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Island Life - April/May 2011
Ploughing for
charity
History was created at the annual Memorial
Ploughing Match at Atherfield earlier this month
when teams of heavy horses ploughed in a
competition on the Island for the first time in 55
years.
A team of Island horses were joined by six pairs
from the mainland, and to publicise the event,
which raises money for the Earl Mountbatten
Hospice, the local heavy horses named Geoff and
Bob paraded through the streets of Newport,
driven by Steve Redfern, accompanied by Sammy
Tetlow, both great supporters of the Hospice.
The horses were taken down the High Street,
around Coppins Bridge and back to St James’
Square, where they stayed for more than an
hour and raised £150 for the Hospice. Steve later
turned his attention to ploughing for the first time
ever!
It was the third year of the Memorial Ploughing
Match, held at New Wolverton Farm, and attracted
73 entries, including the seven teams of horses.
The event is held in memory of Steve Hayles, who
passed away in 2008, and three other members
of the Isle of Wight Traction Engine Club, Den
Phillips, John Attrill and Derek Young w ho also
passed away.
Club member and event organiser Karen Sheath
10
said she always wanted to present a
prize in memory of her late grandfather
Wallace Sheath, who was a horse
ploughman. And with keen interest
from horse ploughmen on the mainland,
who arrived on the Island courtesy of
Wightlink Ferries, the event proved a
huge success, attracting a record entry
overall.
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