Friday night and people were turning up… unfortunately for us it started to rain and carried on for a while. I suppose we needed some water, things have been getting a bit dry here in East Anglia and our newly planted trees have been suffering. In fact there has been about a 40% drop in June’s rainfall. One advantage of the rain was that it would help us mow much more easily in the morning.
What a treat- woke up at 5am to mow a meadow and the sky was blue, not a single cloud in sight. Jim was already up mowing his eighth of an acre and now I started on my quarter acre. These are the marathon races – tests of stamina, strength and your ability to keep a scythe sharp and in tip top condition. For me this is the real race, an endurance race that’s best done first thing in the morning when the dew is high and the grass falls with ease.
After an hour or so many others had taken to the field and it was good to see Mark out with his English scythe. The marathon races can be done anytime during the weekend and those turning up later opted to mow on Sunday morning (Simon Fairlie, Terry, Matt, Chris and Kevin did theirs then on the Sunday).
This was Terry’s first time at Wimpole and just as well he came because he was able to give Mark a good run for his money as he was the only other person to do the marathons with an English scythe.
The eighth of an acre mow was won by Simon Fairlie, Terry came second with the English scythe and Jim came third. In the quarter acre it was a very, very close call between Kevin and me, the favour was with me- just pipped Kevin by three minutes but both of us had the same quality. (Darn, I have lost Matt’s and Chris’s times, help!)
As usual the Wympole Green Woodworkers were busying themselves with various projects and Jayne was peg weaving with some fleeces she had just cleaned. Might give this a go and make a blanket for the winter with the fleeces I have just sheared from my sheep.
Chris Dodson was finishing off the thatch that we had commissioned partly made of wheat straw and partly reed; this is going to be a roof that demonstrates the local thatching methods at the building conservation weekend the last weekend in August. Chris was also very intrigued by our Lister engine and grinding wheel. It caused a stir every time we used it as the English scythes have to be ground and not peened. Now I never knew that olden day thatchers used eave knives to cut the wheat on the gable ends of houses and barns. Blow me – these looked like straight English scythes, in fact they were even made by Nash and co.
Our engine and wheel worked a treat- everything got a sharpen even the axes. There were other activities on show but mainly this was a mowing weekend.
This year we have added another fossil vs muscle race… took a gamble that I could beat a chainsaw making six oak stakes six foot long from one single oak trunk- blimey! From the beginning it was desperate work, the timber was very dry and would not cleave well.
However, in his haste, Tom grounded the 85cc Husky and made his work hard too… it was all to play for and a damned hot day to boot. ANYBODY GOT ANY OTHER IDEAS FOR FOSSIL VS MUSCLE CONTESTS?
The big mow! Well, for some time us mowers have wanted to mow in a gang (a very big gang) so on Saturday evening twenty six souls took up the challenge. Took a bit of time to get things going but, when they did, vast swathes of grass fell.
Wasn’t long until the gang had mown nigh on an acre. All in all everyone enjoyed the mowing even though the camera team kept stopping them when the sun went behind the clouds.
Once again we had a (nearly) full moon and, for those who were camping up at the Folly, the night was delightful- clear, crisp and cast with the light of the waxing moon.
Morning came and the clear skies had vanished, now we had dull, grey clouds drifting by and the prospect of thunder storms.
By 11 a.m. the rain did come. The first competition was going to be the 5x5s but, with the promise of better weather within two or three hours, we elected to do the team races first- all four teams went at the same time. (I forgot to write the times down and can’t remember who won, help!)
Next race was the ‘three way race’ Tom with the brushcutter, Jim with the finger bar mower and me with the scythe. This was going to be tight- could I win both fossil vs muscle competitions? Nope, Jim beat me by a whisker (and I mean a whisker) and if you havn’t seen the video, watch Jim doing a jig as he crosses the line first.
After lunch it was time to do the 5x5s. We have changed the timing as more and more people participate and we needed to get the prize giving done before people go home. Of note, Jim used his Scotch scythe and won by default as nobody else had entered one (so, those who want a medal -get a Scotch scythe!) Once again Mark and Terry went head-to-head with the English scythe (poor Terry was pipped at the post). Beth won the Ladies cup with Jenny coming second and Claire White third. John Reid won the veterans cup and first timer Phil Wakefield (who finished his 5×5 in a stunning 1.34 but with a quality of, dare I say it, 4) won the fast but c–p cup – well done Phil, the names on this cup usually go on to win a different cup in due course so you are in good company.
By 4 p.m. the sky was clearing and it was time for the 10x10s. Altogether there were nine plots to share out and, in a last minute discussion, the ladies had asked if they could do the plots in pairs. Now that was a novel idea and three ladies teams came forward to compete. We also started all nine plots at the same time which made it far more exciting but a little harder to time. However… it worked brilliantly! Kevin Austin finished first, Simon Fairlie came second and Mark came third with his English scythe. Katy and Jayne finished less than a minute after Kevin so won the ladies pairs.
