THIS year's British National Ploughing Championships are being held on a 200-acre site at South Stoke, near Reading, next month.

More than 200 local champions from all over the country will contest 11 classes on Saturday and Sunday, October 9 and 10. At stake are the British national conventional and reversible ploughing titles and for the two champions a place in the England team at the 2005 world contest in the Czech Republic.

The organisers, the Society of Ploughmen, expect upwards of 15,000 spectators over the two days. An additional attraction on the Saturday will be the 2004 European vintage championships.

This weekend England's top ploughmen, John Hill and Simon Witty, are competing in the world championships in County Londonderry.

Hill, 46, from Sheffield, is the current British conventional ploughing champion and Simon, 27, from Malton, North Yorkshire, is the British reversible champion.