1963

Lester B. Pearson was defeated by Conservative John Robarts on Sept.24th. Gordon Innes conceded to Gordon Pittock in Oxford. Norman Watson was agriculture representative of Haldimand County. His successor in Oxford, Bill Baxter stated plowing in the dry conditions of 1963 was like trying to plow concrete. Farmers' wells were going dry. The site committee (Hargreaves, Ed Hansuld, W.O. Grenzebach, and Ed Eddy) found an ideal site for the 20th Oxford Match on the farm of Mac Brown, northeast corner of Woodstock, east of the Lockhart farm. It had lighter more sandy soil. The Innerkip Women's Institute catered. Cecil Wells won the East Zorra Trophy for the fourth year in succession. Ross Pullen, R7, Woodstock won the tractor mounted class for Oxford and the Esso Special award. Alex Henderson was second. Terry Richardson, R4, Woodstock, won the Eaton Championship class for boys 17 and under. An Ohsweken man, Emerson Green won the horse drawn class. He plowed at the IPM for 36 years. He won his first IPM at Caledon with Cecil Wells's team drawing the plow.

The IPM 1963 at Caledon, Ont. was held in conjunction with the Canadian and World's match during the week of Oct.7-12, five days, Tuesday to Saturday. Eleven contestants in the Canadian contest; 33 contestants in the World contest; 18 nations were represented in the two day contest, sod on Thursday, stubble on Friday. A 39 year old Swedish cattle farmer won the worlds. Donald Dunkeld won the Ontario championship IPM contest earning him the right to enter the Canadian competition in 1964. At the 2018 OPA Convention he was presented with an achievement award for 70 years of competitive plowing in Ontario. Peter McDonald, Warden of Oxford County and Reeve of Blenheim Township placed third in the wardens plow class. On Monday morning (Thanksgiving Day), after the IPM 1963 was over, the Swedish champion, Mr. Mansson came to Cecil Wells's farm. Cecil hooked his four horses in tandem on the two furrow walking plow and Mr. Mansson plowed with them.

The Esso silver plow trophy is for the winner of the Canadian contest; the Esso gold plow trophy is for the world contest. The Esso golden plow trophy was designed and crafted by Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Co.Ltd.of London England,-a tessall golden plow, the same company which reconditioned the crown jewels for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth 2nd. It is made of gold plated silver. Since the trophy was donated 10 years ago (at the 1st World match at Coburg,Ont.), it has been won by Northern Ireland 4 times; Canada and Great Britain are double winners. Holland and Norway have each claimed it once. The only individual repeat winner is Ireland's Hugh Barr who has been a triple winner. Mr. Barr is team manager of Irelands delegation now at Caledon. The trophy is about 2 feet in length, a replica of an original Norfolk plow which is on display at London England's science museum. The Norfolk plow is considered the forerunner of the modern plow. It was developed from a 17th century light Dutch plow and was in common use during the 13th and 19th centuries.

The 1963 Blenheim Match was held on the farm of Glen Cruickshank, R2, Princeton, Conc.4, Blenheim, Princeton Drumbo Road on Thursday, Oct. 17. It had a special class for Oxford County Councillors to compete among themselves. Peter McDonald, warden of Oxford County competed, but was beaten by Stan Gehring, deputy reeve of S.Norwich(1st), Geo. Hogg, Reeve of East Nissouri(2nd), and Percy Wettlaufer of East Zorra(3rd).

The Ayr News, of Oct.24th, 1963 reported on North Dumfries 55th match at the farm of George Gillespie, just south of Ayr.It stated that Jim Taylor, Bob Brown Jr. and Don Brodhaecker represented North Dumfries at the recent IPM.