite difficult for them on the day, 4 horses pulled out that morning and I guess some didn't come because of the weather as Saturday it was raining as well (you would not believe the mess, mud everywhere). We did have approx 3,000 paying people through the gate and the traffic was backed up for 3 1/2 kms getting into the event. There has been nothing but good remarks and praise for the event. One of the elderly ladies where I work, who attended sumed it up as " there would not have been anyone there happier than myself ", apparently she used to drive the horses on her farm. There was also an antique tractor pull and various machinery displays, stalls and food. A few military vehicles turned up and Ashleys army tent was used at the entry gate with Amec members helping man the gate. We managed to make a profit on the day and will be donating money to Can Assist, Heavy Horse Heaven and keeping some for a Rural Museum in Yass. this event would not have been possible without all the volunteer help from the fantastic members of the Antique Farm Machinery Club at Yass, Amec, numerous sponsors with donations of money, and whatever else was needed, The Yass Valley council ( who came and graded the road on Saturday ), Yass Earthmovers for fixing the driveways so people could get in, George Hempenstall for a loan of the horse yards, and anyone else who just turned up to help as the list goes on and on. Our horse which is owned by several club members and started all this didn't make the event as she was too stirred up with the cold weather and just wanted to go home, she bolted from the paddock slipped over approaching the gateway rolled over the fence and landed in the ditch on her back with her feet in the air and she just laid there whilst they undid her harness and then they took her back to the yards. Only our horse could do this so spectacuarly and try to entertain the crowd for a while, thankfully not many people saw this happen. She is fine and no one got hurt . I guess that if anyones animal is going to do this it may as well be ours. There is still a little bit of tidying up to do and all will be back to normal.