1947

The most progressive movement for agriculture were the contests of the Boys and Girls clubs co-ordinated by the Canadian Council on Boys and Girls club work. At fall fairs and exhibitions elimination contests were held prior to the National Contest held at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto. Membership in the clubs in 1947 was 41,000 an increase of more than 2,500 over 1946. The preliminary contests reduced the finalists down to about 94 members in contesting teams for the National contest. A.E. MacLaurin was general secretary. The boys had to judge dairy cattle, beef cattle, swine, poultry, seed grain, and seed potatoes. The girls judged clothing, (food was added in 1947), the best laundered and repaired cotton blouses, cotton dresses, costume selection, with a parade of four models dressed for a specific occasion such as school or church. They had to demonstrate their ability to do hand sewing, machine sewing, and pattern adjustment. The food project included making up menus, school lunches, ability of contestants to prepare certain foods selected from salads, muffins, tea biscuits, cream soups, floating island custard and then anwer questions by judges known to be  top bracket cooks. The winners , after seeing the sights of the RWF, went on a trip to Hamilton, Niagara Falls, Ottawa, and Parliament Buildings.

S. Review Saturday Oct. 25   Place Third in Judging Contest

The 10th Line Calf Club team from Oxford placed third in the dairy cattle section of the Ontario inter-club judging competition held at the Ontario Agricultural College yesterday. The team, Billy Smith of R.R.5, Embro and Donald Nash of R.R.3, Woodstock, scored a total of 1076 points out of  a possible 1200. The Bond's Calf Club team, Jack Thompson, R.R.4 Woodstock and Howard Greenly,  R.R.8, Woodstock placed in the prize winners. The Ingersoll Kiwanis Calf Club team , Russel Dickout of R.R.1, Salford, and Billy Rivers, R.R.5, Ingersoll also placed in the money. Howard Greenly provided a clarinet solo at the dinner program following the competition. The young audience held Howard not only to an encore but to several numbers before they would allow the program to continue.  George Bell, assistant agriculture representative accompanied the teams to Guelph.

The Kiwanis calf club achievement day was held at the Ingersoll fair prior to the Guelph competition; some plowboys names are listed in attendance- Billie McLeod, Louie Agnew,James Riddick, David Dewan, Murray Long, Neil Crane, Howard Sims, Robert Morrison, John Morrison, Wray Robinson, David Morrison, Authur Wilson, James Somers, Billie Wilson, Charles Shelton, Ronald  Alderson, Jack Wilford, Bruce Shannon, Ken O'Neil, Gerald Heeney.

The 13th Annual Ingersoll Jr.Farmers Plowing match was held on Wednesday Oct. 22, farm of James W. Allin, Thames St. north, open to residents of North and West Oxford and Dereham Township. Attendance was down due to changes in classes. Some former classes were eliminated in the hopes of bringing in new beginners. Judge was Frank Laidlaw from Jarvis. Results:
Class 1, boys and girls 17 and under-1. Bob Coventry, 2. Murray Long; Class 1, 21 yrs and under, Cecil Batten;
Class 4. No handling, Fred Bertrand; 2. Lorne Wilson
Class 5, horse class- 1. Harry Blackman, 2. Norman Shelton;
Class 6, tractors, boys and girls 20 yrs and under, 1. Ralph McCutcheon, 2. Beverly Long, 3. Jack Hutchison;
Class 7, tractor 10 inch bottom 1. Reginal Manuel 2. Bill Wilford;
Class 9, tractors, 3 furrows, 1. Bill Budd, 2. Roy Franklin; teams and equipment , 1. Mrs. Fred Gregg, 2. Harry Little, 3. W.H. Tuttle. Most boys went on to compete at the Oxford Match.
S. Review Friday Oct 24, 1947. Page 9

OXFORD COUNTY PLOWING MATCH AND HORSE SHOW FARM OF F.W.STOCK R.R.6 WOODSTOCK-Tuesday Oct. 28

The prizes consisted of 7 horse drawn classes and 7 tractor classes. A special class for non- farmers with five dressed chickens offered as prizes was expected to provide as much fun for farmers and spectators as it did at the match last year.

HORSE SHOW

The classes in the horse show are for plow teams and all teams entered into the show must complete a land and the plowing be considered worthy of a prize by the judge. Prizes in the horse show are being offered by the Tavistock Agricultural Society for the best draft team of Clydesdales, the best draft team of Belgians or Percherons, the best wagon team and the best plow team. A championship award in the horse show was put up by the Canada Permanent Trust Company in Woodstock. The East Zorra Plowmen's Memorial trophy for the best plowed land by an Oxford plowman, won by Fred Howard in 1946, is open for competition.

