The 74th Annual Oxford County Plowing Match

 The 74th Annual Oxford County Plowing Match was held Saturday Aug.18 at John Doan's farm 405815 Beaconsfield Road, Burgessville. 22 contestants vied for prizes donated by local sponsors. 

The results were as follows:

Class 1                                                    Two furrows                                                 

1^st                                                             Brian Sterling                                                 Chatham

2^nd                                                            Don Wilson                                                     Woodstock

3^rd                                                            Robert Sterling                                              Blenheim

4^th                                                             Glen Sharples                                                Embro

                                                                                                                                             

Class 2                                                  Boys and Girls
    (15-18 years of age)                                     

1^st                                                             Cole Brodhaecker                                        Ayr

2^nd                                                            Matthew Sterling                                         Paincourt

3^rd                                                            Ryan Buischetta                                            Ingersoll

4^th                                                             D J Christie                                                      Ingersoll

                                                                                                                                             

Class 3                                                  Boys and Girls
    (10-14 years of age)                                      no entries

                                                                                                                                             

Class 4                                                    Ladies                                                               no entries

                                                                                                                                             

Class 5                                                    Utility three furrows                                 

Flynn Reinhart                                    Princeton                                                        only entry

                                                                                                                                             

Class 6                                                  Antique trail plow
    Two furrows                                                   

1^st                                                             Dennis Royle                                                  Branchton

2^nd                                                            Don MacPherson                                         Norwich

3^rd                                                            Stuart Rooke                                                  Tillsonburg

Class 7                                                  Antique mounted plows
    Two furrows                                                   

1^st                                                             Jim Cox                                                             Innerkip

2^nd                                                            Hugh Henderson                                          Hagersville

3^rd                                                            Mike Lassam                                                  Tillsonburg

4^th                                                             Chris Sharples                                                Embro

5^th                                                             Harry Humphrey                                          Ayr

                                                                                                                                             

Class 8A                                                 Walking plows                                              no entries

                                                                                                                                             

Class 8B                                                Riding plows
     Sulky class                                                       

1^st                                                             Cecil Wells                                                       Paris

2^nd                                                            Ted Robertson                                             Harley

3^rd                                                            Phil Waite                                                       

4^th                                                             Steven Procter                                             

                                                                                                                                             

Class 9                                                    Reversible plows                                         no entries

                                                                                                                                             

Class 10                                                Mounted plow
     One furrow                                                     

Doug MacRobbie                               Guelph                                                             only entry

                                                                                                                                             

Class 11                                                  County and Township Officials             

Ernie Hardeman and Larry Martin competed.

The Nauta sisters,Derika(left),Tina(right)

Sulky plow class:Cecil Wells team(forefront),white team is Ted Robertson,front of Cecil's team is Steven Procter

Class2 Boys: Matthew Sterling(left),Ryan Buischetta,centre,and DJ Christie(right)

Tina Nauta, seen here holding a bouquet of roses, is the 2018-19 Oxford County Queen of the Furrow.

The tiara, sash and trophies were donated by the Bank of Montreal, the sponsors of the Ontario Plowmen's Association. She also won jewellery from Wilson and Markle Jewellers of Woodstock.

As Queen of the Furrow 2018 she will represent Oxford county at the provincial IPM 2019 near Verner in West Nippissing.

Her sister, Derika Nauta, is the 2017-18 Oxford Queen of the Furrow. She will represent Oxford at the provincial IPM next month. This match will be held near Paincourt, Chatham Kent.

Allard and Grietje Nauta are the proud parents.

