1971

In 1971 the officers were:
President Weldon Burrill; 1st Vice Pres., Albert Roberts; 2nd Vice Pres., Lorne Fleming; treasurer, Ron Hutcheson; secretary, Don Taylor. Jim Richardson was a new director. No site had been chosen for the match as of Sept.30, 1971. The President, treasurer, John Hargreaves, and Wilfred Corp were the site committee to report back ASAP.

The Annual Corn Day was held at Grant Orth farm near Burgessville (S.Review Oct.9th pg.3).

Harry Parrott, P.C. defeated Liberal Gordon Innes on Election Day Oct.21st. Bill Davis P.C. government wins in Ontario.

The Blenheim match was held at the farm of George Laine, R2, Princeton. Cecil Wells, with his team Nip and Bob won the sweepstakes in the horse-drawn class. Wendy Opersko won the tractor awards.

Nov.6

The Oxford match was held at the farm of Lloyd Kinnaird, R7, Woodstock, 14th Line, East Zorra, Lot 18, east side of road, as it snowed. The Hebron Church ladies served a hot meal afterwards.
Lloyd Kinnaird, the host farmer, had competed in the 1950 North Dumfries match (Class 8, 3 furrows) on the farm of Robert Perrin, Roseville. He competed with a Farmall M that he bought new in 1943. The Cockshutt plow used he'd purchased from Jim Patterson, who had taken over the local blacksmith shop of Dell Zell near Ayr. Dell shoed horses too.

In 1950, Lloyd's farm was at the intersection of Hwy.97 bridge over the 401 Hwy. Construction cut the corner off that farm; so, he moved, in 1966 bought the Wray Leach farm, on the 16th Line, East Zorra, directly east of the Hebron Church. He had 100 head of cattle, necessitating a new barn. While ownership was in transition, and new barn under construction, a fire occurred (Dec.14th, 1966). Lloyd sold the Leach farm in 1969 to Don Raymer from Markham and moved to the 14th Line, East Zorra where the 1971 match was held.
Lloyd's daughter Barb was secretary of the Wellington County 4-H for 15 plus years. Her experience there, and with Lloyds connection to the Wellington and Dumfries plow clubs, influenced her obtaining employment at the OPA office in Guelph. She served as events co-ordinator for the IPM for many years. She married Martin McAllister in 1968. She passed away suddenly, January 8 , 2015. The Barb McAllister Memorial Scholarship ($2500) is awarded annually in her memory to an IPM competitor between the age of 16 and 20 as of January 1st; funds to be used toward an education at a university or college approved by the Directors of Ontario Plowmen's Association.

Art Eddy was manufacturing a different sort of plow; a knife type of plow for farm drainage. Art sold his wheel ditching machine to Don Laidlaw, a fellow drainage contractor from Rockton. Don serves on the OPA as advisory councillor for North Wentworth plowmen's association, and serves as a steward annually at the IPM. The drainage plow was mounted on an HD 20 Allis Chalmers crawler weighing 20 Ton; 26 Ton with the plow. This machine revolutionized farm drainage. In a few years clay tile were no longer used. Plastic tile was quicker, easier, and cheaper.

The 1971 IPM was held in Haldimand County Oct.12-16. The host farmer was Russell Hare.

 

1921 IPM WOODSTOCK OXFORD COUNTY

1921   IPM   WOODSTOCK   OXFORD  COUNTY

Sentinel Review,Tuesday,11th October- G.R.Green district agriculture representative and his assistant Harold Trueman are handling all the preliminaries.Oxford OPA director J.H.Hillborn of Bright and seven other directors were staking out lots for exhibitors north of the city.A competition for tractor experts and demonstrators would be held on Thursday afternoon.A plowing contest between one tractor with a two bottom plow and four teams of horses was held; to make good on tractor companies advert that a tractor could do the work of four teams of horses in less time, with less cost ,to plow two acres( an acre each).Four of the best plowmen in Ontario drove the four teams.They were:James McLean,from Richmond Hill;Frank Weir,from Agincourt;William Doherty,from
Toronto;and William C.Barrie from Galt.