The executive of the match includes: K.R. Daniel M.P., T.R. Dent, M.L.A., Warden  M. Betteridge and Harper Hammond as honorary presidents; V.E. Kennedy was president, Fred Howard , first V.P, Murray McBeth 2nd V.P., G.R. Green, secretary; Norman Shelton, treasurer. Judge of plowing was Frank Bell of Stratford. A type of plowing ignored by the IPM at KIngston and not seen at any other plowing match in Ontario was demonstrated by Russell Bruce of OAC soils department.(contour plowing).

Among the larger grants received by the association this year have been: $400 from Oxford County, $100 from Tavistock Agriculture Society , $50 From the village of Tavistock , $50 from East Zorra Township, $50 from a provincial grant as well as a long list of supporters. Canada Trust offered a special prize for the championship team in the horse show. Teams to be judged in this show must plow on the day of the match. Prize winners in the events were:

Horse Drawn

Class 1, sod, open-Elmer Armstrong, R.R.2, St. Pauls; Alfred Dickie, Jerseyville; Carl Watson, R.R.4, Forest.
Class 2, sod, open to Oxford County- Harry Blackman, R.R. 4, Ingersoll,; Fred Howard, R.R.3, Woodstock; Norm Shelton, R.R.1, Beachville.
Class 5, sod, open to Oxford County boys 16 and under- Bob Coventry, Salford.
Class 6, sod, amateur- Wesley Noack, R.R.2, Tavistock.
Class 7, sod, no handling class- Fred Bertrand, Oxford Centre; Frank Ballantyne, R.R.3 Stratford; Gord Seadon, R.R.2, St. Pauls.

Tractor Drawn

Class 8, tractor sod, open- Edward Mitchell, R.R.1, Denfield; J.Ferguson, R.R.2, Croton; Les Carmichael, R.R.2, Ilderton.
Class 9, tractor sod, 2 furrow plow- Albert Roberts, R.R.2, Woodstock; Jack Hargreaves, R.R.1, Beachville.
Class 10, tractor 3 furrow- Ken Howard, R.R.3, Woodstock; George Shearer, Bright
Class 11, tractor 2 or 3 furrow,- Fred Williams, R.R.5, Ingersoll.
Class 12, tractor row crop- Peter L.Smith, R.R.2, Tavistock.
Class 13, tractor , 2 furrow - Reg Manuel, R.R.1, Salford; William M.McIntosh, R.R.2,Embro; Harry W.Clay, R.R.2,Tavistock.
Class 14, tractor, open to Oxford County boys-Ralph McCutcheon, R.R.1,Beachville; Beverly Long, Salford; Wayne Richardson,Woodstock.
Special class for non-farmers- R.Schell, Woodstock; Norman Richardson, Woodstock; M.Gray,Woodstock; A.Bennington,Burgessville; T.Kaufman,Tavistock.

     SPECIALS

 Salada Tea- Harry Blackman, R.R.4, Ingersoll.
Esso Champion tractor- Albert Roberts, R.R.2, Woodstock. T. Eaton Company- Ken Howard, R.R.3, Woodstock.
Tavistock Milling Co.-Elmer Armstrong, R.R.2, St. Paul's.
Zimmerman Bros- Bob Coventry, R.R.1, Salford.
Howard Lefler- Wesley Noack, R.R.2, Tavistock.
Harry Nuttall- Fred Bertrand, Oxford Centre.
John Hargreaves- Peter L. Smith, R.R.2, Tavistock.
Robert SimpsonCo.-Reginald Manuel, R.R.1, Salford.
Canadian Bank of Commerce, Tavistock-Ralph McCutcheon, R.R.1, Beachville.
Bob Rudy, for youngest plowman; Wayne Richardson, Woodstock.

Horse Show 

Best draft team, Clydesdale-L.G.St. Clair, Ingersoll; Harry Little, Salford; Wesley Noack, R.R.2, Tavistock.
Best draft team, Percheron or Belgium-Mrs. Fred Gregg, Salford; D.N.Snyder, Baden; Jack Coulas, Embro.
Best wagon team- A. Atwell, R.R.2, Tavistock; W.H. Tuttle, Woodstock; William Iutzi, Petersburg.
Best plow team- William Iutzi, Petersburg; Franklin Ballantyne, R.R.3, Stratford; Elmer Armstrong, R.R.2 , St. Paul's.
Championship team: L.G. St. Clair, Ingersoll.

