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Clubs, Societies and activities at the Plough
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Sloe Gin 2011 Results
A mild clear night saw 24 tasters assemble
for the thirteenth Plough Sloe Gin Tasting. Seasoned sloe gin makers and drinkers were impressed by the first time efforts
of Mike Fleet giving him top spot in the 2011 vintage class.
Barbara Blackwell showed her mettle from the far side of
the Channel by taking top spot in the 2010 section and Ian Smeeton, Landlord & organiser at the Plough scooped the Older
Vintages category.
Overall Champion this year was Barbara Blackwellwell.
Entry money and prize money will
be donated to the Air Ambulance Charity, in accordance with the wishes of the Quiz Teams at the last Plough Quiz.
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| 2011 Vintage |
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| 11M | Mike Fleet | 457 | 1 | 11A | Kath Smeeton | 423 | 2 | 11J | Paul Bartlett | 420 | 3 | 11G | Ian Smeeton | 410 | 4 | 11H | Simon Thomas | 408 | 5 | 11K | Howard Denyer | 399 | 6 | 11Q | Barbara Blackwell | 395 | 7 | 11L | Vicky Peers | 391 | 8 | 11B | Emma Kelleher | 390 | 9 | 11C | Jane Denyer | 380 | 10 | 11P | Suzy Denyer | 377 | 11 | 11N | Maureen Collins | 373 | 12 | 11F
| Bob Salmon | 371 | 13 | 11D | David Jenkins | 366 | 14 | 11S | Pippa
Craddock | 331 | 15 | 11E | Alec Newton | 303 | 16 | 11R | Billy
Denyer | 302 | 17 |
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| 2010 Vintage |
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| 10B | Barbara Blackwell | 468 | 1 | 10F | Lindsay Berry | 382 | 2 | 10H | Sandy Begy | 378 | 3 | 10J | Ian Smeeton | 371 | 4 | 10C | Kath Smeeton | 366 | 5 | 10D | Maureen Collins | 339 | 6 | 10G | Paul Bartlett | 336 | 7 | 10A | David
Hodson | 329 | 8 | 10E | Emma Kelleher | 314 | 9 |
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| Older Vintages |
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| OE | Ian Smeeton | 414 | 1 | OD | Bob Salmon | 376 | 2 | OC | Kath
Smeeton | 375 | 3 | OA | Barbara Blackwell | 361 | 4 | OG | Barbara Blackwell | 337 | 5 | OF | Maureen Collins | 336 | 6 | OB | Paul Bartlett | 247 | 7 |
The
Great Plough Pumpkin Challenge Can YOU grow Greethams Biggest & Best Pumpkin
Register to enter the challenge!
If you have enjoyed your
meal or participated in any of our activities, leave your feedback below. (Click on leave comments.)
The
Great Greetham
Pumpkin-growing Comepetition
Weigh In Results
The
Weigh-in was a well-attended event on Monday evening, with no less than TEN home-grown specimens being delivered in the course
of the evening.
Steve Birch took the honours with his camouflaged example for the best-looking pumpkin, which wasn't
even known to exist until recently, due to the success of its colouring.
Simon Howard took the title with
his scabby monster for the greastest weight, at a hefty 28.5 lbs, although if David Hodson had remembered to turn up in time,
the result may have been different.
The greatest girth event was won by William Begy at 34 inches, although both
Simon and Davids would have beaten it if they had not been barred from that particular part of the competition.
Other
entrants were quite spectacular with Empingham Schools pumpkin presented by Toby Craddock being particularly nice, taking
home a highly commended and a consolation prize, which I am reliably informed will not survive to be shared by Toby's
classmates.
Mr Roland Easson presented his second attempt at growing a pumpkin. This years effort was slightly
smaller than last years, however, it was slightly longer-lived, and had no need of cryogenic preservation as last year's
effort did.
 The Main Event
Only
four adult entries were received, however the standard was so high that it was hard to choose between them.
Debbie
Eassons 'Two Faced' effort took a consoloation prize for the fastest carving. Julie France, with 'Mal de Merlot'
certainly grabbed the attention.
Simon Howard took second place with his incredible craving of several scenes in
the textured surface of his home-grown monster.
The Top Prize, after a lot of deliberation went to Steve Peers
for his 'Hovering Harrier RIP'
Many Thanks to all who entered, and more power to your elbows for next year.
The money from this event will be distributed at the end of the year to our nominated Good Causes.
