Fruit&Vine attends WineGB pruning competition
25th March 2025
WineGB’s sixth annual pruning competition took place at Clayhill Vineyard, Essex. Reporter Daniel Hodge attended.
Vine pruning is often described as both a science and an art – and one that can directly impact the quality, yield, and longevity of a vineyard’s vines.
While winemakers and vineyard owners often take centre stage in the industry, it’s the skilled vineyard workers, out in all weathers with secateurs in hand, who shape the future of each vintage. That’s why the UK’s annual pruning competition has become a key event in the viticulture calendar, as an event to celebrate the people who make the wine industry possible.
Now in its sixth year, the competition has grown in scope and ambition. But, at its heart, it remains a showcase of the incredible expertise involved in pruning, an opportunity for vineyard teams to challenge themselves, learn from each other, and have fun.
Opening the competition at Dale Symond’s Clayhill Vineyard in Essex, VineWork’s owner and event co-organiser James Dodson emphasised this – “Enjoy the competition, and remember, this is all about celebrating viticulture. We’re here to have fun and really appreciate all the hard work that is done in the vineyards.”
A challenging competition
This year’s competition highlighted the importance of “gentle pruning,” a technique that minimises large wounds and respects the vine’s natural branching patterns.
“These vines are about 19 years old, so they haven’t necessarily been pruned with this method in mind historically,” explained AgroPro’s director and event co-organiser, Luke Wolfe. “It makes for a challenge, as competitors have to think carefully about each cut.”
Due to the complexity of the vines, the usual time-based scoring was abandoned this year. Instead, judges focused solely on the quality of the pruning work. Judges were looking for single canes with 8-10 buds, with proper ties that laid uphill.
As one competitor, Wiston Vineyards’ vineyard assistant manager Thomas Bailey noted, “It was nice that they changed it so we only had to do single Guyot pruning – some of these vines would have been a struggle for a double.”
Bringing the community together
For many competitors, the event is more than just a chance to test their skills – it’s also a rare opportunity to connect with others in the industry. Vineyard work can be isolating, especially during the long pruning season when teams are out in the fields for hours at a time.
“There are so few opportunities for vineyard growers to come together like this,” said competitor Rex Williams. “Other than the Vineyard Show in November and this event, we don’t get to meet many people outside our own teams.”
This sense of camaraderie was echoed by one of the event’s sponsors. NP Seymour’s Tim Sillence emphasised the importance of supporting events that recognise vineyard workers. “These are the people whose work makes all the difference later on. That’s why we’ve backed this competition from the start.”
The prizes supplied by NP Seymour reflected this commitment, with winning competitors receiving high-quality Felco secateurs, pruning saws, and more accessories to boot – all essential tools of the trade.
The results
In the teams category, Davenport Vineyards (Ben Connor, Ben Ralph, and Mark Wilson) won with 84/90 points. Gusborne A and Vinescapes were tied on 82 points, with second place awarded to Gusborne A due to a faster completion time.
In the solo category, Gusborne’s Dragos Nitu secured his third first place with both the highest points total and the fastest time. In second and third were Daniel Bojan and Thomas Bailey, respectively.
A vision for the future
While this year’s event was a resounding success, organisers have ambitious plans for its future. There’s a growing push to establish regional competitions, with winners progressing to a national final. “We’d love to see each WineGB region – Southeast, Southwest, and so on – hold their own pruning championships,” Luke Wolfe explained. “The winners of those would then compete at a national event.”
Beyond expanding the competition’s reach, the ultimate goal is to raise awareness of the vital role that vineyard workers play in the industry. “These guys are the heart and soul of viticulture. They don’t get their names on the bottles, but without them, there would be no wine,” James Dodson noted.
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