What is  mudplugging ? Good question!  Mudplugging is a competition to get through 12 off road sections (six done twice). A section is usually 150 meters long and is laid out over rough, muddy, wet and difficult terrain. Ideal land would be a quarry, hillside, scrub land, rough farm land, sand pit or a forest.  The sections are laid out over rough terrain and marked out with stakes (red on left & white on right).

Each section is divided up by 10 gates all numbered 10 down to 0, and the objective is for the driver to negotiate all of the sections without touching a marker. Each section is judged by an observer who follows each competitor through the section, and the driver with the lowest total marks on the day wins. 

The sections are driven generally at walking pace and in 1st gear, as the gates are specifically laid out on hills and hollows with plenty of mud and some water thrown in, there is only one competing car in the section at any time.  The passenger has a special role – using his (or her) weight and bumping up and down to get car over rough spots. Some heavy clutch action!  

One of the passengers is Des Titterington (1 May 1928 – 13 April 2002), he was a British racing driver from Northern Ireland. He participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand   Prix in 1956.  

An Ulster Television Production. 

• Broadcasting Authority Ireland