Female future farmer sows the seeds of victory in ploughing contest

Student Holly Harris beat off stiff competition from other young farmers to take first place in a Herts-based ploughing match, held in Hatfield.

The 17 year old – who is studying at Oaklands College in nearby St Albans – had never even driven a tractor before her embarking on the institution’s new agriculture course.

Former Egerton Rothesay School pupil Holly said: “I’m really pleased to have won the competition.

“I wanted to study agriculture because I like working with animals and I like the idea of working on a farm.

“I had never driven a tractor before I came to college so I was a bit surprised to win.”

Competitors were tasked with ploughing part of a field, with points being awarded for straightness and neatness of the resulting furrows.

Oaklands’ animal care lecturer Colin Elcombe said: “It’s a great achievement for Holly and it’s fantastic to see her putting the skills she has learnt at college into practice.

“This course gives the students a really good basic knowledge about agriculture which is a great starting point for when they enter into the industry.”