National Hedgelaying Championships

contestants cut and slashed in their quest to be the national champion hedgelayer.
A winding mile of 15ft hawthorn hedge was divided into sections, then sliced, bound and weaved as the centuries-old craft continued a remarkable comeback.
Armed with axes, billhooks and chainsaws - the only concession to the modern age - hedgelayers from all over Britain vied for the title. Hedgelaying is a hugely important, traditional craft, which involves partially cutting through each stem along a hedge and laying it over at an angle to form a thick, impenetrable and most importantly, living barrier. Hedgelaying prolongs the life of the hedge, keeps it tidy and safe and increases its value to wildlife.
Each contestant was given a 10-yard section to lay in five hours. Results were judged on neatness, cutting and binding.

[@shaunpreston2839]

I lay hedges! Just lucky it's not a chainsaw match because most off them would fail you should judge that as well! Chainbreaks anyone? And yes I'm a qualified tree surgeon!

[@coldcynic2213]

I'd like to see the hedge after a years growth.

[@dvddale111]

Never seen a hedge laid with roofing battens! Awful, all should be green. Neither myself nor my father ever used 'heathering' filling in gaps with dead stuff, we did Midlands style but folk like that which is done in their own area. A chainsaw speeds the job up, but my father wouldn't have one on the job at all.

[@rickjewell2734]

Too bad this stuff isn't televised. Way cooler than nascar, but like football, too much fandom and not enough action.

[@bludgerabled]

Yeah, I think the camera man said he was filming for reuters. Not bad, but not quite a respected mainstream newspaper.

[@Bill-xx2yh]

Power saws? Such a waste of generation.