V.E.Kennedy, president, declared it one of the best matches and praised the support given the association by the people of Tavistock. Attendance was "about 6,000" people. Thirty loaves of bread were used by the Christian Crusader's Bible Class of Zion Evangelical church in Tavistock for lunches served.

Sentinel Reveiw, Wednesday, October 29 

YOUNG PLOWMAN

CHOMBERG,(CP) - Jimmy Thomas, 10 yrs old 66 pound boy of Maple, Ontario, won top honors in his class for boys under 14 years at the annual King Vaughan plowing match  yesterday. Only 52 inches tall, the youngster used a borrowed team of horses.

At the Annual Meeting, 13th Dec., 1947, George E.Bell was the acting Secretary after the sudden death of G.R.Green. Mr.Green had served as secretary and backbone ever since the association was organized.

Albert Roberts suggested Oxford have coaching days for Juniors next fall, prior to the IPM and encourage junior teams to compete in team and tractor classes at the IPM.

John Hargreaves, seconded by A.D.Robinson that a delegation be sent to the Conference in Toronto to bring the IPM to Oxford. It was moved by George Matheson second by Murray McBeth that a committee composed of the President, Vice President, John Hargreaves, A.D.Robinson, Wilfred Corp, Wilfred Grenzebach, the treasurer, and Secretary attend the Provincial Conference to bid for the IPM in 1951; also to look into the matter of financing the match. The treasury had $345.74.

The following officers were elected for 1948: President-Fred Howard; Vice President-Murray McBeth; 2nd Vice President-A.D.Robinson; Secretary- Agriculture representative; Treasurer-Norman Shelton. 26 directors,required for planning the IPM 1951.They were: John Hargreaves, Murray Gray,Woodstock; Lorne Richardson,R.R.4, Woodstock; Wifred Grenzebach, R.R.7, Woodstock; Douglas Start,Curries; George Innes, R.R.4,Woodstock, Murray Armstrong, Oxford Centre; H.E.Longworth, Woodstock, Sam Banbury, Burgessville; Geo.Matheson,R.R.3,Thamesford; Calvin McKay,R.R.2,Lakeside; Fred Bertrand,R.R.4, Woodstock; Alex Muir,R.R.3, Woodstock; Ben Ball,R.R.5, Woodstock; Albert Roberts,R.R.2,Woodstock; Wilfred Corp,Tavistock; John Smith, Brownsville; Arnold Gee,Woodstock; Ross Hargreaves; John Wallace,R.R.8, Woodstock; Russell Karn,R.R.1, Woodstock; F.W.Goble,R.R.3, Woodstock; Douglas McClintock, Brownsville; Sidney Goring,R.R.6,Woodstock; Ed Hansuld, R.R.2, Tavistock; Bob Rudy, Tavistock.

The plowing schedule for 1947 was:

Oct.14-17             IPM Kingston

Oct. 22                  Ingersoll Jr. Farmers Match James W. Allin farm, Thames St. North

Oct. 28                  Oxford Match Fred W. Stock farm off Hwy #19, south of Tavistock (#59)

Kingston (CP) Tuesday Oct. 14 The IPM opened, the largest of its kind on the North American continent, at Hemlock Park farms (3200 acres) 8 miles NE of Kingston, farm of Col. A.H. Fair. Official opening took place on Wednesday Oct. 15 with Hon. Ray Lawson, lieutenant Govenor of Ontario officiating. He was introduced by Hon. T.L. Kennedy Ont. Minister of Agriculture.Tuesdays events were opened to Eastern counties of Frontenac, Leeds, Grenville, Dundas, Stormont, Glengarry, Prescott, Russell, and Carleton. Twenty horse plowing and 36 tractor competitors entered. 350 contenstants made up 750 entries for 4 days events. Two hundred tractors and 150 teams of horses were ready for competitors travelling from distant counties. Horse shoeing competitions required horses too. 12,000 spectators attended Eastern counties events.

Sentinent Review Oct. 16 City and District PLOWING WINNERS Two Woodstock and three district men were prize winners in Wednesday events at IPM Kingston. Albert Roberts of Woodstock, was a winner in the tractor class, while Kenneth Howard, also of Woodstock was a winner in the tractors utility class. Ron Hendrick, New Hamburg, placed in the money in the plowing contest for boys under 18 in the horse class. 173 contestants entered in 9 classes Wednesday; the feature class was the intercounty competition, Class 5,( the Ottawa Farm Journal class), two boys or girls from each county who had not reached their 20th birthday on Oct. 1st, 1947. Douglas Manley, Berwick and Ralph Beehler, Chrysler represented Stormont Cty: Melville and William McGuire, Spencerville represented Grenville Cty, Joan Holsgrove, Westbrook and M.J. Kelly, Mount Chesney represented Frontenac Cty.

