The Wellington County Plowing Match held just outside of town here on Aug. 18 was a success.
The annual match had over 40 participants and a good crowd of vendors, plowing fans, and displays.
The competition is divided into classes, with size and type of tractor and size of the plow playing a factor. Some classes had only one competitor.
Plowers came from all over southern Ontario and they faced some very dry soil due to the lack of rain falling prior to the match.
The winners in the various categories included the following, in order of finish.
Horse Class 1A
– Kathleen MacRobbie, Mount Forest;
– Cecil Wells, Paris;
– Scott Thomas, Elmwood.
Horse Class 1B
– Russel Rogers, of Mount Forest.
Class 2 winners are:
– Mark Brodhaecker, Ayr;
– Carman Weppler, Clifford;
– Barry DeGeer, Barrie;
– Brian Davenport, Owen Sound;
– Brandon McGavin, Walton; and
– Mackenzie Reinhart, Teeswater.
Class 3 winner:
– Jay Lennox, Ayton.
Class 4:
Shane Buchanan.
Class 5:
Mervyn Rae, Harriston.
Class 6:
Will McDonald, Sutton.
Class 9 winners:
– Keith Clyne, Harriston; and
– Don Seifried, Harriston.
Class 10:
– Helen Moffat, Drayton.
Class 11 winners, in order of finish:
– Ken O’Brien, Midhurst;
– Graham Dougherty, Caledonia;
– Keith Robinson, Cookstown;
– Richard Augustine, Kilworthy;
– Paul Timbers, Gilford;
– Dennis Rayle, Branchton;
– Charles Fraser, Fergus;
– Gene Moreau, Barrie;
– Fred Richardson; Phelpston;
– Winston Roberts, Toronto; Howard Timbers, Aurora; and
– Dan Seifried, Harriston.
Class 11B winners were:
– Doug MacRobbie, Guelph;
– Donald Winnikhoven,Cambridge;
– Jim Cox, Innerkip;
– and John McDonald, King City.
Class 12 winner:
– Brian Fried, Bright.
Class 13C winners, for politicians, are:
– Ron Falkner, Town of Minto;
– George Bridge, Minto Mayor and county councillor; and
– county councillor Gary Williamson, Wellington North Township.
Class 14 winners are:
– Joey Parkinson, Hillsburgh; and
– Chloe Gresel, Erin.
Special crown and finish winners were declared for tractor and for horses.
Kathleen MacRobbie won in the horse class, and Brian Fried was the winner for tractor drivers.
Wellington County Plowmen’s Association president Weppler had a tie in the president’s trophy, won by Fried, Brodhaecker, and Weppler.
The Royal Bank Trophy was won by Shane Buchanan, and the Wellington County special trophy was won by Weppler.
The Queen of the Furrow competition had two competitors plowing: Krista Fraser, of Elora, and Chloe Gresel, of Erin. The Queen of the Furrow will be chosen at the association’s annual banquet on Oct. 14 at the Alma community hall.
There appeared to be much interest in the match this year.
Reigning Queen of the Furrow Cassandra Chornoboy, of Rockwood, said in an interview that she enjoyed a marvelous year during her reign, with opportunities open to her that only Queen’s of the Furrow get to experience.
She noted, too, that former Queen’s of the Furrow were in attendance at the match that day. Among them were Katie Cheesman, Katherine Clyne (whose home farm was hosting the match), and Paige Burgess.
The Wellington County Plowmen’s Association is busy preparing for a bid to the provincial association to host the International Plowing Match somewhere in Wellington in 2016. This year’s Canadian Plowing Match is near Owen Sound.