Photo's
to follow
  Rules of the Game
1 Entry fee of £5.00 with entry form (Available from the bar)
2 First 15 to enter receive a free pumpkin seedling, however you may choose to grow your own variety instead.
3 Judging will take place on Monday 24th October 2011.
4 Prizes will be awarded for the heaviest, the largest (by girth) and the best
looking pumpkin.
5 After the judging, pumpkins will be returned to entrants for carving.
A second
judging will take place on Sunday 30th October, and prizes awarded for the best efforts. (Under 18 and adult
sections will be judged separately)
6 Any pumpkins not required by entrants
for carving will be auctioned off, proceeds going to “Friends of Greetham Church” & “Help for Heroes” The
12th Annual
Sloe Gin Making Competition
Results
The 12th Annual Sloe Gin tasting took place on the 28th December, filling the
gap between Christmas & New Year with an alcoholic haze.
The class winners were:
2010 Vintage, Emma
Kelleher
2009 Vintage, Bob Salmon
Older Vintages, Ian Smeeton
Bob also took the overall title of Chanmpion
Sloe Gin maker for 2010 with his 2009 Vintage, just pipping Emma at the post by 1 point.
Each Class winner takes
home £10 prize money (Ian has donated his back into the charity pot), with Bob Salmon winning an additional £15
as supreme Champion
23 Tasters took part, so £115 raised to be split between BLESMA, Help for Heroes and
the Rutland Stroke Club when we disburse the years charity monies in January.
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| 2010 Vintage Samples being tasted |
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| 2010 Vintage |
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| 2009 Vintage |
| Points | Place | No | Name |
| Points | Place | No | Name |
| 400 | 1 | 10/18 | Emma Kelleher | 401 | 1 | 9/1 | Bob Salmon | 399 | 2 | 10/9 | Jane Denyer | 330 | 2 | 9/4 | Barbara Blackwell | 392 | 3 | 10/6 | Kath Smeeton | 318 | 3 | 9/6 | Emma Kelleher | 386 | 4 | 10/14 | Billy Denyer | 317 | 4 | 9/2 | Kath Smeeton | 386 | 4 | 10/16 | Ian Smeeton | 315 | 5 | 9/5 | Peter Walker | 385 | 6 | 10/5 | Howard Denyer | 304 | 6 | 9/3 | Sandy Begy | 384 | 7 | 10/23 | H & S De Vries |
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| 376 | 8 | 10/20 | Suzy Denyer |
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| Older Vintages |
| 369 | 9 | 10/13 | Vicky Peers | Points | Place | No | Name |
| 358 | 10 | 10/3 | Dick Kent (2) | 336 | 1 | V/2 | Ian Smeeton | 352 | 11 | 10/10 | Dick Kent (10) | 334 | 2 | V/5 | Kath Smeeton | 349 | 12 | 10/17 | Felicity Salmon | 303 | 3 | V/6 | Barbara Blackwell | 348 | 13 | 10/21 | Paul Bartlett | 273 | 4 | V/1 | Bob Salmon | 346 | 14 | 10/1 | Barbara Blackwell | 262 | 5 | V/7 | Alison Brett | 335 | 15 | 10/22 | Tina Mann |
| 242 | 6 | V/4 | Stuart Young | 329 | 16 | 10/4 | Sandy Begy | 241 | 7 | V/3 | Peter Walker | 320 | 17 | 10/15 | S& K Thomas |
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| 318 | 18 | 10/12 | Lindsay Berry |
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| 316 | 19 | 10/19 | Hackett |
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| 313 | 20 | 10/8 | Peter Walker |
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| 296 | 21 | 10/2 | Julie Bertuzzi |
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| 292 | 22 | 10/11 | Chambers |
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| 185 | Last | 10/7 | Stuart Young |
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The Great Plough Pumpkin Challenge
Pumpkin "Weigh-in"
Results
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| The assembled entries |
Originally, there were only going to be prizes for weight, girth and best
looking pumpkins, however, a few more categories were added on the night.
Many thanks to Jack Vernal, RAF Regt
(Rtd) for agreeing at short notice to be chief judge for the evening, travelling all the way from Oakham to put his expertise
on the line.
Over £110 was raised during this part of the event to be donated to Help for Heroes, and Friends
of Greetham Church.
The prize for "Most deceased" went to Roly Easson for his sad and pathetic attempt
at growing a pumpkin. The prize, a splendid Ice Sculpture, sadly went the same way as the pumpkin, and was dropped on the
floor immediately before the presentation, leaving large pieces of ice getting smaller and puddles of water getting larger.
