At Felton: Trumpet ploughing match. x

The 70th Trumpet Ploughing Match is a great British tradition. It's a country show in its rawest form. A beautiful simplistic show, which carries all the elements from its origin.

Teams of horses line up pulling against the cut of their ploughs. Traditionally bigger horses, such as shires were employed, but nowadays there is an acceptance that a wider breed of horse can plough. It's a pleasure to see as well and an education to see a team of three Dartmoor ponies ploughing a perfect line next to a pair of Brabant horses, Gypsy Cobs and these strong Shires.

No one can understand the art of ploughing from a book. It's like being a ceramist throwing the perfect pot first off, its not just the measurement or the clay. Ploughing very much depends on the soil, the weather, that then affects the weight of the upturned sod and the air pocket beneath. The aim is to have least air, which will provide a harbour for weeds.

" So, if he has adjusted his plough correctly the ploughman will – according to Stephens’ “Book of the Farm” – produce furrow slices which are straight, parallel (which shows they are of uniform thickness), the same height (which shows they have been cut to a uniform width), the form and angle of the crests should be similar, they should lie flat upon each other, the crowns, or ridges, should be level with the rest of the ploughing and the last furrow slice should be the same width as the rest. Finally, it is essential that the ploughman has his horses under strict control. "

The rain battered down on the final cut. It's a testament to the skill of the ploughmen and horses that they carry on regardless. A underrated piece of British farming laid out in a small field in Herefordshire.