Orkney St Margaret Hope Boys Ploughing Match & Festival of the Horse

Where:	St Margaret Hope, South Ronaldsay, Orkney at Hope Community School and the Sands O'Wright beach
When:	3rd Saturday in August
Time:	Parade 10 am, ploughing 12 noon

There are ploughing matches for horse and tractor at locations throughout the British Isles, but the event at St Margaret Hope is unique in that the miniature ploughs are powered by boys not horsepower. Horses are not forgotten, however; a competition for children in elaborate costumes involving straps and harness is an integral part of the custom, though the horse children don’t do any plough pulling. Many of the costumes are handed down through generations – look out for the ankle fringes representingthe horses feathers (that’s the name for the hair above the hoof, in case you didn’t know!). The ploughing takes place on the nearby beach; the handheld ploughs are used in a four-foot square plot and prizes are given for technique in 3 age groups with 45 minutes allowed.