Knaresborough Young Farmers, Club tractor run ready to roll for charity

Knaresborough Tractor Run on March 8 - Former Knaresborough YFC chairman Tim Weatherhead leads the tractor run through Pateley Bridge

And the tractor run, which has raised more than £40,000 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, has a new starting point after growing to probably the biggest event of its kind in the country.

The run – organised in memory of former member Mike Spink – will this year set off from the site of the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate.

“We’ve always set off from a little car park off Knaresborough’s main street but last year we totally filled it,” says one of the event organisers James Parker.

“It’s wonderful to now have the support of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, which is allowing us to start from one of its car parks.

“We’re definitely the biggest tractor run in Yorkshire and probably in the whole of the country, which is quite amazing when you think it just started out with 12 of us going for a run out on our tractors to remember our mate Mike.”

306 tractors took part in last year’s special drive around the Nidderdale countryside.

This year will be the fourth annual tractor run the club has organised since 24 year-old Mike died in a road accident while working on a farm in New Zealand in 2017. His friends from YFC wanted to do something to honour him and a tractor run seemed the most fitting tribute.

“It’s breathtaking to think how this event has grown,” says James. “Mike would have been absolutely capped to bits to see it.”

The town of Knaresborough and its residents have been such good supporters of the tractor run that this year’s run will still pass through the town.

“We do a different route every year but rest assured Knaresborough will still be included,” said James.

“Of course, it’s not only the tractors that make this a spectacular event - it’s the spectators, marshals and helpers who all play such a huge part.”

Tractors will set off at 9am and finish up in Pateley Bridge at approximately noon.

Ironically, with the young farmers’ club organising such a big event, Knaresborough YFC is desperately seeking new members.

“It’s just happened that a lot of us have become over the official age for young farmers at the same time,” said James.

For further information about the tractor run or joining Young Farmers’ Club visit www.yfyfc.co.uk or call them on 07920 884575.