Lady Iman makes light work of Molecomb task
Reverting to five furlongs for her first taste of action on British soil, she was sent off the 11-8 favourite and Ryan Moore kept things simple, travelling smoothly in the slipstream of the early leaders before taking over in the final furlong where she was not for catching.
Tim Easterby's consistent Argentine Tango gave chase in vain for an honourable second, with Kevin Ryan's early pacesetter Dickensian in third.
Lyons said: 'Sweet this, because I love the filly. I ran her over six and my jockey kept telling me she should be going five.
'But as Ryan just said if she gets a low draw at Del Mar she wins, but then he also said we should head for the Nunthorpe. If that's what he says and it's what the owners want to do then we will.
'I got such a buzz out of Del Mar last year that I'd like to be going back with something special and if I'm allowed that's where I'll go with her.'
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BBC News
27 minutes ago
- BBC News
Lions player ratings - the incredible, the unlucky & the poor
From the mouths of the British and Irish Lions we have heard plenty about how much they have loved this tour, how they revelled in each other's company, and how they have learned from Andy Farrell's time of their lives is the gist. One double Grand Slam winner said the series triumph trumps everything he has achieved in his career. The bonds were close among the class of ' is difficult to know what to make of these Lions Wallabies were undercooked in the first Test - the blame for which is on the otherwise brilliant Joe had to do without the great Will Skelton for the first and for much of the second Test, while their best player, Rob Valetini, was fit for just 40 minutes of the whole the Wallabies came so close winning in Melbourne and then overpowered the Lions in Sydney. The Lions won the series 2-1, but did not take it 3-0 - which was their oft-stated goal. In six halves of rugby, the Wallabies won four of them. This was a good Lions team with a sprinkling of great players, but nowhere near a great team. So, of the players who appeared in more than one game, how did they all rate individually? You can offer your verdict in the comments and the rater at the bottom. Forwards Finlay Bealham: Brought in when Zander Fagerson had to withdraw. Put in a strong scrummaging display against Argentina in the Lions' opening game that got people talking, especially since Tadhg Furlong was still searching for his form. Overtaken by Furlong and Will Stuart but there is no disgrace in that. 6Tadhg Beirne: Incredible. Wasn't at his best when he arrived on tour but he became an utter machine as time went on; power, carries, tackle count, minutes played. A brilliant tour and the player of the series from a Lions perspective. 9.5Ollie Chessum: Played his way into the Test team for Melbourne after Joe McCarthy's injury but didn't produce his best on the day and was dropped to the bench for the third Test. Only 24, he'll be back in 2029. 7Jack Conan: One of 11 players who started all three Tests. Conan was brutally harsh on his own performance in the second Test in Melbourne, but he was robust all tour, a powerful man. Not quite at full throttle, but good. 7.5Luke Cowan-Dickie: Played well in both of his starts in Australia, albeit the second one - AUNZ Invitational - was when his game-time ended after a horrible blow to the head. Would have put heat on Ronan Kelleher for a Test bench spot. 6.5Scott Cummings: Got off to a nightmarish start when failing to deal with restarts against the Western Force. After that, he was really good. Bounced back with a fine performance against the Waratahs and was strong again versus First Nations and Pasifika. 6.5Tom Curry: Looks permanently exhausted, but what a sensational player. Empties the tank every single time. Demonic physical presence. Set the tone in the first Test with a thumping hit on James Slipper and never let up after that. 9Ben Earl: Went around Australia with a smile permanently fixed to his face. Clearly loved every second of life as a Lion. And played well. A bench spot in two of the three Tests. Maybe lucky not to get a yellow card in Melbourne but his work-rate was huge throughout. 7.5Tadhg Furlong: Has now started nine consecutive Lions Tests, which is just freaky in the modern age. Had not played much rugby coming on to the tour but got better and better. The third Test was a difficult night, but he soldiered on. A Lions great. 8.5Ellis Genge: An excellent tour for the loosehead prop. Very solid in the scrum and a big ball carrier in most of his games. Started the first Test and was powerful. Came off the bench in the second Test and helped drive the Lions forward in those late, pivotal moments. 8Maro Itoje: Such a compelling individual. Bright and thoughtful. Good company in press conferences and in smaller gatherings. You wanted to hear what the captain had to say. Supreme for much of the tour, until his final Test went wrong after failing an early HIA. The Lions missed him when he was absent. 9 Ronan Kelleher: Was on the bench seven times in the 10 games, including the one against Argentina. It's hard to get momentum when only appearing in fits and starts, but did a decent job overall. Played his part in the seismic comeback in Melbourne. 