Doug and Harvey Campbell, Brant County won the Jr. Farmer Intercounty team, a free trip to the International Livestock Expo in Chicago and basic expenses for one year at OAC Guelph.

Thursday Oct. 16 Kingston Whig-Standard Of the nine classes held on Wednesday, only first twelve received money or were listed. In Class 6, Albert Roberts, Woodstock placed eleventh. Donald McAvey from Clayton, New York was the only U.S. competitor. Vera Jacques of Jarvis, 18 was the youngest competitor, using a Massey Harris pony tractor. The judges were Frank Laidlaw, Jarvis; Winfred Timbers, Stouffville; Frank Bell, Stratford; George Hostrawser, Brampton; Norman McLeod, Galt; H.L. Winslow, Millbrook. A team of oxen owned by Hubert Crothers of Nipissing County demonstrated plowing; the team was driven by Albert Sands, 87, a county resident.

Wednesday results Oct. 15, open and limited classes for horses and tractors (top 3).
Open novice class, horses-1Harley Timbers, Stouffville; 2 Robert Nixon, Hagersville; 3 Oliver Hill, Ohsweken. Horses, boys under 18, 1 Wallace Snyder, Waterloo; 2. Norman Watson, Woodbridge; 3. William Buck, Paris. Horses two furrow walking plows-1. George Hays, Marvelville; 2. William Booth, Russell. Tractors Open-1. Robert Timbers, Stouffville. 2. Ernest Evans, Maple; 3. Harold Picket, Hornby. Tractors, former first and second prize winners barred-1. Joe Tran, Claremont; 2. Rys Bacher, Hagersville; 3. Doug Campbell, Cainsville. Tractors, former prize winners barred-1. Ed Gray, Rockwood; 2. Gerald Eggleton, Belleville; 3. William Brain, Norval. Tractors, boys under 18-1. George Timbers, Stouffville, 2. Earle Fleming, Hagersville; 3. Bill Waldbrook, Hagersville. Tractors utility class-1. Russell Grafton, Brampton; 2. William Lemery Jr., Waterford; 3. Ken McKague, Teeswater.Horses, open-1. Elmer Armstong, St. Pauls; 2. Ronald Marquis, Sunderland; 3. James Lee, Greenbank.

In the log sawing contest, (Wednesday) Harry Youngblood and Stanley Reed, Catskill, Perth County, sawed a 16 1/2 inch log in 42 1\2 seconds. On Friday they sawed a maple log 20 inches in diameter in 55 seconds. They won the competition all three days, sponsored by the National Employment Service Dept. of Labor, Ottawa.

The horse shoeing competition required blacksmiths to make shoes from a bar of steel and place them on front feet of a horse. Norman McDonald of Orillia won this competition both Thursday and Friday.

Kingston Whig Standard Friday Oct. 17, 40,000 attendance on Wednesday, 55,000 attend on Thursday. Thursdays results; class 10-Ollie Hill, Ohsweken, an Indian lad from the reservation in Brant County, who was 19 yrs old, did some exceptionally good plowing. William Buck, 17, of Paris, his partner in intercounty competition won for Brant County. Class 11-Jointer plows, horses, open to age of 18 yrs-John Randall, Breslau; Jim Hogg, Seaforth, Alfred Brunton, Tara; Norman Watson, Woodbridge; Harold Greenlees, Lyndhurst; Len Smart, Woodville; John Bruce, Spencerville; A. Featherstone, Miliken; O. Labell, Clarence Creek; Robert Greenlees, Mount Chesney; Victor McCalpin, Gananoque; Lloyd Van Dusen, Mallorytown.

Class 12-Tractors utility class, open to first prize winners in open tractor classes at branch matches in 1946 and 1947-Russell Hare, Nanticoke; Allan Meyer, Claremont; Ernest Evans, Maple; Rys Bacher, Cayuga; Alex Black, Guelph; Edward Marshall, Denfield; Ken McKague, Teeswateer.

Class 13-Tractors, open to those solely engaged in farming, former first prize winners in this or open tractors classes not eligible-Glen McFadden, Millbank; Bruce Miller, Jarvis; Ivan McLaughlin, Stouffville; Russell Maw, Minesing; Jack Beaton, Blackwater, Robert Timbers, Stouffville; Russell Morrison, Beaverton; Albert Roberts, Woodstock; Harris Little, Agincourt; Harold Pickett, Hornby; Allan McNabb, Edenvale; Joe Tran, Claremont.

