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The 2008 competition was held Saturday 23 February 2008
Location: by the Fighting Cocks, Hale Common, Arreton. By kind permission of A E Brown Farms
The biggest competition yet was held in reasonably dry weather on a cauliflower field alonside the main Arreton-Sandown road. Fifteen pitches were cut, plus a demonstration pitch by Peter Tonks, a former supreme national champion. Other attractions included a demonstration of hurdle-making from local hurdler Richard Bolwell, and an impressive display of billhooks.
The sizable crowd assembled for the results had a tense wait for the verdict as the three judges had to reinspect the pitches to determine the results of several ties. A remarkable upset occured when reigning champion Dick Pulleine was unexpectedly ousted from the top spot by Paul Davis, who has not competed in recent years. The novice class also saw a new winner, with Rob Richards, a regular competitor, picking up his first trophy - as well as the brand new W Hurst & Sons cup for the best laid hedge with hand tools only. A big entry from the IW College guaranteed an exciting competition in the team class, with the usual range of students showing remarkable stamina ands skill. All the competitors earned their prizes!
Open Class | Novice Class | Team Class | |
1st | Paul Davies | Rob Richards | Red Hot Solar Panel |
2nd | Dick Pulleine | Robin Lang | Wench Layers |
3rd | Oz Hoskyns | Alex Holmes | Yer But No But |
4th | James Cook | Paul Trickett | Two Toms & a Tit |
5th | Tom Murphy | Rick Temple | Hedge Babes & The Dude |
The W Hurst & Sons Cup for the best laid hedge using hand tools only went to Rob Richards.