6.5Joe McCarthy: Established himself as Itoje's second-row partner with some big games, especially against the Western Force on match one in Australia. He exploded out of the blocks. Was an effective enforcer in the first Test but injury claimed him thereafter. At least he got a taste of it. At 24, this won't be his last rodeo. 7.5Jac Morgan: Fans of all four nations adopted Morgan as the lone Welshman after Tomos Williams went home. He was at the heart of one of the most controversial moments in Lions history - The Clearout. Was terrific against the Reds and First Nations and Pasifika, and totally deserved his two Test caps. A serious player 7.5Henry Pollock: Arrived with a fanfare and with some predicting a Test spot. He's a very talented player, and showed up well, but Test rugby demands a lot more than he is capable of right now. Only a kid and will come again - bigger, stronger and wiser for this experience. 6.5Andrew Porter: Wasn't fully comfortable out there and struggled in the scrum against the mighty Taniela Tupou in the third Test. An excellent prop but short of his full powers. 7James Ryan: Was the forgotten man until he put in a viciously effective performance against First Nations and Pasifika then backed it up with a huge cameo off the bench in the second Test. He blasted his way through those closing minutes. A sickening blow to his head ended his third Test involvement in the most horrible way. 7Pierre Schoeman: Was always likely to be third in line at loosehead but he basked in the environment and brought his personality to everything he did. International prop and budding poet, if you have watched the Lions' behind-the-scenes films. You got the sense he loved every second on tour. 6.5Dan Sheehan: Arguably the best hooker in the world. Scored tries in the first and second Test, scrummaged well, carried with the pace and dexterity of a top class centre but with the power of a beast. Black mark was the shoulder to the head of Tom Lynagh in Sydney. Lucky to avoid a red card. 8.5Will Stuart: Scored the final try of the tour - a consolation, but still a nice moment. Stuart started slowly but gathered pace and had a big impact when he came on in the second Test. 7Josh van der Flier: Andy Farrell assures us that Van der Flier loved the tour, but he did not play a second of Test rugby when he had been hotly tipped to do so. That has to be a sore point. At 32, it's hard to see this outstanding player getting another shot at it. 6.5 Backs Bundee Aki: Finished the second Test strongly but was ineffective for much of the rest of it. He was desperately off form in the third Test and, in fairness, he used some agricultural language of his own to describe his performance. 6Elliot Daly: What might have been. Was having a storming tour and looked a certainty for a Test place when he was cut down in his prime in game two in Australia against the Queensland Reds - his 11th straight involvement in a Lions matchday 23. Cruel. 6.5Owen Farrell: The tour was sleepy hollow until the news came through that Faz Jnr had been called up by Faz Snr. Cue people verbally scrapping about the rights and wrongs. Pretty non-descript on the field even though he came on in two Tests. The best of it was his excellent press conference before captaining against First Nations and Pasifika. A fascinating and rare insight into the now four-time Lion. 6Tommy Freeman: Brilliant against the Reds early on. Was fine against the Brumbies. Had a poor first Test. Was good in the second. The third was a constant battle. 6.5Jamison Gibson-Park: Passing was so slick in the lead-up to the series-winning try in Melbourne. A world-class player but one who struggled in the monsoon in Sydney. 7.5Mack Hansen: A favourite of Andy Farrell and was surely heading for Test rugby until injury ruined his dream. 6Hugo Keenan: Laid low by illness early on, then came into the team and had a shocker against the Waratahs. Blair Kinghorn looked a very hot favourite for the full-back jersey at that point. Keenan's resilience kicked in though and he was excellent in his next game against AUNZ, good in the first Test and a hero with the winning try in the second. He was one of the Lions' best players in defeat in the third. 8Huw Jones: A magnificent attacker. Put in a two-try display against the Waratahs then barged over for a try at a critical time in the second Test. Lines of running and ability to find holes in defences was top notch, until the Sydney weather and Wallaby power neutralised him. Played much of that Test on the wing. 7.5 Blair Kinghorn: Was the last Lion in the door, having arrived late from Toulouse. Needed a big performance against First Nations and Pasifika to usurp Keenan from the second Test, but didn't deliver. His work off the bench in Melbourne was the true Kinghorn, though. Sydney was a mess for him - and for many others. 7James Lowe: By his lofty standards, a poor tour. He had a fantastic moment when setting up Beirne for an important score in the second Test, but Lowe couldn't find his confidence. 5.5Alex Mitchell: Was looking like creating a record by playing in every single game, but just fell short. Was on the bench eight times in Australia. A solid understudy to Gibson-Park who managed to hold off the challenge of Ben White for Test status. 6.5Garry Ringrose: The unluckiest of this and probably any other tour in living memory. Would almost certainly have started all three Tests because he was flying. Concussion cursed him. His mark would have been a whole lot higher otherwise. 