Mark Dillon Returns Home with Ploughing Tractor after European Competitions
Southland rural contractor and current NZ Ploughing champion Mark Dillon has got his tractor back after it enjoyed some extensive OE.
Held near Bordeaux, in south-western France, the event was a great success with competitors from 29 different countries competing in each division with conventional and reversible ploughs.
First time competitor Mark Dillon from Riversdale in the conventional section finished 18th overall after finishing 17th in the stubble on the opening day and 20th on the grassland plot on the second day. He gained sponsorship, while there, from a local winery run by a Wellington woman and her French husband.
Meanwhile, Malcolm Taylor, from Putaruru, in the reversible section finished 7th overall after coming 10th in the stubble and 6th in the grassland. He represented New Zealand last year in Canada and will again represent New Zealand at the 2015 world championship to be held in Denmark.
The Republic of Ireland – a stronghold of good ploughmen – had a unique result. The winner of the conventional section Eammon Tracey finished third in Canada in 2013 and the winner of the reversible plough division, John Whelan last year finished, third this year.
Of the 58 different ploughs used all – except four – were Kverneland or Kverneland-based.