S.Review,Wednesday,12th October

Merchants of Woodstock agreed to decorate their stores and stay open during the evenings for convenience of visitors.Citizens were requested to decorate their homes by putting out flags and buntings.School children were to have a holiday on one of the days.                                                   
Warden Johnston and E.W.Nesbitt supported the directors to keep the show on a high level,-no midway attractions,fakirs,or scammers to spoil it.It was to be entirely educational and business-like;farmers,business men,and manufacturers should work hand in hand on a common ground for the good of Canada.

The champion plowman,S.Parker,from Smithville,south-east of Hamilton was in the city on Monday,Oct.10th searching for a team of horses for his plow.He was practising with a team in the forenoon of Tuesday Oct.11th and said anyone wanting to win the championship would have to work hard to get it.

The railroad had a special unloading platform erected for tractors,threshing outfits, and machinery exhibits.

The Royal Bank presented a shield worth $275.00 for the best plowman in Ontario.The best plowman from Oxford County received a silver cup,also from the Royal Bank.These trophies were donated by the Royal Bank of Canada through the efforts of Mr.Kirkpatrick,manager of the Woodstock branch.

The Tollgate sideroad,on Saturday Oct.15th,had exhibit booths on the south side where there are new houses in 2017; the north side had dining and refreshment tents.Silverware trophies from Toronto arrived at the office of G.R.Green;-the Cockshutt trophy,the grand championship prize for the best plowed land in sod stood about 30 inches high with a deep wide bowl, donated by Colonel H.Cockshutt,Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. The Renfrew trophy was for the champion plowman in stubble.

Twenty-five to thirty acres were secured in four different locations,from four directions,for parking cars.The Sentinel-Review printed a special 'Plowing Match Edition' "in natty pink" for the expected 50 to 60 thousand people to attend and spend their money in Woodstock.

The directors felt a telephone at headquarters tent was a necessity.The phone company would not instal a line without a charge of $30 for labor to string wires from a box at the corner of Vansittart Avenue and the 2nd concession(Devonshire Avenue) north to the site.

The local committee and the police commission were at odds regarding the rate the taxi-men were planning to charge.Cab drivers were demanding 50 cents cabfare each way.The interests of the city and thousands of visitors were being ignored for fear of offending 15 taxi-men who were planning a rich harvest.Lockie Wilson stepped in and said 15 cabs were inadequate; outside cabs were needed anyway;In view of the support the farmers were giving,there should be no reason the cab drivers could not do likewise instead of giving Woodstock a black eye to outsiders.

George McKay was in charge of securing horse teams for out of county competitors and thought that 30 teams would be sufficient,but entries came in at such a rate,he had to make a canvas request for more.By Monday morning,Oct.18th,he had 84 teams of horses committed for use in the practise field.

It rained on Wednesday(the first day);the fifteen hundred people on the grounds were fed in the dining tents for 65 cents a meal.The rain stopped at 2.30 P.M.and the crowd poured in; by 4.30 P.M.there were 4,000 to 5,000 people.Wednesday was Demonstration day,given over largely to machinery manufacturers,who plowed a large acreage(the experts plowing exhibit).Admission to the match was free,outside of eating tents and booths.No selling schemes of any kind were allowed on the grounds.

The Perry street arena hosted an Indoor Industrial Exhibition and a political meeting,both on Wednesday night.The display of manufacturers and retailers of Woodstock continued Thursday and Friday evenings.Speeches were made from the bandstand at the end of the rink and a band enlivened the proceedings on Wednesday evening.

The attributes of the Holstein cow  producing natures most perfect food and the livestock industry in general was summed up in this story:Farming A Permancy As Our Basic Industry.More than a billion dollars are invested in Canadian livestock.More than one-half of this sum is in the meat yielding animals.The other industries of the Dominion taken singly,no matter how important,fail by comparison with our animal industry.The whole fabric of our national prosperity rests,and will rest in still greater measure as the years pass,on our farm animals.The fact is so patent,so obvious that one is apt to overlook its real value.With a growing proportion of our population in our cities and towns,it should be repeated and reiterated that farming is the bedrock on which alone the rest can be made strong and stable and that livestock is the foundation of permanence in farming.