Prize giving time!
Well, the day was over… but not quite- we had two coracles and the racing had not finished; those competitors who were still left and up for it took the two small crafts to the lower lake. Mission: to paddle out to the nearest lily flower, pluck it from the water and race back. Not so easy as it turned out- those yellow lilies did not want to be parted from their friends. Joe (who incidentally raced his brother Ben in the 5x5s and did exceptionally well and could be a winner next year) won’t be winning any coracle racing titles for the poor soul was lost at sea! Dunked after only a few metres of paddling. Who won? Not sure, but it was a hoot.
Results are below with a few omissions as my paperwork was…well, errr… let’s just say if you have any corrections or more info please email me.
The Quarter acre results
Simon Fairlie |
1.07 |
7 |
European scythe | Ist |
Terry |
1.07 |
5 |
English scythe | 2nd |
Jim McVittie |
1.46 |
6.5 |
European scythe | 3rd |
Richard Brown |
2.08 |
7 |
European scythe | |
Andrew Cook |
2.10 |
7 |
European scythe | |
Arthur Richards |
2.21 |
7 |
European scythe | |
Mark Ricketts | European scythe | |||
The eighth of an acre results | ||||
Simon Damant |
1.32 |
8.5 |
European scythe | 1st |
Kevin Austin |
1.35 |
8.5 |
European scythe | 2nd |
Mark Allery |
3.04 |
7.5 |
English scythe | 3rd, 1st English |
Matt |
6 |
European scythe | ||
Chris Riley |
7 |
European scythe | ||
Jim McVittie |
7.20 |
7 |
European scythe | Jim did two 1/8s with breakfast |
Ten by ten results men | ||||
Kevin Austin |
5.27 |
7 |
European scythe | 1st |
Mark Allery |
7.01 |
5 |
English scythe | 2nd, Ist English |
Terry Standon |
8.30 |
5 |
English scythe | 3rd, 2nd English |
Richard Brown |
9.15 |
6.5 |
European scythe | |
Simon Fairlie |
9.02 |
6 |
European scythe | |
Jim McVittie |
11.35 |
6 |
Alsorts of scythes | |
Arthur Richards |
14.21 |
5 |
European scythe | |
Phil Wakefield |
11.09 |
2 |
European scythe | |
Alistair Hobbs |
18.57 |
6 |
European scythe | |
Ten by ten ladies pairs results | ||||
Jayne 0’Rielly & Katy Marczewski |
6.43 |
3 |
European scythe | 1st |
Kate & Jenny |
8.40 |
3 |
European scythe | 2nd |
Olga Damant & Gill |
10.44 |
5 |
European scythe | 3rd |
Five by five results | ||||
Kevin Austin |
1.07 |
6 |
European scythe | 1st The East of England shield |
Mark Allery |
1.30 |
6.5 |
English scythe | 2nd, 1st English |
Phil Wakefield |
1.34 |
4 |
European scythe | Fast but Crap cup |
Terry Standon |
1.57 |
6.5 |
English scythe | 2nd English |
Matt |
2.02 |
7 |
European scythe | 3rd Best newcomer |
Richard Brown |
2.06 |
7 |
European scythe | |
Joe |
2.11 |
5.5 |
European scythe | |
Andy Marczweski |
2.14 |
5.5 |
European scythe | |
Alistair Hobbs |
2.16 |
5 |
European scythe | |
Jenny |
2.18 |
4 |
European scythe | 2nd Ladies |
Andy Leach |
2.26 |
6 |
European scythe | |
Simon Fairlie |
2.31 |
6 |
European scythe | |
Paul Martin |
2.50 |
6.5 |
European scythe | The Wimpole cup |
Andrew Cook |
3.00 |
6.5 |
European scythe | |
Mick Velasco |
3.05 |
5 |
European scythe | |
Shane O’Reilly |
3.07 |
5 |
European scythe | |
Beth Tilston |
3.16 |
9 |
European scythe | 1st Ladies The Ladies cup and quality cup |
John Flahety |
3.18 |
5 |
European scythe | |
Arthur Richards |
3.21 |
5.5 |
European scythe | |
Claire White |
3.31 |
6.5 |
European scythe | 3rd Ladies |
John Reid |
3.40 |
5 |
European scythe | Veteran cup again!!!!!!!!! |
Katy Marczweski |
3.50 |
5 |
European scythe | |
Jim McVitte |
4.05 |
7 |
Scotch scythe | 1st Scotch scythe |
Mark Ricketts |
4.09 |
7 |
European scythe | |
Ben |
4.21 |
4 |
European scythe | |
Chris Lang |
4.47 |
7.5 |
European scythe | |
Jayne O’Reilly |
5.10 |
4 |
European scythe | |
Olga Damant |
15.02 |
9 |
European scythe | |
Ded | DNF | European scythe | ||
Nigel Brady | DNF | |||
East of England | ||||
West Country | ||||
English scythe |
Reblogged this on Scythe Association.
LikeLike