John Hill and Colin Bowen are the new British National Ploughing Champions, their victories earning them a trip to Sweden next May to the 2011 World Ploughing Contest.

They took their titles at the 60th British National Ploughing Championships, held on 9-10 October at Grange-de-Lings, near Lincoln.

The ploughmen faced stiff competition, but both John and Colin won easily – in the Conventional Final, winning a national title for the 13th time, ex-world ploughing champion John Hill from Hoylandswaine, South Yorkshire, was well ahead with 243 points, 21 points ahead of Ashley Boyles from Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. David Chappell from South Yorkshire took third place, with 216 points.

In the Reversible Final, with 285 points, Colin Bowen retained the title he won last year and comfortably held off the challenge from Peter Alderslade from Tyne & Wear, who finished second with 266 points.

Third place was young farmer Ian Brewer from Cornwall with 255 points.

The young farmers’ classes were hotly contested, with the reversible title going to 25 year-old Ian Brewer from Wadebridge, Cornwall, the conventional title going to 20 year-old Nick Davenport from Wakefield, West Yorkshire and the vintage title won by Alex Townroe from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.