11th West Country Scythe Festival Competition Results 2015

5 x 5 metre Results

This years final was particularly exciting as only 3 seconds separated the three fastest mowers and all were equal favourites to win based on past years’ performances.

It all came down to quality (on which they were not so close!) and on the decisions of the judges.

Overall Champion

Time Quality Placing
Simon Damant 1′ 20” 8.0 1
Ded Kalaj 1′ 17” 6.5 2
George Montague 1′ 18” 4.5 3
Andi Rickard 1′ 48” 7.5 3
Andy Coleman 1′ 42” 6.5 5

Ladies Champion

Andi Rickard 1′ 48” 7.5 1
Beth Tilston 7′ 32” 8.5 2
Olga Damant 15’03” 9.0 3

Quality Cup

Olga Damant 15’03” 9.0 1
Richard Brown 2′ 56” 8.5 2
Chris Riley 5′ 14 8.5 2
Beth Tilston 7′ 32” 8.5 2

English Scythe Cup

Mark Allery 2′ 13 5.0 1
Terry Stamping 3′ 24” 5.0 2
John Fenn 4′ 55” 6.5 3

Best Newcomer

(with Norwegian scythe)

Charlie Quinnell 6′ 34” 7.5

Speed or Quality?

At the award ceremony there was a popular vote (by clap-o-meter) as to whether speed or quality should count more in the competition.  The full list of results from the final are accordingly listed below twice, side by side for comparison: first in order of speed and then in order of quality.  The judges awarded places (as above) on speed but also taking quality into account.  Simon Damant as overall champion was the only competitor who ranks in the top 5 on both speed and quality.

Speed:

Quality:

Ded Kalaj 1′ 17” 6.5 Olga Damant 15’03” 9.0
George Montague 1′ 18” 4.5 Richard Brown 2′ 56” 8.5
Simon Damant 1′ 20” 8.0 Chris Riley 5′ 14 8.5
Andy Coleman 1′ 42” 6.5 Beth Tilston 7′ 32” 8.5
Andi Ricard 1′ 48” 7.5 Simon Damant 1′ 20” 8.0
Kevin Austin 2′ 00” 7.0 Phil Batten 3′ 29” 8.0
Mark Allery 2′ 13 5.0 Dan Britain 3′ 47” 8.0
Richard Brown 2′ 56” 8.5 Andi Ricard 1′ 48” 7.5
Fergus Waters 2′ 58” 7.0 Charlie Quinnell 6′ 34” 7.5
Terry Stamping 3′ 24” 5.0 Kevin Austin 2′ 00” 7.0
Phil Batten 3′ 29” 8.0 Fergus Waters 2′ 58” 7.0
Dan Britain 3′ 47” 8.0 Nigel Adams 4′ 43” 7.0
Matthew Mugatroy 3′ 53” 6.0 Ded Kalaj 1′ 17” 6.5
Jeremy Weis 4′ 03” 6.0 Andy Coleman 1′ 42” 6.5
Nigel Adams 4′ 43” 7.0 John Fenn 4′ 55” 6.5
John Fenn 4′ 55” 6.5 Matthew Mugatroy 3′ 53” 6.0
Chris Riley 5′ 14 8.5 Jeremy Weis 4′ 03” 6.0
Fergus Day 5′ 24” 6.0 Fergus Day 5′ 24” 6.0
Charlie Quinnell 6′ 34” 7.5 John Adams 11’28” 5.5
Anthony Waters 7′ 11” 5.0 Mark Allery 2′ 13 5.0
Beth Tilston 7′ 32” 8.5 Terry Stamping 3′ 24” 5.0
MaryEllis 10’04” 4.5 Anthony Waters 7′ 11” 5.0
John Adams 11’28” 5.5 George Montague 1′ 18” 4.5
Olga Damant 15’03” 9.0 MaryEllis 10’04” 4.5

(A total of 65 people entered the competition this year, from which 24 were chosen to go forward to the finals.  For full results from the qualifying heats see foot of page)

