Methven turns back the soil

Colin Maw with a vintage tractor and plough at the Methven A&P Show on March 14, ahead of the 2026 New Zealand Ploughing Championships. Claire Inkson

Before GPS, before minimum till, before modern machinery - there was the plough.

This April, that history returns to the paddock in Methven for the first time since 2010.

The 2026 New Zealand Ploughing Championships and Methven Country Fair will bring together some of the country’s top ploughmen and women, along with a full weekend of vintage machinery, family entertainment and rural heritage.

For Colin Maw, vice president of the Methven Ploughing Association, the event is both serious competition and something much bigger.

“There’s 30 ploughmen for a start,” he says. “They’ve all had to qualify through their districts to get here.”

The championships feature multiple classes, including conventional and reversible ploughing, alongside vintage and horse teams.

 Winners of the top tractor classes will go on to represent New Zealand at the world championships -with next year’s final set to be held in Kenya.

“It’s a big deal,” Maw says. “The winner of the conventional and the reversible both qualify for the world final.”

More than just turning soil

While ploughing might look straightforward from the sidelines, the judging tells a different story.

“Straightness, evenness, weed control, tidiness , the whole plot gets judged on how it looks at the end,” Maw says.

“There’s about 10 different things they’re looking for.”

And while modern farming has shifted towards minimum tillage and chemical weed control, Maw believes events like this are a reminder of where it all began - and where it may head again.

“Half the people don’t even know what ploughing is now,” he says.

“But 150 years ago, that’s how we broke in the land. And there’s plenty of people saying we might have to go back to it again.”

A full weekend of rural life

Alongside the championships, the Country Fair brings a strong community and family focus - something organisers have deliberately built around the competition.

“There’ll be about 200 people involved just with the ploughing,” Maw says. “But we want families there as well.”

That means vintage machinery displays, traction engines, chaff-cutting and threshing demonstrations, plus food stalls, trade sites and plenty for children - from bouncy castles and pony rides to a dinosaur dig and colouring competition.

A highlight will be the working displays of older machinery, including Lanz Bulldog and Field Marshall tractors.

“They’re those big old tractors from pre-war days,” Maw says. “People love seeing them running.”

There will also be rides around the site on vintage tractors and trailers - a practical solution for a paddock stretching up to 800 metres long.

And if the weather plays ball, a tethered hot air balloon will offer visitors a view from above.

Why Methven?

Methven has a long history with ploughing competitions, last hosting the event in 2010 alongside the world championships.

Maw says Mid Canterbury remains one of the strongest regions in the country for the sport.

“I counted eight ploughing committees just in Canterbury,” he says. “You don’t get that in many other places.”

That depth of involvement, combined with a strong rural base, makes the region a natural fit.

Keeping the next generation involved

One of the important parts of the event is bringing new people into the sport.

This year includes a learner class, and practice days leading into the competition give newcomers a chance to develop their skills.

 “We’ve got coaches there helping them - telling them what to adjust and how to improve,” Maw says.

It’s something he’s been closely involved in himself, after years of competing and now judging.

“I used to plough when I left school,” he says. “Got close a couple of times but never quite made the final.”

Now, he’s helping the next generation find their feet - including his own grandson.

Old meets new

For Maw, the real appeal of the event is seeing the contrast between past and present.

“It would take all day to plough a football field with a horse,” he says.

“Now, a kid will tell you he could have it done by morning tea.”

That shift - from horsepower to high-tech - is exactly what the Methven Country Fair and Ploughing Championships put on display.

“This is where it all started,” Maw says. “With a horse and a plough.”

BOX

Methven Country Fair & New Zealand Ploughing Championships

April 18–19

557 Dip Road, Methven

9am–4pm

$10 entry, under 12 free