Thursday was the Stubble competition (Class one) for the Renfrew trophy valued at $100 offered by the Renfrew Machinery Company.It had to be won twice to become property of the owner.It was won by Martin Vansickle,Middleport,Ontario in1920.A lusty cheer rose from the people of Oxford when W.O.Grenzebach of Hickson was announced champion stubble plowman for 1921.Wilfred won over 16 competitors including two from Oxford;-John Richardson,R.R.4,Woodstock and Jerry Stauffer,from Bright.

Class two, Stubble,for contestants who have never won a first prize in a provincial match,had the largest number of contestants from Oxford (Thirteen);they were:Ray W.Parker,R.R.2,Tavistock; Angus McMillan,R.R.3,Woodstock;Frank Slaght,R.R.5,Woodstock;A Lambert,R.R.1,Salford; J.E.Milds,R.R.2,Norwich;James Fitzpatrick,R.R.1,Woodstock;Arthur Cameron,Hospital Farm,Woodstock;John Hargreaves,R.R.5,Ingersoll,L.Kitching,R.R.6,Woodstock;David Mitchell,       R.R.4,Bright;Willard Bergie,R.R.4,Bright;Dave Lillico,R.R.1,Bright;G.T.Black,R.R.8,Ayr.There were 32 total entries in this class and Oxford made a great record securing 2nd,3rd,and 4th prizes being Bergie,Fitzpatrick,Mitchell,and Lillico.Class winner was Robert Watson from Woodbridge.

Class Three,for boys under 17,only 4 in this class,all from out of county.

Class Four,open to Oxford boys under 16,five entries;-a crowd of 500,all Oxford people, watched these boys and shouted words of encouragement and advice.Gilbert Barron,R.R.1,Woodstock,won the class,$25 cash,and a silver chafing dish which is still in the family(John Barron,Innerkip).Second was George Milds,R.R.2,Norwich.Third ,Joe Fallowfield,R.R.5,Ingersoll.Fourth,James Entwistle,       R.R.2,Woodstock.Fifth,Robert Childs,R.R.2,Woodstock.

Class Five,for two furrow plows drawn by three horses.The three entries, J.P.Fraser,R.R.3,Woodstock;G.E.Hildreth,Vinemount,and Leslie Vincent,R.R.3,Ayr were supervised by J.H.Hilborn of Bright.

Class Six,tractor class,for tractors driven by bona-fide farmers.Twenty-six entries had to be divided between two fields; 16 in the schoolhouse field,remaining ten on the east side of the road.close to 4000 people watched.Oxford contestants were:James McCorkey,R.R.2,Mt.Elgin;George J. McCorkey,R.R.2,Mt.Elgin;George Murdoch,R.R.1,Woodstock,Aurthur Pearson,Bright.

The tractors versus horses contest was won by the horses.The horses time was one hour and 10 minutes against one hour and thirty minutes for the tractor.40 per cent of the score was for time,60 per cent for workmanship so the horse plowmen gained because they were all accomplished ex champions.They donated their $30 prize money to Woodstock General Hospital.

The expert tractor class had twenty entries,three of them were Americans,from Massechusetts and Indiana.The class winners all drove Samson tractors,made by General Motors.F.G.Sinclair of Toronto won the Ontario Plowmen's Association gold medal for the best plowing in this class.Samson tractors were second,third and fourth,the drivers being in order of merit;Clark Young from Milliken,B.M.Robinson from Oshawa and A.E.Pay,Niagara-on-the-Lake.They were all champion horse plowmen but proved they could do as well with a tractor.

By Thursday evening all the plow lands were used up and more land had to be secured for the sod event on Friday.Thursday evening the Oxford Holstein Breeders Association and their families held  a banquet at City Hall;200 people attended,presided over by Martin McDowell,President.Friday's paper reported 30,000 attendance on Thursday;officials had difficulty keeping people from walking on the plowing.The highway was blocked for two miles with cars as well as 6,000 autos parked in the grounds.An Ox team plowed,watched by thousands of people,who crowded around to such an extent that George McKay had to go ahead of the oxen with a big club to clear a path for them,and the land they plowed was flattened down by thousands of feet just as quickly as it was plowed.The oxen were driven by William Fletcher of Dereham and the wooden plow was handled by Angus J.Mackay of the 12th Line of East Zorra.

On Friday,Oct.21st,Sod day,fences were constructed around the plow lands to prevent the crowd from trespassing on the plowing.Each class had a iudge.Total entries for Friday were 87.Total for both days were 191,which was three times the highest mark ever set.

