Highlight of Nottinghamshire’s countryside calendar, Southwell Ploughing Match and Show, comes to Oxton this weekend

A ploughing match and show, which last year attracted over 8,000 attendees, returns this weekend.

Saturday, September 28, will see the annual Southwell Ploughing Match and Show take place — with a wide range of countryside stalls, competitions and attractions.

This year the show, run by the Southwell and District Agricultural Society, will be held in Oxton, by kind permission of Oxton Estate, from 8am to 5pm.

The joint presidents this year are Andrea O’Donnell, DL and James O’Donnell.

Exhibits and competitions include ploughing, using the original horse power as well as vintage and modern tractors, hedging, livestock judging and farm management displays, a dog show, horticultural and home produce competitions and home crafts — the horticultural and produce tent will have all the usual egg, jam and baking classes, along with many other horticulture and children’s classes.

Ploughmen from all over the country will be taking part in this year’s show, along with a number of teams of horses ploughing.

The society is also ‘pleased’ to be hosting a steam ploughing and thrashing demonstration, and the Static Vintage area will display a wide variety of entries.

There is also a jam packed schedule of entertainment in the rings.

Action in the main ring will kick off at 8.30am with the ridden hunters, followed by private driving at 11.15am, Concours D’Elegance parade at 11.45am, J C Balls Dancing Diggers at 12pm and 2.15pm, a mounted fancy dress parade at 12.45pm, Nottinghamshire Young Farmers tough farmer at 1pm, parade of hounds at 1.30pm, the heavy horse display at 2pm, the grand parade and presentation of trophies at 3pm, and, to conclude the day’s showcases, the parade of vintage tractors at 4pm.

The eight other rings will showcase everything equestrian — from Pony Club games to show jumping, and riding for the disabled.

Entries will be taken for the dog show from 11am and judging at 12pm, with a variety of classes suitable for everyone.

There will also be free tractor and trailer rides around the show ground and ploughing competition fields, and a wide range of countryside-themed trade stalls — with the show normally attracting over 150 traders in everything from farming equipment to country clothing.

The craft area includes a number of Nottinghamshire businesses selling a variety of home crafted items, and the Farmer’s Market will be selling locally produced food with lots of delicious snacks to try.

Tickets for the show can be bought on the gate for £15.00, with children under 14 free of charge, or advance e-tickets can be bought via the show website: www.southwellploughingmatch.co.uk.

General parking is free, and typically a short walk to the show entrance.

Southwell Ploughing Match and Show has been run by farmers, rural businesses and countryside enthusiasts since 1855, and is now hosted by Southwell-area farmers at at different venues each year.