6.5Finn Russell: Was in 'player of the series' territory before Sydney, which was a savagely hard day for a fly-half. Overall, he was a joy. Wasn't at his best in the second Test but when it came to those game-winning moments at the end, he was immense. 8.5Fin Smith: Never really got going after the loss to Argentina in Dublin. Started against the Waratahs, AUNZ Invitational and First Nations & Pasifika. He's young though, and will have learned a lot. 6Marcus Smith: Played a lot of rugby on tour in a number of different positions, but nearly all of it was off the bench. Was involved in the first and second Tests and had a decent tour in that utility back role that opened up when Daly left town. 6.5Sione Tuipulotu: A case of what might have been. Scored the opening try of the first Test after a sumptuous pass from Russell, but was dropped for the second (and then subsequently picked up a tight hamstring). That initial call from Farrell to drop him for Bundee Aki was highly dubious. Farrell said Tuipulotu was 85% fit ahead of the final Test, so he missed out. It will be interesting to get the Scotland centre's perspective on that in due course. 7Duhan van der Merwe: Finished as the top Lions try-scorer but never came close to a Test spot. A freakishly talented finisher, but there are just too many flaws in the rest of his game. 6.5Ben White: Came in for the injured Williams and looked sharp to the point that he cannot have been a million miles away from winning a Test bench spot. 6.5Tomos Williams: Wonderful cameo off the bench against the Pumas, scored two tries against the Western Force in the first game on Australian soil - and was then injured. Cut down in his prime. Painfully unlucky. 6
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
F1 stars discuss which teams they could join in secret chats away from prying eyes
Carlos Sainz has been around the block in Formula One and is certainly well in tune with the rumour mill surrounding the sport, which he opened up on in a recent podcast appearance Carlos Sainz admitted there is a location where Formula One stars secretly discuss their future. The Williams star has driven for five teams in the sport so far and is not certainly not a stranger when it comes to speculation about a seat on the grid. Currently in the midst of his first season with the British team after he was replaced at Ferrari by Lewis Hamilton last year, he's been partnered up with Alex Albon but has endured a tricky campaign with just 16 points to his name after 13 races. Sainz's departure from Ferrari came as a shock to the F1 world, especially after having a career-best year in 2024 where he finished fifth in the Drivers' Championship standings with 290 points, just two behind McLaren's Oscar Piastri. However, a chance to acquire the seven-time world champion was an opportunity the Prancing Horse simply couldn't turn down. Speculation surrounding where Sainz would race next was strife and during an appearance on The High Performance Podcast, the 30-year-old said he had discussed his future with Albon before signing with the Grove-based team. "I already knew Alex," the Spaniard said. "I had talked with him in the paddock. I remember a few times like, 'Are you coming or not?' I was like 'Probably, I think so.'" Sainz then told Jake Humphrey that the drivers' parade, when the stars of F1 are taken around the track on a truck before a race, is an ideal place for the racers to speak about their future away from watching eyes and ears. He continued: "We always have those kind of conversations in the drivers parade. If it's silly season, we talk a bit about silly season and I think everyone at the time was asking me, 'Where are you going, what are you going to do?' and I must have talked with him about it." With Sainz in a lowly 16th place in the standings, Albon sits eighth with 54 points to his name, just nine behind Mercedes ' Kimi Antonelli. While the Williams pair look to enjoy a friendly relationship, the 'Smooth Operator' admitted they have no qualms about going to battle on the track. "Don't underestimate that even Alex and myself when we put the helmet on, we want to beat each other as much as any other team-mate in the grid," he added. "It's just when we take our helmets off, we sit in that meeting and we give feedback about the car. "A good thing that we managed to do is leave the ego aside, leave your personal interests aside and say, 'How do we make this car quicker as soon as possible?' For that, I'm more honest than I would be with him or other team-mates about what I feel on the car and he's more honest with me on the past of the car and where the car has ended up. Sainz also opened up about feeling rocked by Ferrari's decision to replace him with the Brit. Admitting that he believed he was set to remain with the Italian team for the foreseeable future, it was a phone call that let him know of Frederic Vasseur's decision to part ways with him that left him "completely shocked." "I received a phone call and I suddenly received the news," he explained on the podcast. "I was completely shocked. I went from believing I was going to be in Ferrari for a while to, 'What am I going to do now?' "It never occurred to me that that could happen." When asked whether he was given any reason over his departure, he answered: "No, not really. There weren't many reasons. I'm not going to go a lot into the detail of those conversations. "But I was like, 'Okay now it's my time to shine and to prove to everyone what I'm worth. It's the most important moment of my life now.'"
