For many years now the West Grinstead & District Ploughing Match & Agricultural Society has been celebrating young people in farming and encouraging them to join the agricultural industry through their bursaries and awards.
The warmth of the welcome overcame the early wet start of this year’s show. The afternoon brought bright sunshine drawing the crowds in the afternoon. As I arrived I was greeted by Rowan Allan.
Rowan is the longstanding joint secretary of the Society and a partner in H. J. Burt based in Steyning and Henfield. As a Chartered Surveyor and a Fellow of the CAAV he has strong professional and personal links with the rural and agricultural community in Sussex. I ask Rowan how long H. J. Burt has been associated with the Society and show, he replies “The Society was founded in 1871 and as a firm we’ve been involved since 1887”. He explains that the show seeks to honour and learn from the past whilst looking confidently to the future.
I join Leah in the ring. She has been showing the prize winning Ayrshire from Brinsbury College where she was a student. I ask Leah about the cow, she replies “She’s an Ayrshire, a year and a bit old…we’ll start serving her in November time and, yeah, she’s just a lovely cow.” The cattle have been judged by Tim Gue, a respected dairy and arable farmer at Huddlestone Farm, Steyning. His wife, Marion, provides enthusiastic and expert commentary throughout the day. Leah tells me how she now works on a farm near Barlavington running a dairy herd of 300. Our conversation turns to the Society’s bursaries and how she has personally benefitted from them. I ask Rowan about the Society’s bursaries, he says “The Society launched the Bursary Scheme more than ten years ago to assist those keen to pursue a career in agriculture. Potential candidates need to be working in the Society’s area.”
It was a blessing to see the local farming community brought together and so many enthusiastic young people. They were joined by families from the Horsham District which made for a joyous day. Thanks must go to David Exwood, his family and team, for their hospitality and for hosting this year’s show at Westons Farm. To find out more about the Society and its work visit www.westgrinsteadploughing.co.uk.