S.Review,Saturday,22nd Oct.1921

Wilfred Timbers Of Stouffville Is Ontario's Champion Plowman

The Sentinel reported "Strange to say" the man who won first in Class One Sod,Clark Young,failed to win the grand championship.The first place winner in Class Two Sod,Wilfred Timbers done better work to take the championship,the Royal Bank Shield.Class Two Sod,open to all who have never won a prize in first class or a first in this class at a Provincial Plowing Match prior to 1921 had a first prize donated by the James Stewart Mfg.Company,a Good Cheer Elevated Oven Range in blue or white enamel trim($125 value);So Wilfred Timbers won that too.Mr.Grenzebach won the Royal bank trophy for the stubble champioship of Ontario.The seven classes of horse plowing on sod took place east of the present Hwy.59 where the soccer field is now.The depth(length) of the plow lands was 300 feet and each competitor had a strip 25 feet wide to plow;total width was nearly 1200 feet so that it would accomodate about 50 plowmen.Twelve Indians participated in a special class on Friday on the south hillside.

The judge of Class One sod was William Haustrauser of Malton, regarded as the leading judge of plowing on the Continent.The judge of Class Two was Francis Thompson from Echo Place.

Class 6, for jointer plows in sod,Wilfred Grenzebach's class, had 25 plowmen,the largest of all the horse plowing classes.The judge for that class was John Shadlock of Agincourt.Wilfred had a close race with a competitor named Robert Watson from Woodbridge that day.Some 40 years later a member of the Watson family,Norman Watson,was agriculture representative for Oxford County,previous to Don Taylor.

The Woodstock Armouries were packed to capacity for the Friday night banquet and awards,catered to by the Vansittart Chapter of the I.O.D.E.

1970

Ron Hutcheson and Weldon Burrill went to the convention in 1970, '71, '72, and '73.
Woodstock Print & Litho made the prize lists and 50 posters.
Lorne Richardson passed away Nov.3rd.
Four members of the Opersko family from Waterford were prominent winners.
61 meals were served at Huntingford by the Anglican Church ladies.
Ron Hutcheson was President; Gordon Dyer declined the office of 1st Vice-Pres., so Weldon Burrill took it; Wilbur Cuthbert was 2nd Vice-Pres. Jim Richardson and Harold Masson came onboard as new directors.

1969

John Hargreaves presided over the election of officers:
President-Ronald Hutcheson; 1st Vice Pres.-Gordon Dyer; 2nd Vice Pres.-Weldon Burrill; Secretary-Don Taylor; Treasurer-Leroy Scott.
Directors: Wilfred Corp; John Hargreaves; Orville Freid; Clare Hartley; John Summerhayes; Don Gourlay; John Masson; Willard Mackay; Wilbur Cuthbert; Ed Eddy; Lorne Fleming; Wray Leach; Arthur Dale; Albert Roberts, and Ross Pullen.

Ed Eddy continued as OPA director.

July 9th

Mr.and Mrs. Corp celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

The Oxford match was cancelled for 1969 because the IPM was close by in Brant County. A practise day was planned for juniors on Sat. Oct.4th. Girls were encouraged to attend the practise day for Oxford to have a competitor for the provincial Queen of the Furrows Class. Council was approached for the usual grant, but only received $300. The treasury submitted $200 to the Brant IPM for local counties day. Ron Hutcheson attended as helper on Oxford's behalf. Bill Eddy competed at the IPM, Brant County, in the three furrow class with a Hydrien mounted plow.

Tavistock Gazette, Wednesday, Oct. 29, page three

JUNIOR FARMER CHURCH SERVICE
A contemporary county church service sponsored by the Oxford County Junior Farmers was held Nov. 9th at 8.30 p.m. at the Kintore United Church. The speaker, J.R. Douglas of Woodstock, spoke on "Life After Death". The Junior Farmer Choir sang during the service.

