The Chatham-Kent Plowing Match, held in the Blenheim area this year, is being billed as a success, say organizers.
Taking place at Jim DeBrouwer’s farm on Eds Line, Saturday’s event saw 21 competitors take part, along with a team of horses.
Stephanie Richardson, secretary of the Chatham-Kent Plowmen’s Association, said she was pleased with the response, as well as the conditions.
“The weather is really beautiful. We really lucked out that way,” she said. “The turnout has been great. We had more plowmen than expected and way more spectators than we thought would come out.”
Richardson credited the host farm, calling it a great location for the various activities.
While there weren’t really any new features this year, she said the aim was simply to “get things back to some sort of normal” with the competition.
The winners of each plowing class took home $75 each.
Also featured were the Chatham-Kent queen and princess of the furrow competitions.
The 2022-24 queen of the furrow is Rebekah Ball, of Dresden, while the princess of the furrow is Meg Avery, also of Dresden.
This year’s International Plowing Match and Rural Expo, which Chatham-Kent hosted in 2018, will take place in North Grenville, located south of Ottawa, from Sept. 20-24.
Chatham-Kent Plowing Match results
Class 1 – Ladies
1st – Rebekah Ball, Dresden
Class 2A-S Antique Trail Plow
1st – Richard Elliott, Strathroy
2nd – Ken Milligan, Strathroy
3rd – Jack Elliott, Strathroy
4th – Winston Roberts, Toronto
Class 2B-S Antique Mounted Plow
1st – Mike Lassam, Tillsonburg
2nd – Brian Helkaa, Strathroy
3rd – Paul Hodgson, Ailsa Craig
4th – Doug Smith, Strathroy
5th – Rolland Sterling, Merlin
Class 2B-J Antique Mounted Plow
1st – Cameron Vos, Alvinston
Class 4-2 Furrow
1st – Rob Sterling, Blenheim
Class 5-S – Ontario 2 or 3 Furrow
1st – Kody Vandevenne, Sombra
Class 5-J – Ontario 2 or 3 Furrow
1st – Luke Wardell, Strathroy
Class 6 – CK 3 Furrow, <21
1st – Kyle Ross, Thamesville
2nd – Wyatt Ball, Dresden
Class 7 – CK 3 Furrow, 21+
1st – Brandon Crow, Thamesville
Class 9 – 4+ Furrows
1st – Jim DeBrouwer, Blenheim
Class 11 – Novice
1st – Noah Burggraaf, Blenheim
2nd – Titus Burggraaf, Blenheim
Class 12-A – Horse, Sulky
1st – Russell Rogers, Essex
Best Plowed Land at the Match
Rob Sterling
Junior Special
Best Land <15 – Kyle Ross