Alvinston plowman qualifies for national competition

Patrick Sanders says there’s a tradition of plowing competitiveness in his family.

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Including extended family members, Sanders relatives have competed in plowing matches going back nearly a century, said the Alvinston financial advisor, who also farms cash crops.

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“I started off when I was 12 years old,” said the Peterborough native and married father of two who moved to the Lambton area about 13 years ago.

“I was actually told my first plowing match, I was two weeks old at the time,” he said with a laugh, adding he loves “the thrill of competition and the mastery over the land and equipment.”

His grandfather was an Ontario champion and uncles have earned accolades in the challenge, he said, that tests how straight and neatly people can plow.

Sanders will make a repeat appearance at the Canadian Plowing Championships next year, after placing second among Ontario competitors at this year’s recent International Plowing Match in Dufferin County.

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Sanders was actually the bronze medalist in the conventional category, but earned the berth—the top two in each category move on—since the category winner was from the United States.

“I feel really good about it,” said Sanders, last year’s Ontario champion in the category and runner up at the Canadian nationals earlier this year near Lindsay, Ontario.

“Any time that you kind of get the best Ontario plowmen together and you end up near the top of the class, it makes you feel really good, because there’s a great level of competition within Ontario,” he said.

So much so that it attracts competitors every year from south of the border, he said.

“We’re happy to have them because they’re great competitors—great friends as well.”

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Winners at nationals move on to worlds, he said, noting it would be a thrill to represent Canada at that level.

“There’s not a lot of prize money… you really do it for the love of competition, love of the sport and the chance to represent your country.”

Sanders noted he employs his successful technique at his own farm to help create better seedbeds for planting.

“So it does have a practical application,” he said.

And the family tradition of success at plowing matches continued with his 10-year-old daughter Brooklyn winning in her junior category at the International Plowing Match in late September.

“I think I was just as happy with that result as I was my own,” Sanders said.

Also of note, Lambton Queen of the Furrow Morgan Rombouts placed fifth in the Ontario Queen of the Furrow contest.

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