THIS year is the 169th annual Melplash Agricultural Society ploughing and hedgelaying match.

It will take place on Sunday September 25 from 9.30am until 4.30pm at Tessa Mackenzie Green’s Higher Langdon Farm, Beaminster.

There are eight classes in the ploughing competition ranging from vintage to modern conventional and reversible and this year the society is hosting the Dorset Young Farmers’ competition. 

The local class is for competitors who live within a 12-mile radius of Melplash Church and local competitor Michael Fooks will be hoping to successfully defend his title. 

The judges will not only be looking for straight furrows but conformity, burying of trash and a level line of start and finishing. There is also a tractor and plough for members of the public to have a go with under the watchful eye of previous champions.

Running concurrently is the Society’s hedgelaying match, where competitors will have to lay a section of hedge in the Dorset Style. 

There are seven classes to suit every ability from pairs, novices, to the local experts and the competition is used by some competitors as practice for the national hedgelaying competition taking place in Chester next month.

The Melplash Agricultural Society committee is offering a free hedgelaying training day on Sunday September 18 at Lower Newnham Farm Broadwindsor, starting at 10am and finishing at 3pm.

It is open to everyone to attend. Here past winners and coaches will be passing on years of knowledge and techniques to the most complete novice or rookie competitors who fancy entering the main competition a week later.

On the competition day there will be free parking and entry, a scarecrow competition, a Discover Farming exhibition to keep the young amused, local saw mill demonstration and a burger and refreshments van.

For more details on the above event or registering for the training day contact the society office on 01308 423337 or email lucy@melplashshow.co.uk