HUBER HEIGHTS, Ohio — Phil Hudson eyed the terrain confronting him and, with the help of an assistant, conjured a strategy for keeping his approach, straight and clean. Heeding the advice of his assistant, Hudson steadied his hands during this 50-yard course.

Was it a final putt in the U.S. Open Golf championship? Not even close. Thirteen drivers from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan and North Carolina converged on the grounds of Carriage Hill Farm Metropark north of Dayton, Ohio, to compete in the 2012 U.S. Plowing Contest.

Contestants in the event had to finish among the best in their state in any particular class in order to advance to the nationals. Top prizes for each of the six classes were large belt buckles, not to mention bragging rights for a year. Some call it the “Super Bowl” of plowing.

“My grandfather always worked with Percherons on his farm, so it got in my blood,” said Roy Hatcher, winner of the state plowing competition in Fayetteville, N.C., the previous month. “I joined the Draft Horse Mule Association of North Carolina six years ago and found a liking to driving. My favorite events are the six-mule hitch and three-mule hitch.”

Hatcher finished first in the open class and was second overall in the three-horse sulky.

The calloused hands of Phil Hudson are proof of the strength it takes to handle six-horse teams. Hudson, of Newton Grove, N.C., finished first in the six-horse Gang Plow class in his home state and captured the national title earlier this month in the same class.

“When I was just 10 years old I started learning about driving from my grandfather,” he said. “I was a lot younger back then and had a lot more energy. It takes its toll on a guy my age. And not only that, it’s an expensive sport or hobby. There’s all the feed and vet bills to contend with, and horses this size eat a lot.”

To make his drive easier Hudson built a 12-volt battery-operated hydraulic pump that raises or lowers the plow and allows him to keep his hands on the reins. He finished first in the gang plow class and second in open class.

Drivers and their teams were given scores based on 10 categories, with a possible 10 points per category. Three judges did the scoring and scores from each were combined for an overall score.

Categories being judged included depth of furrow, straightness of furrow, head land (start and end of the furrow), levelness of the bottom of furrow, cleanliness of the furrow’s sidewall, throwing of the land, straightness of ends, cleanliness of dead furrow, amount plowed within flags and teamstership/sportsmanship.

“It was a lot of hard work just to get my team up here,” said Bobby Jones, 75, of Mt. Sterling, Ky. “This is on my ‘bucket list’ of things to do and I’d like to win this event just once before my time is up.”

Jones, with his assistant and grandson, Andrew Sorrell, at his side, finished second in the two-horse sulky behind David Wilson of Ohio. Wilson had the highest total (272 points) in the one-day event.

Barney Traylor of Hillsdale captured the Michigan title with a first in single-bottom plow, while finishing second in the double-bottom plow. At this month’s national event he finished second in gang plow and third in three-horse sulky.

“Barney has been longing to make it to nationals for years and since he did, he hasn’t slept well for many nights,” said his wife, Teresa.

George Fuller of Ohio won the walking plow class, Mike Atkins of Ohio won the three-horse sulky event and Mike Downs of Kentucky won the antique plow class.

Other Ohio competitors included Tim Roush, Garine Shoemaker and Donny Ryan. Other competitors from Kentucky were Jeff Becker and Charles Orme. Shanen Mannies represented Indiana, while Mark Watkins was the lone West Virginia participant.