THE DEPARTED WILFRED O. GRENZEBACH
born: Grimsby Jan. 26, 1895
died: Stratford Hospital Oct. 21, 1969

Wilfred O. Grenzebach, of R.R.7, Woodstock, well-known as a plowman having won the championship at the International Plowing Match on three occasions, was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William H. Grenzebach. He came with his parents to East Zorra as a child, residing at Lot 20, Conc.14. Mr. Grenzebach was a member of Hebron United Church where he served as an elder, and as the Sunday school superintendent. Until a few years ago he was an active member of the Oxford County Plowmens' Association.
Surviving is one sister, Mrs. Ben (Clare) McGregor, Tavistock, and one brother Lorne, R.R.7, Woodstock. The body rested at the Francis funeral home until noon Friday when removal was made to Hebron United Church where a service conducted by Rev.M.W. Metcalfe was held. Internment was in the 17th Line cemetery, East Zorra.

Tavistock Gazette, January 2nd, 1905
(recorded from the minutes of the Evangelical Association, page 89);
 Br. Grenzebach was elected as Trustee for the church for a three year term. This would be Wilfed's father. Wilfred would be 9-years-old.

1968

The 1960s were times of change.
The Smith Report on taxation appeared Sept 1^st.
Dairy farmers were forced into building a milkhouse for shipment of bulk milk, or switch to other endeavours. Grain corn was promoted. Machinery dealers were selling corn pickers, picker shellers, planters, plows, shredders, corn driers, grain bins and sprayers. Farm management specialists were putting on annual corn days.
In 1968 farmers were parading their tractors to Ottawa protesting against the price of corn which processors could purchase for less money from the U.S. These imports brought in a new weed; velvetleaf.
The National Grains Council was formed by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau to solve the economic woes of the grain farmers.
The annual convention of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, under the leadership of Charles Munro of Embro, tried to marshal a single farm organization that included the executives of all marketing boards; the boards of UCO, United Dairy Producers Co-op, and the Ontario government's Farm Income Committee. It would be modelled on the strong farm organization in Quebec; Union Catholique des Cultivateurs, and be administered by Agriculture Minister H.A.(Bud) Olsen.
The Dairy Farmers of Canada set in motion the amalgamation of ROP (Record of Performance) and DHIA (Dairy Herd Improvement Association) at their conference in Ottawa Oct.23rd, 1967). This management program, over the next 50 years, more than doubled what a dairy cow was capable of producing.
Charlie Munro shot down one aspect of the government's royal commission report on taxation of property. Ten acres of woodlot on a 100 acre farm were exempt from taxation if kept in tree cover (Assessment and Trees Act), and up to 20 acres if being reforested under an agreement. Reforestation was not being aided by this tax consideration, according to the report. Munroe stated Ontario would become a dust bowl if this proposal was accepted.
A 3-4 inch downpour of rain can occur during any month, as it did during February earlier this year; tons of soil and nutrients were washed into the rivers, colouring them chocolate brown. As farms and machinery increase in size, and woodlots become smaller, Charlie's prediction is coming to pass.
Recall the words of Edmund Zavitz (1934): Healthy forests control run-off by helping the snow to melt slowly and equalize the flow of creeks and rivers throughout the year by making the low flow stages higher and the high stages lower.
Dr. Edmund Zavitz was inducted into the Norfolk County Hall of Fame April 29, 2018.
(Ont. Farmer, page 27A, March 27, 2018)

The same officers of Oxford Plowmen were installed in 1968 as in 1967 under President Alex Henderson. Two new directors came in, Wray Leach and Lorne Fleming. Weldon Burrill went to the OPA convention. Entry fees for the match, 50 cents each, netted $16. Match was held Oct.2, on the farm of Leslie Pullen & Son. Eight merchants were approached for donations, two weeks prior to the match.
Prize money for the horse shoe pitching was $60, where Spencer German placed eighth. The Tavistock Gazette printed 125 prize lists and posters. Drumbo Tent & Awning supplied a tent for the Huntingford Ladies, who served 38 hot meals. Oxford county council contributed $650 to finance the event.
The treasury began the year with $357.93 and ended with $420.72.
The IPM was held near Guelph.
Alex Henderson, whose farm is now owned by Laurence and Mary Mackay, completed his second year as president in 1968. He contracted mumps the previous year. His son Hugh, who was attending the University of Guelph at the time, took over the farm chores. He got up at 3 a.m. each morning and milked 25 cows, before driving 50 miles to the university. He returned to milk the cows in the evening. He did this for three weeks. He also plowed for the first time during the fall that year. His dad instructed him not to plow crooked as the neighbours would be watching. That was Hugh's first lesson in plowing. Alex, who sold the farm to the Alblas family in Sept. 1968, moved to Guelph. For the last 50 years Hugh Henderson, well known within the plowing circuit as a big man with big paws and a big heart, has taken part in many county plowing matches and IPM's. He serves as treasurer of OATPA (Ontario Antique Tractor Plowmen's Association) and on the rules and regulations committee of the Ontario Plowmen's Association. He and his wife Linda live in Hagersville.

