Conditions prove challenging at (2024) Lambton plowing match

Lorne Hart plows a furrow at the Lambton County Plowing Match in Plympton-Wyoming Aug. 31, 2024. He’s the grandson of this year’s match host Keith Hart, organizers said. (Photo by Alyssa Minten) Photo by Alyssa Minten

Lambton’s warden claimed his first municipal-class title at Saturday’s Lambton County Plowing Match.

It felt “great” to win, though the conditions were challenging, said Kevin Marriott, also mayor of Enniskillen Township.

“There was a real tight spot that you had to adjust the plow as you went through it, or the tractor just sat and spun,” said Marriott, who beat Plympton-Wyoming Mayor Gary Atkinson in a head-to-head match for this year’s title.

The class is for fun, and invites municipal leaders and their representatives, many of whom have no experience at plowing, to try it out in competition.

Marriott, noting he plowed competitively in the 1980s, said he’s also contended in the Lambton match’s municipal class before, but never won.

It was good to come out on top this year, he said.

Usually there are more class participants, but scheduling conflicts kept the field at just two this year, he said.

“One of my goals is next year to make sure I get more of them out,” Marriott said about other Lambton politicians.

“The volunteers keeping this going need more participation, and it would be good if we started with the municipal challenge.”

Ken Milliken plows a furrow in a thick stand of tall red clover at the Lambton County Plowing Match in Plympton-Wyoming Aug. 31, 2024. There were 34 people taking part in the competition, organizers said. (Photo by Alyssa Minten) Photo by Alyssa Minten

Conditions were also tricky this year for some more serious competitors at the match that tests how straight and neatly people plow, said Linda and Dennis Bryson, with the event-organizing Lambton Plowmen’s Association.

Red clover, under-seeded in a wheat field last fall at Keith and Alma Hart’s Plympton-Wyoming host property, was “knee height” even after being clipped down, they said, complicating the otherwise usual wheat-stubble conditions.

Experienced competitors said they enjoyed the rare challenge, the Brysons said, noting 34 altogether took part Saturday.

The annual Lambton match, first held in 1920, is one of several on a circuit, where competitors amass points to qualify for the International Plowing Match in October.

The Lambton match day also featured 11 antique tractors and plows, a horse team, some newcomers, and upward of 500 spectators, the Brysons said in a news release.

Alvinston’s Autumn Bressette, who took over as Lambton Queen of the Furrow about a year ago when the former queen stepped down, won her way back to the title that challenges competitors in pageantry and plowing prowess, they said.

Bressette competes for the provincial title Oct. 1-5 in Lindsay, Ont., they said.

~Tyler Kula~ Sarnia Observer