Horsepower at the 2019 Stormont County Plowing Match
Samuel Bourgon walks behind the hand plow pulled by Moondance and Raven, two beautiful Percherons. Bourdan was one of 54 competitors in Saturday’s Stormont Country Plowing Match held in Ingleside. The event has taken place since 1932, and includes several classes of competition. Thompson Goddard photo
Members of the Stormont County 4-H Farm Tour Club held their Achievement Day at the 2019 Stormont County Plowing Match. Standing behind their displays, from the left, Lil Smith (leader), Hannah McIntyre, Jakob Vogel (leader), Ben Spichtig, Dougie Robinson, Janine Spichtig, Haylee Doucet, Haleigh-Jo template, Emily O’Connor, Stephanie Allen, Brandon Doucet and Bobby Robinson.
Thompson Goddard photo
INGLESIDE – From the horse drawn plowing, to antique tractors pulling antique plows, through to tomorrow’s farmers holding their 4-H Achievement Day, walking through the 2019 Stormont County Plowing Match was like walking through a part of agricultural history.
Organized by the Stormont County Plowmen’s Association, the event was held just outside Ingleside at 14855 Dafoe Road in South Stormont on Sat., Oct. 12. Kelsey Smith, president of the SCPA, explained the event has been held since 1932.
Smith, on behalf of the association, wished to extend a big thank you to David Brown who provided the land for the plowing match, lunch and covered the entry fees for the 2019 event.
Smith explained that this year there were 54 people competing, with 14 members of the Stormont County 4-H Plowing Club holding their Achievement Day at the event. There were seven classes of plowing including a number of specials such as Best Open Split, Best Finish and trophies available in some categories.
Fast and Furrowing, the Stormont County 4-H Plowing Club, members were busy plowing furrows in a northern section of the field, with another Stormont County 4-H Club, the Farm Tour Club, holding their Achievement Day in the hospitality area. The nine members of the Farm Tour Club toured farms throughout Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec, with leader Lillian Smith explaining each member was then assigned to write a report on one of the farms.
The hospitality building located just south of the large plowing field included the display for the Farm Tour Club, an opportunity to purchase some local produce, a display from the Stormont Glengarry Junior Farmers as well as an opportunity to purchase some lunch in support of the Stormont County 4-H. A large collection of tractors was on display in the hospitality building providing people with an opportunity to view the evolution of this very important farm machine.
Following the conclusion of the match, a banquet was held at the Masonic Lodge in Ingleside where the Queen and Princess of the Furrow were crowned, and winners of the various plowing competitions announced. Cassidy Smith was named this year’s Queen of the Furrow, and Emily O’Connor was named Princess of the Furrow.
SCPA secretary, Alyssa Waldroff, commented how the association was “grateful for the continued support of local plowmen returning each year,” with Smith mentioning she would “like to thank the community for their support.”
Carolyn Thompson Goddard, grew up in Chesterville and attended North Dundas District High School. After completing her BA in Political Science at Carleton University she has worked as a medical secretary and library technician. In 2020 she graduated from Algonquin College with a diploma in Journalism and has been a reporter and column writer for The Chesterville Record for over 10 years.