The "Smallest pumpkin" award went to Lynda Berry, whose tiddler
was purchased after the prize-giving by a man with extremely good eyesight and too much time on his hands to carve and
decorate for the next phase of the competetion.
A special category for “the Finest Pair the You ever did see”
went to Joanne Merry for her magnificent efforts. This large, perfectly matched and evenly balanced pair just had to be seen
to be believed, and were admired by all present.
“Most
Rounded and most Orange” went to Noel Burford, whose own efforts predeceased the competition resulting in a mad dash
round the fens and supermarkets of the region to find an acceptable replacement.
The “Best Looking” category was won by Mrs Debbie Easson
for her well-proportioned, slightly immature specimen, and her pumpkin took the prize.
“Greatest Girth” and “Greatest Weight” classes were both won outright
by Dick Kent from Castle Bytham, whose misshapen monster weighed in at a massive 43 Kilogrammes (88lbs, in real money).
All entrants were encouraged to recover their pumpkins and return for the second
part of the competition, the Decorating.
| The Monster and the Miniature |
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| Roly Easson examines the cross-breeding difficulties |
Judging will take place on Saturday, 30th October at
9 p.m. All those who entered the growing part have a free entry into the carving section, but everyone else is encouraged
to join in with their own efforts. Entry will be £1.00 and there are sections for the best decorated pumpkin in Adult
and Under 16 categories.
This is the first picture submitted for inclusion on the website from
a Castle Bytham based grower who wishes to remain anonymous at the moment due to the possibility of Pumpkin Rustling.
Minefields have been used along with armed guards to protect his precious, potentially prize-winning specimens.
Carving Competition Results
Steve Peers, Andy Pearce, Julie France and young Rhys alnong with Ben Easson all
deseve special mention, however all entrants were of such a high standard that it was impossible to name an outright winner.
Give all the entrants a huge round of applause for their efforts, and all the entrants should give each other a huge
round of applause, too.
| Help for Heroes by Steve Peers |
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| Three (or is it four) of the entrants |
Games and Quizzes
The Plough supports quiz and petanque teams. Devil-Amongst-The-Tailors, Quoits, Giant Jenga, Solitaire,
Dominoes and Cribbage are also played.
Clubs, Societies and Competitions
The self-styled and so-called Greetham Gentlemans Luncheon Club meet daily at any time after opening time until
closing time at least. No trips are organised, no activities are undertaken and most importantly no arrangements are made
that have any possibility of being kept. The GGLC has no rules, no subscriptions, no committee or officers, are not all gentleman,
are not all from Greetham, rarely have lunch, and have no constitution, so the entity as such does not exist. Membership is
exclusive, or inclusive depending on the members on the day, and as there is no membership list or secretary, applications
to join are a waste of time.
Greetham Reading Circle and the Greetham Engineering Society both hold their
meetings at the Plough. The Reading Circle meet on the last Monday of the month at 8.30 p.m. to discuss that months book,
and to take delivery of the next one.
The Engineering Society, which does no engineering meets on the first Thursday
of each month at 8.30 p.m. in the bar. Various trips and talks are organised on an irregular basis, with recent successes
including the Great Central Railway at Loughborough, and a presentation on the Model T Ford at Eassons Garage, Cottesmore.
PANIC, the Plough Afternoon Investment Club meet here on the 1st Wednesday of the month at 2.00 p.m., and have amassed
a remarkable portfolio of losses, market misjudgements and poorly researched equities which astonishingly enough, seem to
be turning a small profit. We are always on the lookout for new members with time to spend, especially if they have a little
money to spend as well. Please contact the Samaritans before considering membership of this club.
Pie Club - this long running Club, held at the Plough on Sunday and Monday nights awards a point for each pie eaten. Eat
(and pay for) five and the sixth is free, all at £8.50 each. The initiation ceremony includes the consumption
of just one pie, and is involuntary. Members have their names taken and details entered on a pie club card. A record is kept
of the pie consumption of each individual member, and at a certain threshold, the members' details are submitted to the
Health Police for further monitoring.
The annual Sloe Gin Competition just after Christmas is hotly contested.
2009 was the tenth year, entries were up, but due to the weather, judge numbers were down. Results are posted in the Plough.
Funds raised from quizzes and the Sloe Gin Competition are to be split between charities, Rutland Stroke Club and "Help
for Heroes" this year.
If you have visited the Plough and would like to tell others about your experience,
please leave your comments below
Rutland CAMRA Pub of the Season Winner - Winter 2008/9
& Rutland CAMRA Pub of the Year 2009 Runner-up
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