Class 14-Tractors, open to those solely engaged in farming who had not won a prize in a tractor class at an IPM prior to 1947-Harvey Campbell, Cainsville; Alvin Mark, Cameron; Jerry Ferguson, Croyon; Jack Campbell, Churchhill; Douglas Harry,Trenton; Milford Fenwick, Brampton; Harold Pattenmore, Athens; Eric Webster, Lansdowne; Gerald Eggleton, Belleville; Howard Greer, North Gower; C.S. Wrigglesworth, Hornby; Edgar Baker, Alberton.

Class 15-Tractors, open to all boys under 18 yrs of age solely engaged in farming, who have not won a prize in a tractor class in an IPM prior to 1947-George Timbers, Stouffville; Ralph Beehler, Chrysler; Earl Fleming, Hagersville; Orville Carter, Port Lock; Bill Wallbrook, Hagersville; Gordon Fox, Bloomfield; Stan Becker, Blair; M.J. Kelly, Glenburnie; Cecil Gibb, Cold Springs; William Huffman, Waterford; William McGuire, Spencerville; John Lambert, Lorneville.

Class 16-Tractors, three or more furrows, former first and second prize winners in open three furrow classes in sod or stubble at IPM's not eligible-Walter Thorne, Peterborough; William Rogerson, Seaforth; Kenneth Howard, Woodstock; Ray Conklin, Prescott; Russell Grafton, Brampton; Bert Liler, Waterford; George Robertson, Goderich; Emerson Greer, Ohsweken; William Coutts; Walton ; Norman Ritchie, Inverary.

On Friday Oct.17, final day, the Esso championship tractor Class 23, Glen McFadden,Millbank(1st) and Russell Hare,Nanticoke(2nd) won free trips to the U.K. the following year. Harold Pickett,Hornby(3rd);Ernest Evans,Maple(4th);Russell Maw,Minesing(5th);Albert Roberts,Woodstock(6th);Ivan McLaughlin,Stouffville(7th);Alan Meyers,Claremont(8th).

Class 17, Jointer plows,horses, the Transatlantic class,sponsored by the Salada Tea Co.was won by Alfred Brunton,Tara;second was John Capton Jr. Ohsweken Indian lad from the Six Nations Reservation in Brant County.They each won overseas trips. Alf Brunton said he was lucky to draw a good land. Dawn Brunton, describing her father's trip to the U.K.said an Englishman asked Johnny Capton to remove his hat, then said "O.K.you can put it on now". Johnny turned to Alf and said "What did he think,that I would have feathers on my head?" The Brits thought Indians were a novelty.

Class 18-jointer plows, horses, open, excepting to those eligible to compete in Class 17-Elmer Armstrong, St.Paul's; Marshall Deans, Paris; Hector Carrier, Maxville. Elmer wins the large Massey Harris Challenge Trophy. He also wins the Frost Fence trophy for the best plowed land in sod with the walking plow.

Class 19-Jointer plows, horses, open to those who have not won a first or second prize in open jointer classes at an IPM.The S. Review of Oct. 18. City and District pg. 4 stated: Fred Howard, Woodstock placed 12th in this class.

175 competed in nine events on Friday Oct 17th not all listed here. Norman Watson won the jointer plow class, horses for boys under 18. Norman was an agriculture representative for Oxford County in later years. Vera Jaques, Jarvis, won girls class. Saturdays S. Review Oct 18th front page featured a photo of Lowell Dickson, 11, of Sudbury, the youngest entrant at Kingston IPM. He came in 2nd in the pony tractor class.

The Hon. George A.Drew, Ontario Premier speaking at the Friday night IPM awards banquet in the armory before 1000 farmers and civic officials, called upon the farmers to "do all their power to help ward off the threat of Communism."  Food Rationing still existed. Millions of people were hungry and on the verge of starvation in wide areas of Europe and Asia. Hungry people would always turn to "desperate expedients." Mr. Drew said the people of Russia were living in the same state of fear as did the Germans in the Hitler era. Farming in Ontario is no longer a mere question of making a living; it has become a great humanitarian duty as well as an opportunity for our youth. Food production in Canada may well turn the tide of complete breakdown in social structure and revert to a new desperate form of barbarism. For this reason, the plowing match can help our own farmers, and through them, our own country.

The President of IPM 1947 W.L. Clark, from Gormly, who has attended every match since the first in 1913 said it was the first one without rain.