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One-day competition 2011 Photos by Celia Slack and Tom Kingston

One-day Hedgelaying competition 2011

Sixteen hedge-layers started plashing two hedges on Waltham Pastures Farm at 10 am under the watchful eye of our steward, Stuart Buntine. After the meet at Waltham House, Martin Brown MFH brought the hounds and the mounted field to view the progress before getting underway with the day's hunting. The Novice and Veteran competitors had the better, more consistent hedge leaving the Open competitors with a more challenging hedge. However by the time the first trail of the day brought the hounds and mounted followers through the competition field for the second time it was clear even at a gallop that everyone was making good progress. Our judge, Robert Cartmail had a difficult decision to make particularly in the Open Contest however the results were as follows:

2011 Winners
Open Class
1.	Rob Thompston
2.	Allen Sharp
3.	Chris Stokes
Novice Class
1.	David Sharp
2.	Trevor Ward
3.	Robert Aldenham
Veteran Class
1.	Clive Matthews
2.	Geoff Key
3.	Badger Walker

The Best Local Belvoir Competitor prize went to David Sharp.

The prize-giving was held in the Marquis of Granby pub at Waltham and was accompanied by a tremendous spread provided by the pub as well a plentiful supply of cakes donated by hunt supporters. All the winners of this year's competition received new trophies kindly donated by Clive and Kathy Matthews.
We would like to thank Stuart Buntine, Conrad Underwood, Robert Cartmail, Kate Kingston and Howard Edge for all their help on the day and the Chatfeild-Roberts family on whose land the event was hosted. We would also like thank all of the Sponsors of the day for their very generous sponsorship and would encourage everyone to support these local businesses whenever possible:
NFU Mutual Melton Mowbray — Stephen J Jeal & S Proctor; Long Clawson Dairy; Benton's Estate Agency; Escritt Barrell Golding Estate Agents; Regent Services Waltham; Gonalston Farm Shop; Newark Showground; Paul R Towns; The Freeby Estate; Smiths Gore Land Agents; Paul Palmer Hedge laying; W Spence & Son; S Milner & Son; The Marquis of Granby pub.
The following individuals also kindly sponsored the event: Mr & Mrs C Matthew, Mr M Chatterton, Lady Tessa de la Rue, Mr & Mrs M Wilcox, Mr P Stephens and Christophe.

Our two annual competitions

The aims of the one-day competition are to promote the traditional art of hedgelaying, conservation and the opening up of country to make it more accessible to the hunt.
In addition, an on-farm competition is run, judged in the spring. Any farmer or landowner within the Belvoir country may enter a hedge. The hedge must have been laid within the last year and be a minimum of sixty yards in length.

For more details or to enter either of these competitions, please contact Tom Kingston on 01664 464144.

Why are hedges laid?

Laying hedges is just one of the techniques in managing hedgerows. Other techniques include "trimming" and "coppicing" (cutting off at ground level to encourage the hedge to regenerate). Left unmanaged, a hedgerow will continue to grow upwards and outwards and will eventually become a line of trees.
Where farmers keep cattle or sheep, a good hedge is essential, for although barbed wire fences can easily be erected, they do not provide shelter like a hedge. Hedges are also important for our wildlife and for their scenic value. A well-managed hedgerow is thick and bushy, an impenetrable barrier to sheep and cattle and a haven for wildlife.
Cattle will lean against a hedge and make gaps, whilst sheep push through the base; hedge laying prevents this. The cut stems, which are bent over at an angle, prevent the sheep pushing through the stakes driven into the hedge and the binding along the top makes the fence strong to resist the weight of cattle.
Laying the hedge also tidies it up and encourages the shrubs to regenerate keeping the hedge bushy and healthy. Once a hedge has been laid, regular trimming will keep it in good order for up to fifty years when it may be appropriate to lay the hedge again, or even coppice it.

Why are there different styles?

There are different styles of hedge laying in different parts of the UK. Each style has been developed over many years to cope with the climate of the area, different farming practices and the type of trees and shrubs that grow in the hedge. There are more than thirty styles recorded in the UK plus others in France, Germany and Holland.