The Herald Scotland
4 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Why Scotland is going full throttle for tractor sports
Early roots MHAIRI grew up under the watchful eye of her dad Ewan Cameron, an agricultural engineer whose five British championship titles between 2003 and 2019 set the bar high. 'Dad started in a Fordson Major in 2003, then Smokey II came along in 2005. He drove it to five British titles – three of those back to back,' she said. She would help in the family workshop from an early age, handing tools to her dad as he tweaked carburettors or re jetted the turbo. She explained: 'You've got to understand the machine inside out if you want it to perform – the drag can achieve the equivalent of 100t.' Passing the helmet WHEN she turned 17, Mhairi officially took over Smokey II. 'I should have started at 16, but lockdown held everything up,' she said. Since then, she's finished third in the British championship every year. 'It's getting tougher as teams are putting more money into tractors,' she added. 'We run on standard Shell V Power diesel. We tried race fuels but found they corroded the fuel pump if it was left in.' Under the hood sits a 6.6 litre six cylinder Ford engine, breathing through a custom-built turbo. A TW gearbox transfers torque to a 97/TW rear end, all Ford made parts. Over winter, the Camerons re jigged the intercooler for better airflow and installed a higher flow turbo. 'We skipped Scorton this spring rather than haul 300 miles and risk testing new parts under pressure,' said Mhairi. At BA Stores in Aberdeenshire in late June, wet Friday conditions meant no grip off the line. 'I just couldn't get traction – these conditions are out of our control though,' she recalled. Saturday brought a drier track and a podium finish. 'We placed third, and I was chuffed. It shows our winter changes work.' (Image: Rob Haining) A tight knitted crew IT'S a true family operation. Ewan drives their 2012 Iveco articulated lorry, which doubles as a mobile workshop and living area when at events. Mhairi's brother James, 30, assists with mechanics; sister Anna, 24, handles track side logistics; and mum Wendy sorts logistics, meals and morale. Family friend Eric Robertson has engineered the most recent clutch and helped for the past five years. 'We're up at dawn on event days, prepping, checking tyre pressures, topping up,' said Mhairi. 'Between events, the tractor might never leave the transport lorry. We'll inspect seals and look for leaks. Prevention is better than cure when you're on the track.' Off season and between events, Mhairi works at a neighbouring arable farm. She's on her way to getting a shot of driving the combine harvester this year. Bringing in the next generation MHAIRI is passionately committed to widening the sport's appeal. At Brechin – her favourite venue – the public can wander right up to Smokey II in the pits. 'Kids see the tractors up close and their eyes light up,' she said. 'They run 'garden pullers' for ages 8-12 on ride on mowers, limited to 350kg. From age 12, they graduate to 600 kg compact diesels – think car engines in little tractor frames.' She's clear about the barriers newcomers face. 'People look at the cost – frames, engines – and bail before they even begin. But you can start small, learn the ropes, and build up. The community's welcoming – there's always someone ready to help you out.' As the lone woman in Scotland's pulling circuit, Mhairi encounters occasional underestimates. 'Often people judge you initially but when they see you out on the track, they realise it doesn't really make any odds that you're a woman,' she admitted. She hopes her presence will encourage more women to suit up. 'We need diversity out here. I think more people, including women, need to be introduced to the sport. Women, men, kids – it's all about the tractor in the end.' Tech on the horizon LOOKING ahead, Mhairi expects tractor pulling to embrace advanced analytics: 'In the future, I see the sport including a lot more data handling and technology being used to identify issues sooner and workout where things need improvement. It will make it a lot more competitive and allow more people to attend the events,' she said. Xtreme Force KEVIN Carnegie's foray into tractor pulling is rooted in a lifetime of farming and family enterprise. 'I left school at 16 and went to Elmwood College in 1986 to study agriculture,' he recalled. 'When I left college, I went and worked on the family farm under the DM Carnegie name, based here at Brechin.' By 21, Kevin had secured his HGV licence and spent five years driving a fuel tanker for the family firm, Carnegie Fuels. 