Conclusion

The compilation of 'Plowing in Oxford County' is intended to tell the story of agriculture.
It is a tribute to W.O.Grenzebach, J.Lockie Wilson, J.R.Hargreaves and others. Grenzebach was praised by J.Lockie Wilson for his achievements (1925 paper clippings), but he did not receive the recognition that a person in the athletic field would receive anywhere in Canada.
The local county competition is integral to the Provincial IPM, which incidentally does not stand for integrated pest management. This question was actually forwarded at a writing class I attended.
The IPM draws in the region of 125,000 to 155,000 spectators, weather permitting, and is a top 100 Festival event in Ontario. Thanks to the sponsors, host farmers and dedicated members, the Oxford Plowing Match still continues.
Margaret Dale compiled the list of hosts and members that followed 1980; for this history see Scan0033 below.
At the OPA convention held 24 March this year the feature speaker from Farm and Food Care Ontario, was Amy Matheson from Embro. Her topic, 'Telling your Story', included debunking farming myths, animal welfare, genetically modified foods and mental health. As an advocate for agriculture, (She certainly was), she inspired the audience, including compiling this history. Her sudden death in July of this year underlines the mental health issues among farmers. She had too much on her plate.
From 1915 (East Zorra), 1922 (West Oxford), 1943 (Oxford) and 1952 (Blenheim Township), competitive plowing has changed very little‒tractors instead of horses.
The initiative of the leaders of Sweaburg Young Men's Sunday School Class, namely James H. Bastedo, Frank J. Murdoch and Stanley E. Allin, leaves a legacy. It is an inspiration for all plowmen and prospective farmers who love the land.
A Sunday church service precedes the annual IPM. Competition plowmen and their families fill the sanctuary. Their thankfulness for Earth's bounties is made manifest in their singing.
It is important for people to understand and appreciate their history, especially their local history. (Quote by Liz Mayville, curator of Oxford County Archives)
Thanks to Liz Mayville, Jackie Thompson at the W.P.L., my daughter-in-law Kristen, and Ian H.Robinson for their computer nous and assistance in compiling this history. There is an extra thank you to Ian for his copy editing of the material.
Finally the biggest thank you goes to my wife Jane. She has been at my side throughout this compilation and has put up with all the inconvenience caused by notes, paper in the den and on the kitchen table.

1959

Sept.28th, 1959 meeting

The 1959 Oxford match was planned to be held at Wesley Noack farm, RR2, Tavistock.
The welding competition was eliminated, but the tug of war for junior farmers continued.
The East Zorra junior farmers were in charge of parking, under the command of Jack Wettlaufer (Percy's son).
Mr.Ed Eddy offered the use of his farm for coaching day on Oct.17^th, with Marshall Deans of Paris to be the coach.
The Tavistock Gazette printed the prize list; The grounds committee met at the Noack farm on Wednesday 28 October at 2 p.m. to stake out the lands.

The Annual Meeting for 1959 was held January 15, 1960.
Bob Milne was in attendance. The bank balance was down to $900.
New directors were: Allan Innes, Roy Scott, and Bob Stephenson.
William Stone & Son supplied the tent. Due to bad weather there was some delay in taking it down, and the company was paid because the tent was damaged.

William Stone&Co. bought large dead animals to manufacture glue from their skin and bones. Large farm horses were prized. In 1961, their name became CIL(Canadian Indusries Ltd).

Election of officers for 1960 followed:
President, Wilfred Corp
1st Vice Pres., Percy J.Wettlaufer
2nd Vice Pres., Clare Hartley
Secretary, Robert E. Bell
Treasurer, Norman Shelton

Directors:
Art Dale
J. Hargreaves
Ed Eddy
Doug Start
EdHansuld
BudKennedy
Lorne Richardson
Ed Thornton
Wilfred Grenzebach
Jack Hargreaves
Dave Mitchell
Allan Innes
A.D. Robinson
Roy Scott
Bob Stephenson

The Official program of IPM 1959, held in Wentworth Cty.,near Dundas.
The Family Herald printed these programs for free. The program contained the lot number,
and the field where each contestant would be plowing.
Featured on the cover is Floyd Forsythe.
Visitors to the match could pick up a program from the Family Herald booth, and then went to the field to watch their home county contestant.