APF has officially come to an end for 2024 after three action-packed days at the UK's largest forestry show. 

Thousands of guests attended Warwickshire's Ragley Estate as the exhibition returned in fine style, with the British Lumberjack Championships, UK Forwarder Driving Competition, and Husqvarna 25 World Poleclimbing Championships among the highlights. 

The biggest names in the industry - including Komatsu Forest, Farma, and Rototilt - showed off the latest products and innovations, which included forwarders, forestry tractors, harvester heads, and cone splitters. 

Alstor dealer Home Forestry won best stand at APF 2024Alstor dealer Home Forestry won best stand at APF 2024 (Image: Anastasia Gandzha)

Ian Millward, APF exhibition secretary, said: “It’s gone fantastically well and we are absolutely delighted with every aspect of it.

“The highlight has been the number of people who have attended and the smiles on people’s faces, both visitors and exhibitors.

“Everyone is going home happy.” 

Exhibitors included Home Forestry (which won best stand for 2024), Oakleaf, Marshall Logging, Stihl, and Serra Sawmills, with many more household names delighting guests, who came from all over the UK and beyond. 

The show had its fair share of the 'big boys', with Euroforest's stand including John Deere's new H SeriesThe show had its fair share of the 'big boys', with Euroforest's stand including John Deere's new H Series (Image: Jack Haugh)

The 2024 edition also marked a special occasion for Forestry Journal as it celebrated its 30th anniversary. 

But it was the packed events programme that was widely praised as a highlight of the forestry trade show, with the returning UK Forwarder Driving Competition hailed as a missing piece in the APF jigsaw. 

Sponsored by Richard Court Forestry Engineering and Coombes Forestry, the event saw the country’s best operators get behind the controls to see who could navigate a tricky course the quickest in a brand-new John Deere 1110G. 

The UK Forwarder Driving Competition gave operators the chance to get behind the controls of a brand-new John Deere 1110GThe UK Forwarder Driving Competition gave operators the chance to get behind the controls of a brand-new John Deere 1110G (Image: Jack Haugh)

With a time of 5.52, Stephen Robinson took home the main prize, with George Gilder (6.12) and Sam Bacon (6.22) completing the top three. George was in attendance to collect his specially-made trophy, with Stephen and Sam due to receive theirs at a future date. 

“We wanted people to have a bit of fun and drive a brand-new John Deere forwarder,” said Richard Court. “Some people have never driven a new machine.

The British Lumberjack Championships took place at APF for the first time The British Lumberjack Championships took place at APF for the first time (Image: Anastasia Gandzha)

“It’s really important to put something back into the show.” 

Other machines making their UK debut included Easy Petrol Post Driver's Classic 50 and Vimek’s 870.2 forwarder, which was on the Oakleaf stand.

“There is a big step up in terms of comfort in this machine,” said Oakleaf’s Joe Litter. “It has been really well received.” 

Forestry Journal will have full and comprehensive coverage of APF across our social media channels in the coming weeks, and there will be in-depth reports in both FJ and essentialARB's October editions.