Team Mowing Results
4 mowers mowing 8 x 8 metres

1st –   Somerset  – 3 min 13 sec (Q 6)
Andi Rickard
George Montague
Dan Brittan
Mark Allery

2nd –  East of England–  4 min 25 sec (Q 7)
Simon Damant (broke blade tang!)
Olga Damant
Ded Kalaj (broke snath!)
Richard Brown

3rd –   Monkton Rogues and Vagabonds  9 min 06 sec (Q 8)
Phil Batten
Simon Fairlie
Lloyd
Fiona

4th –  Cornwall –  12 min 35 secs (Q 7)
Kevin Austin
Roger C O
Amy Willoughby
Oak Johnson

English Scythe (all male team)* – 10 min 02 secs (Q5)
John Fenn
Martin Kibblewhite
Darren Hulbert
Terry Standing

* team rules are that each team should contain at least one mower of each gender

The Slow Mow’s,

Christiane Laganda, Steve Tomlin, Rafaele and David Keugler gave a demonstration of team mowing with some synchronised mowing (not easy on an 8×8 plot). Quality – incomparable;  speed – who is counting, but not actually that slow.

Results of Qualifying heat in alphabetical order by surname.

The heats are assessed on the distance mown (6 ft /1.8m  swath) in 1 minute and quality.

First name Surname Distance Quality
Nigel Adams 4.3 8
John Adams 3.9 7 1/2
Mark Allery English blade 7.4 6
Kevin Austin 7.3 7 1/2
Nick Baker 3.7 5
Phil Batten 5.6 8 1/2
Brendan Boa 3.8 6 1/2
Mark Brittan Veteran 2.3 7
Dan Brittan 4.3 8 1/2
Richard Brown 4.7 8 1/2
Thomas Car 3.2 5
Andy Coleman 6.7 8 1/2
George Collin 2.3 3
Graham Cook 1.8 3
Andrew Cook 1.9 7 1/2
Rob Cotterill 2.4 8
Mark Cox 3.1 5
Roger Creagh-Osborne 1.5 5
Ben Critchley 1.5 7
Simon Damant 11.2 8
Olga Damant Veteran female 1.8 6 1/2
Fergus Day Child 1.8 6
Simon Day 2.1 5
Mary Ellis Female 2.3 6
Simon Fairlie 3.5 8
Marion Famning Female 2.3 6 1/2
John Fenn Veteran with English blade 3.4 7 1/2
John Fiaharty 2.3 5
Frederico Fillipi 4.6 1
Michael Gerrard 5.2 5 1/2
Daman Green 4.0 7 1/2
Roy Henderson 4.6 3 1/2
Eric Hodges Veteran 3.0 3 1/2
Darren Huhbert 5.2 4 1/2
Peter Johnson 6.2  1/2
Ded Kalaj 6.7 8
Andy Leach 2.2 5 1/2
Andy Leach 4.0 not measured
Chris Matcham Veteran not measured 3 1/2
George Montague 9.8 7 1/2
Joe Moore 3.5 5
Matthew Murgatrow 4.2 9
Merlin Oliva-Knight 1.5 7
Adrian Patch 2.7 2
Shane Potts 2.1 6
Charlie Quinnell Norwegian blade 3.7 8
Rhino 6.0 3 1/2
Andi Rikard Female 6.9 8
Chris Riley 4.6 8 1/2
Calen Rodgers 2.3 1
Julian S Veteran 3.8 5 1/2
Terry Stamping English blade 5.6 6 1/2
Matt Tall 1.9 9
Beth Tilston Female 4.1 8 1/2
James Tinker 2.1 3 1/2
Tiziana Togga Female 1.5 2
Darren Topps 1.9 7
Richard Tosgood 2.5 7 1/2
Mick Velasco 2.4 5
Harrikea Ven Female 1.5 4
Tavis Walker 1.9 6
Aidan Waters Child 2.0 7
Anthony Waters 3.5 7 1/2
Jeremy Weiss 4.6 8 1/2
Amy Female 1.9 8

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