He may be familiar with the Northern Midlands property where the competition was held, but Tasmania's ploughing champion Rob Bayles had to pick his plot out of a hat, just like all his fellow competitors.
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The Northern and State Ploughing Championships were held at the Bayles' family property Chanak, in between Cressy and Campbell Town, on Friday and Saturday last week, with Rob Bayles taking out the titles.
Reflecting on his efforts after the two-day event, Mr Bayles said he was "pretty happy" with how he performed, despite getting stuck at one point.
"I've had a good ploughing match," he said.
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Tasmania's ploughing competition pool is small, with all the competitors knowing each other, but Mr Bayles said there was still a "friendly rivalry" between them.
"Even when you go to nationals you know everyone. It's a very friendly sport," he said.
As Northern and state champion, Mr Bayles and his fellow Tasmanian competitors will go to the national championships in Cowra during May next year.
National competition winners will head to Ireland to compete in 2021.
There were six competitors in the conventional category, four in vintage and two in reversible.
Each competitor was allocated an 80 metre by 20 metre plot through the random draw, with judges looking out for straight furrows and even ground across the three different time tests.
Organising committee member Matthew Bayles said competitors were watching the weather forecast in the days before the competition, but "if it's wet, it's wet; if it's not, it's not - you just have to see how you go".
"They fallow one way and then turn around and go back and create another to get even furrows.
"Theere's a few steps involved and a fair bit of reassessing. It takes a lot to get it right," Matthew Bayles said.
The Tasmanian Ploughing Association wants to encourage more people to join and compete in such events, Rob Bayles said.
"You don't have to be a farmer to do it."
"We had a photocopier technician, a truck driver and a school student competing. Another one of of our member's daughters ploughed."
"It's a unisex sport. If anyone wants to have ago they can. The organisation is quite happy to train you," Mr Bayles said.
The Tasmanian Ploughing Association will hold further training events early next year.
Visit the association's Facebook page for further information.
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Johanna Baker-Dowdell
Johanna has more than 22 years experience as a journalist for newspapers, magazines and online publications.
Johanna has more than 22 years experience as a journalist for newspapers, magazines and online publications.
