Scything competition in Võru County attracts 30 participants
On Midsummer Day, Estonia's oldest and most legendary scythe-mowing event was held. But putting scythes to work is not just a summertime pastime — the goal is also to keep a centuries-old skill alive.
In Plaani, it has long been a tradition to pull on rubber boots and compete in hand mowing on Midsummer Day. The winner is not the person who mows the fastest, but the one who mows with the highest quality.
Each competitor was assigned a plot by drawing lots where they had to use their best scythe-mowing skills to cut down the overgrown grass.
Despite the rainy weather, this year's competition set a new participation record, with 30 people signing up to test their scythe-mowing skills.
"At first, we wondered who would come to mow on June 24. Back then, the mindset was that it was a groggy morning after the holiday festivities. But I think six or seven people showed up the first time and it's grown ever since," said Sulev Kraam who came up with the idea for the competition.
Kraam added that wet grass is always easier to mow.
The Plaani hand-mowing competition was held for the 28th time this year.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski, Aleksander Krjukov