1967

Alex Henderson moved up as President; Ron Hutcheson, 1st Vice Pres.; Gordon Dyer, 2nd Vice Pres.; (Gordon Dyers farm is presently owned by Sue and Don Hilborne, Red Barn Berries); Art Dale became Farm Safety Council representative; New directors were: Weldon Burrill, John Masson, Willard Mackay, and Wilbur Cuthbert; Ed Eddy, Oxford OPA director; Don Taylor, Secretary; Leroy Scott, treasurer;-Leroy kept excellent, detailed records. Ed Hansuld attended the OPA convention in Toronto (Feb.). Mr. Hansuld's farm was on the n.east corner of the Maplewood sideroad and the 10th Line of East Zorra Tavistock. He passed away Aug. 3.

Meeting of Aug. 16-the County Council grant had not been received yet; The treasury had only $330.02, not sufficient to pay prize money for the match date Oct.4, held at the Hartley farm; Council delivered $650 on Oct. 5; The Biesel and Thompson Trophy for 3rd place winner of Class 9 (in 1966) had not been received by Don Brodhaecker of Galt so the treasury paid him $10.
Biesel and Thompson dealer was formerly the dealership of Charlie Laister on Hwy.2 east. In transition again, it became Olmstead Farm Equipment, owned by Gordon Olmstead. Gordon had a reputation for his ability to rebuild a worn plow share without getting it too hot and cracking it.
Coaching day was held at the Eddy farm Sept. 23.

On Sept. 26, the new $720,000 Hwy.59 overpass opened to traffic. Vehicles no longer had to stop for trains.
Class 5 was changed to boys and girls 18 years and under. A hot meal was served by Woodstock North Women's Institute. The Township Reeves class was held using a tractor rather than horses. The following farm suppliers provided specials: Canadian Oil Co., Imperial Oil Co., Lovey's (Hickson), and the Co-op, Buchanan's, Supertest, Beckham's, McKay Fuels, Gourlay's Equipment. Drumbo Tent and Awning supplied a tent for $86.50. The IPM was held near Barrie.

Tuesday, Oct.17- P.C. John Robarts won the provincial election. Liberal Gordon Innes triumphed over Gordon Pittock in Oxford.

Edmund I. Hansuld of Tavistock died suddenly, Thursday 3 August, whilst driving to Kitchener. He was a former reeve of East Zorra Township and was active in community affairs for more than 50 years. He was a former road superintendent of the Township from 1950- 59; a past president of the Tavistock Agricultural Society, of which he was a director for 50 years, and a past president of the Oxford Crop Improvement Association. Mr. Hansuld was also active in the Oxford County Liberal Association; the Oxford County Hog Producers Association; the Oxford County Seed Fair; the Oxford County Plowmen's Association, and the South Easthope Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company. He was one of the earliest silver fox breeders in Ontario, and worked as a fox inspector in the southern part of the province. He was a judge of standing field crop competitions for the Ontario department of agriculture. He was an elder of Knox United Church at the time of his passing, and secretary-treasurer of McTavish cemetery, South Easthope. Mr. Hansuld was predeceased by his wife, the former Laura Master in 1961. Surviving is one daughter, Mrs. Richard (Kathryn) Lamb, Bridgeport, and two grandchildren. The body rested at the Francis funeral home until noon Saturday 5 August. The removal was made to Knox United Church where a well attended service, conducted by Rev. James Warden, was held at two o'clock. Burial followed in McTavish cemetery. Tavistock Gazette August 16, 1967

Husband and wife Don and Shirley Wright

Wilfred Corp, left, former reeve of Tavistock won the County Officials class.
With him is judge A E Gray of Rockwood, Ontario.