Kings Creek Farm Hosts Annual Carleton Plowing Match
The Ottawa Carleton Plowmen’s Association (OCPA) Plowing Match was held on August 26 – 27, 2022, hosted at Kings Creek Farm in Ashton, home of Dave and Bonnie Ostrom.
On Friday, there was a brief opening ceremony followed by a VIP Plowing Competition. From a field of 20 local VIPs, the first-place winner was Nagmani Sharma, municipal electoral candidate for West Carleton Ward; in second was Stephen Blais – MPP, Orléans; and third was Catherine Kitts, Cumberland Ward Councillor.
Saturday’s competition drew 36 plowers using both modern and vintage tractors as well as horses to vie for titles in the OCPA Plowing Match. The judge for the day was Allan Carruthers and the steward was Lawrence Payne.
“The participation and calibre of competition was outstanding this year with 36 plowers – one of our largest competitions to date,” said Sharen Armstrong, OCPA President. “Our thanks are extended to our gracious hosts, Bonnie and Dave Ostrom, as well as to our volunteers, plowers, and sponsors – the Ottawa Beef Farmers and the Ottawa Valley Pork Producers.”
Linda Payant photo
It was a big day for Jean Marc Dessaint of Sarsfield who placed top-of-class in the Antique Tractor Class (open split required) Trail Plows 1946 – 1960; Best Plowed Land (Overall); Best Antique Plow Person; Best Open Split; and Best Finish. Antique Tractor Class (open split require) Trail Plows Prior to 1945 was won by Jean-Guy Thivierge of Hammond, who also won Best Crown. Rounding off the Antique Division were Nicole Calande of Alfred in the Antique Mounted Plow class and Josef Bloderer of Mountain in the Reversible Plows – Open class.
In the Horse Classes, William Machabee of St. Albert won Jointer Plow Amateur and Best Plowed Land (20 years and under), while Samuel Bourgon of St. Isidore won the Jointer Plow Open and Champion Horse Plowperson, with Lyle Killeen of Carp taking the Sulky Plow class.
In the conventional division, Hunter Chown of Wolfe Island won 2-Furrow Mounted Plow – Open (open split required) 21 years and over, as well as Best Plowed Land.
The Oldest Plowing Tractor award went to Marven Dillon of Ottawa for his 1940 Minneapolis Moline tractor.
All plowers must compete at local matches to be eligible to advance to the International Plowing Match (IPM) and Rural Expo to be held in Kemptville, September 20-24, 2022, at the former Kemptville College of Agriculture & Technology (KCAT) campus. Plans are also progressing for IPM 2023 to be held in Dufferin County and IPM 2024 in Kawartha Lakes (Lindsay).