'Then, at the age of 25, I took on the running of Carnegie Fuels. At the start we only had two lorries delivering fuel and today we have 13. We also run Carnegie Transport and farm 40 pedigree Highland cows, with around 120 in total including youngstock at Balrownie Farm.' His passion for tractor pulling grew over two decades, but everything changed in 2018. He said: 'I knew of a tractor for sale in Holland which we now call Xtreme Force – originally it was called Red Impact. In my first season with Xtreme Force in 2019, I ended up winning the British Super Sport 4.5 tonne Championship, so we were off to an absolute flyer.' Under Kevin's guidance and with performance tweaks, Xtreme Force became a powerhouse. 'My son Ryan now drives that tractor and this will be his third season. Last year, Ryan was 2024 Super Sport British Champion with Xtreme Force so we have had good success with it.' Introducing Xtreme Green THE team's second machine, Xtreme Green, competes in the Pro Stock category. 'We purchased it in December 2022 from Holland – originally it was called Neighbours Nightmare,' explained Kevin. 'I was crowned British Pro Stock Champion with it in my first season in 2023,' he added. The tractor pulling season typically kicks off in May and wraps up at the end of August. At the most recent BA Sports Scottish Championship Tractor Pull in late June, the team put in a staggering effort. During the first British championship points round at Scorton, Kevin put a conrod through the engine block and, alongside his crew, tore down, rebuilt and reassembled the engine in just 28 hours. 'We only had around five hours' sleep that night,' he laughed, 'but by Friday afternoon we were up and running again, competing that evening.' Operating under the banner of the Xtreme Tractor Pulling Team, Kevin's right hand man is his son Ryan: 'Ryan is heavily involved in day to day running of Carnegie Fuels and I'm more in the background assisting him. We both drive the tractors.' Youngest son Dylan (26) also plays a vital role, 'helping to get the tractors ready on the day of pull events'. Martin Ross of Ross Agri Services Ltd, a long time fixture in the sport and director of both the British Tractor Pulling Association (BTPA) and the Scottish Tractor Pullers Club (STPC), has been 'a big part of my success' by sharing technical know how. Bruce Birnie serves as head mechanic, while mechanics Ryan Irvine, Rhys Bailey and John Allison keep the machines in peak condition. Long time Carnegie Fuels driver Alan Adam doubles as a mechanic and tyre pressure guru. 'Even with the sun, tyre pressures change, Alan also takes the sledge to the events with our articulated lorries under the name Carnegie Transport.' Between the pulls MAINTENANCE between pulls is a finely-tuned ritual. 'Depending on how the tractor performs, we may need to replace parts, most of which come from Holland,' said Kevin. Each between pull service involves topping up fuel, refilling the water injection tank and intercooler with 100 litres of cool water, and changing three to four litres of engine oil – a process that takes around 30 minutes. On Xtreme Green, which features unlimited RPM, engine over revving is a constant risk, as with any pulling tractor. After every pull, Kevin emphasised: 'We take off the oil filter to check for metal filings. If I find any, that's game over for the day.' How far it's come 'EVERY year the sport develops,' Kevin reflected. 'This is our seventh season with Xtreme Force and that tractor probably produces 400-500hp more than when we started, but everyone's doing the same. We're limited only by litre capacity – how you tune the tractor, the size of the turbo, tyre pressures, weight distribution… those are the secrets.' Track conditions add another layer of complexity: clay circuits are watered and rolled to be hard yet pliable, with no pulling allowed in rain. Events often span two days to accommodate weather delays, but 'we go there with the intention of winning the British Championship'. A real community TRACTOR pulling thrives on camaraderie. 'The Scottish Club, run by Martin Ross and Alex Rearie, is very approachable and keen to encourage new entrants,' Kevin noted. 'While it's fierce competition on the track, everyone helps each other off it. The more competitors we have, the sweeter the win.' He praises Martin's ambassadorial role and believes the sport has a 'great family feel' – an outlook echoed by every team member who pitches in. Jim Whitecross caught the bug for tractor pulling back in 2016 when he and partner Suzanne attended the Eurocup finals at Great Eccleston. What started as a day out quickly became a life-changing obsession. 'I'm no engineer on paper, but I've been modifying things all my life – cars, motorbikes, quads, you name it,' said Jim. 'That's what drew me in – this sport is very much about modifying.' By the time they'd driven home, he was hooked. 'We had to give this a go,' he recalled. With nothing suitable for sale in the UK, he spotted a listing in Denmark. 