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The Lambton County Plowmen’s Association would like to thank Autumn Bressette for representing us at the 2025 International Plowing Match held last week in Grassie in the Ontario Queen of the Furrow competition. A thanks to Patrick S. who coached for the plowing portion of the competition. Autumn, we wish you all the best in your future endeavours.

From Lambton County Archives’ Facebook page: Continuing from our last #StoriesfromtheVault, this week we’re highlighting the 1973 International Plowing Match, held from September 25 to 29. The event took place on more than 600 acres of farmland owned by J.D. McGugan, the Reeve of Brooke Township, and neighbouring farmers north of Alvinston. Lambton County was hosting the match exactly 50 years after it had first welcomed the event, and organizers marked the occasion by reuniting 13 men who had competed in that original 1923 match. Much had changed in the intervening decades. With more Canadians now living in cities than on farms, the 1973 event aimed to appeal to both rural and urban audiences. Unlike the more modest affair of 1923, the 1973 Plowing Match had a festive, carnival-like atmosphere. The opening parade drew a crowd of up to 30,000 spectators and included musical performances by the Marching Angels of Sarnia, a carved wagon pulled by eight nearly-identical Belgian horses—and even an elephant! A 100-acre tent city hosted more than 330 exhibits showcasing both farm equipment and household goods. A special tent organized by the Lambton County Women’s Program Committee featured activities geared toward women, including cake decorating, painting, weaving, and a fashion show. The Queen of the Furrow competition had also become a major feature of the match. Of course, the heart of the event remained the plowing competitions. Junior farmers offered free “taxi rides” on tractor-pulled flatbeds to shuttle visitors between the tent city and the plowing grounds. Over the course of four days, more than 100 acres were plowed by over 700 competitors across 38 events. For the first time, women competed alongside men—another sign of how the match had evolved. In the end, the 1973 International Plowing Match was a resounding success, drawing a record-breaking crowd of 150,000 people to Lambton County. Source:Lambton County Archives Facebook Post 1973 International Plowing Match map From Lambton County History Rocks: Governor General Roland Michener trying his hand at plowing at the 1973 IPM, pc: Roy & David McLean Source: Lambton County History Rocks Facebook post More from our 1973 Lambton IPM Archives: 1973 Clippings: 1973 Booklet: 1973 Winners:

Tractor plowing through field. (Photo courtesy www.plowingmatch.org) A tradition in Lambton County that's been going on for more than a century returns this weekend. The Lambton County Plowing Match will be held on Saturday, August 30 at the Farm of Keith Hart at 5586 London Line in Plympton-Wyoming. Lambton County Plowmen's Association Chair Dennis Bryson said the free event has something for everyone. "They can see for themselves the actual plowing that takes place," he said. "We have a fun class for the municipal people in the afternoon and we also have a Queen of the furrow competition, there will be horse wagon rides for a period of time and then we'll go back to the tractor and wagon." There will also be antique machinery and the Petrolia Lions Club will be selling food. Bryson said the plowing match is in its 103rd year. "Our first match that we had as an international plow match was 1923 but the first match for Lambton was 1920 when the organization started and so we've changed a little bit but we're still somewhat the old school match," he said. For people who are interested in history, there will be some antique displays. Bryson said plowing has skill and is an art form. "People today that farm use various hydraulic attachments to their plow, now they've even gone so far they make plastic moldboards, so they can fit the moldboard to the land condition, it's just amazing what you can see," he said. The Lambton County Plowing Match will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Anyone wishing to compete is asked to register at 9 a.m. ~Lindsay Newman~ Blackburn News

On behalf of the Lambton Plowmen’s Association, I welcome all to join us for our annual branch plowing match, tomorrow, Saturday August 30. Competitors will take to the fields to see who can plow the best plot starting at 10am and will be finishing up by 2:30. Municipal dignitaries and the Queen of the Furrow competition will also be taking place. The annual event is always a great day filled with friends, fellowship and some friendly competition. I hope you will join us at 5586 London Line Wyoming (between Wanstead and Stewardson Roads on the north side of London Line) ~Ken D, Chairman Lambton County Plowmen’s Association~ As the Lambton County Queen of the Furrow, I'd like to warmly welcome all contestants, dignitaries, spectators and anyone else who may wish to enjoy the day with us at the 2025 Lambton County Plowing Match. This year's event promises to be as great as years previous. Please take the time to connect to our rural roots. ~Autumn B., Lambton County Queen Of The Furrow~

Keith Hart with his family and the Queen of the Furrow, Autumn Bressette. Keith Hart says he’s honoured to be hosting Lambton County’s Plowing Match again this year on his London Line farm. Hart, seen here with his family and the Queen of the Furrow, Autumn Bressette, was thrilled last year to host the event for the first time, so he stepped up again for the match slated for next Saturday. Dennis Bryson of the Lambton County Plowmen’s Association says the practice has been to host the event in the same township two years in a row. Hart was ready to host again, so the association took him up on the offer. Bryson is hopeful this years plowing match will draw more competitors who may have heard Lambton will be hosting the International Plowing Match in Brigden in 2027. Petrolia Independent

