life
COUNTRYSIDE, WILDLIFE & FARMING
‘The Bush Bashers’ - Simon Creed, Tom Greaves, Jordan Harper
‘The East Ryders’ - Alex Gilbert, David Long, David Pitman
Laying for
victory
Article by Tony Ridd
‘Rough Edges’ – Vivien and David
‘‘Dunsbury Farm’ – Paul Johnson, Jim Valentine, Patrick Seely
‘The Ladybirds’ - Abigail Gregory, Kara Newberry, Hollie Higgins
74
Dunsbury Farm was the
perfect setting for the
17th Annual Hedgelaying
Competition. Attracting over
thirty competitors in three of
the sections, open, novice and
team along with hundreds of
interested spectators, eager
to learn how to lay a hedge
or catch up with friends they
haven’t seen since last year.
Set in it’s own amphitheatre
with stunning views stretching
as far a field as Dorset, it
was complimented by a near
cloudless sky, as the sun shone
from start to finish, giving us
temperatures that would make
any summer day seem cold and
dreary – which most of them
are!
For the second year running
we where treated to a
demonstration by Peter Tonks,
a former Supreme National
Champion, who this year laid
his hedge in the ‘Midland’
style. With our now, regular
judges, Alan Ashby (former
National Champion) from
Kent, and our local judge
Paul Sivell, well known for
his chainsaw sculptures, both
keeping an eye on proceedings.
It was also the most
competitive competition to
date with the top three places
in the ‘Open’ section being
separated by only half a point
from each other. Paul Davies,
winning for the second year
running, beating his colleague,
from the National Trust, Sean
Adams into a respectable,
second place, Tom Murphy a
proud third.
With last years Novice winner
moving up a league, we were
assured a new champion in this
section. Rick Temple, an IW
Council Countryside Ranger
filled this post, pipping Paul
Ticket for top spot by just 1
point.
For the first year ever, we had
a ‘home’ team, with Patrick
Seely (owner), Paul Johnson
(brother-in-law) and Jim
Valentine, eager to impress in
the highly competitive team
section. Although not making
it into the top three placings,
the wellbeing of Dunsbury’s
hedges are in good hands.
For more information about
the IW Hedgerow Group and
about managing hedges check
out their website at www.iwhg.
org.
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