'Within a month of spectating, we were on our way to Denmark to buy our first tractor.' The tractor had 2 RR meteor engines running on alcohol, so Suzanne named it Gator, after Burt Reynolds' moonshine-running character in the film of the same name. From 2016 to 2021, Jim developed Gator, changing the fuel and ignition systems and gradually improving performance. His efforts paid off as he and Suzanne won the British Championship title at the end of the 2021 season. From tanks to turbines HIS current machine, Gator 2 Lynx Edition, runs in the Light Modified class. 'They call it 'light' based on weight, not modification,' Jim explained. 'There are three categories: Light Modified (2500-2700kg), Modified (3500-3700kg), and Heavy Modified (4000kg). Some of the heavy modifieds can generate over 10,000hp.' After their 2021 championship win, Jim sold off the old tractor – much of it went to Germany – and began his most ambitious project yet: building a turbine-powered tractor from scratch. 'When I first decided to build a jet engine tractor, I knew I wanted four engines, though I hadn't even picked which ones yet,' he said. 'Everything on this build is bespoke. I did all the drawings and calculations myself.' The result: four Rolls-Royce Gem turboshaft engines, originally developed for the Westland Lynx helicopter in the 1970s until decommissioned in 2019. The four engines are linked through two custom-designed gearboxes. The gearboxes components were manufactured by Ross Agri Services and Philip Engineering machined the gearbox casings based on Jim's own specs and drawings. 'I sourced the engines from Harry at Jet Engine Trader in Derbyshire,' he explained. Once the military decommission an aircraft they sell off the spare engines. This gave Jim the chance to purchase engines which cost £1 million when new – reliability is key. 'And using Rolls-Royce engines doesn't get any better.' Each engine weighs around 220kg. For safety, the turbines are encased in 30 layers of Kevlar, as mandated by the rulebook. 'It's the same material used in bulletproof vests. If anything goes wrong, the casing contains potential debris.' It took Jim two-and-a-half years to complete Gator 2 Lynx Edition. 'I just don't understand why more people don't build something like this. Most people are gobsmacked when they see it, but for me it's just normal.' Helping at the events are Jim's son Kevin; turbine specialist Marc Buchan who refurbishes jet engines professionally; and Rob Ingles and Harry Thomson, who handle all the electronics. 'Once a tractor is built, the next challenge is improving performance and reducing weight to create movable weight to improve balance,' Jim said. Testing on track HE describes 2024 as his 'training year', running the tractor at about 94% power while learning the start procedures. 'We're on a timer. Most tractors get three minutes from the nod from the track marshal to be hooked and ready to pull. Turbines get six, but we do it in just over three. We don't like the crowd waiting,' he added. To streamline the process, Jim starts one engine in the pit and uses it to drive on to the track, then once hooked to the sledge he starts the other three. 'The day before the opening 2024 event at Scorton in Lancashire, none of the engines would start – turned out all the circuit boards were fried,' he recalled. 'I had a black-tie event that night. Once I got back late, I threw the boilersuit back on, and the next morning we set off early to Harry who made the boards, got them fixed, and made it to the event just in time.' Once scrutineers gave the green light, Jim managed a couple of steady runs. 'There's no way to practise beforehand. We can't simulate the sledge – it's not like you can just drive this near 5000hp machine down the road! 'So the first time I drove the tractor was in front of the Scorton crowd.' Surprisingly, he didn't have to put a spanner on the tractor all season. 'That's unheard of in this sport. Reliability-wise, it's been great.' Tyres last about two to three years, depending on wear. 'I sharpen them before every event – the treads are small to allow for high wheel-speed friction. If I used standard tractor tyres, I'd just shear the drivetrain.' Much of the fabrication was done locally. Ross Agri Services produced components, and Philip Engineering in Elgin machined the gearbox casings. Tractor pulling may be a hobby, but it ties closely with Jim's family business. 'We love competing in Scotland – Brechin and BA Stores are favourites because we get to catch up with locals and customers,' said Jim, who runs Power Washing Services Ltd Laurencekirk alongside sister Liz. The business was started by their dad, Jack, in 1983. Today Jim's children – Nick, Kevin and Rebecca and Liz's son Callum – are also involved. Jet-fuelled ambitions LOOKING ahead, Jim sees a bright future for the sport nationally, and with increased spectator numbers at every Scottish event, the Scottish Tractor Pullers Club events are the favourite ones on the calendar for most competitors.