Competitors, families, and local officials will gather in Plympton-Wyoming for a day rooted in Lambton’s farming community. The 2025 Lambton County Plowing Match will take place Saturday, August 30, at the farm of Keith and Alma Hart, located at 5586 Lambton Line in Plympton-Wyoming. The event, organized by the Lambton County Plowmen’s Association, has drawn plowing competitors for over a century. This year’s match will feature approximately 40 participants, with competitors as young as 10 taking part in various classes. Categories range from traditional horse-drawn plows to antique and modern tractors. The competition begins at 10 a.m. and is expected to wrap up by 2 or 2:30 p.m. A special “fun class” in the afternoon invites municipal politicians and local representatives to join the action. The event is free and open to the public, with on-site parking available. Visitors can enjoy wagon rides around the competition field and view displays of antique equipment. The Petrolia Lions Club will also be on site, operating a food booth throughout the day. Following the competition, a banquet will be held at the Wyoming Fair Building. Banquet tickets must be reserved in advance by emailing the Lambton County Plowmen’s Association by August 14. Tickets can be picked up and paid for on the day of the event. The Lambton County Plowmen’s Association is a member of the Ontario Plowmen’s Association. Additional information and updates can be found on the association’s website at www.lambtonplowmens.ca. Sarnia Journal Staff

Pictured are Dennis Bryson (IPM Scholarship Committee Member), Recipients Laura Vandendool, Olivia McKinlay and Kiera Maw and Barb McNeil (IPM Scholarship Committee Member) For Immediate Release October 16, 2024 – Brigden Ontario Following the 1991 International Plowing Match that was held in Lambton County, a scholarship fund was set up with the proceeds of the event. At the recent Brigden Fair the 2024 recipients were presented with their scholarships. We congratulate these young people and wish them all the best in their future studies. -30- Background: The legacy of Lambton County’s highly successful 1991 International Plowing Match (IPM) is continuing to help deserving students in Lambton County continue their post-secondary studies. To be eligible for the scholarship applicants must have completed one-year of post-secondary training or be enrolled in their second year of any college or university. The annual deadline to apply is September 15th. Contact: Bryan Boyle

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

Tractor plowing through field. (Photo courtesy www.plowingmatch.org) A century long tradition returns to Lambton County this weekend. The Lambton County Plowing Match Saturday will be held at the London Line farm of Keith Hart in Plympton-Wyoming. The free event includes a number of activities throughout the day as well as a food booth and a tractor and wagon ride. "A lot of the plowmen who are coming out have antique tractors and plows, we have one horse team that is coming for sure, we'll have a few antique tractors or farm equipment on display," said the Secretary of the Lambton County Plowmen's Association Linda Bryson. "We're inviting people with old pick-up trucks to come. We'll have designated areas for them to park at," she said. Additionally, there will be the Queen of the Furrow competition. Bryson said the event has grown over the years. "We've estimated over the last couple of years we've had three to four hundred or more people come out," she said. Bryson said plowing has now grown into more of an art form. "It's all scored on straightness, evenness, coverage of the land and it's a skill like any other hobby and they strive to do better and better," she said. Registration is at 9 a.m. and the event starts at 10 a.m. ~Lindsay Newman~ Blackburn News

The sculpture Early Morning Down on the Farm stands guard at the Brigden Fairgrounds. File photo / The Observer More than 30 years after Lambton County held the International Plowing Match near Petrolia, the work of its volunteers continues through the awarding of annual scholarships. Applications are being accepted for three $2,000 Lambton IPM 91 Scholarships available to Lambton students entering their second year of post-secondary education. Those wishing to apply are being asked to contact Bryan Boyle by email at bryan@bryanboyle.ca. Sept. 15 is the deadline for applications. A candidate’s community involvement receives the greatest weight when fund trustees consider applications, said Boyle, one of the trustees. “That’s 50 per cent of the marks so the well-rounded candidate is the one that wins,” he said. “A person that’s involved in a wide range of things often does way better.” Academic records and financial need are also considered. The emphasis on community involvement “reflects the folks who were active in the IPM in 1991,” Boyle said. Boyle said he keeps records of past winners and “you look down that list and there’s pretty active careers and successful community-oriented folks.” Winners of 2022 Lambton IPM ’91 scholarships, Kara MacKinlay, left, Nikki Boere, and Rawson Donald, are shown at the Brigden Fair. Photo by Tyler Kula / The Observer The scholarship fund was created with about $100,000 in local profit from the 1991 International Plowing Match (IPM) hosted by a committee of volunteers in Lambton. “The thought was this would be a lasting reminder” of the community effort behind hosting the large event “and every year it has proven to be that,” Boyle said. The 1991 International Plowing Match welcomed more than 90,000 visitors over several days to the farm show and plowing competition hosted by a group of local volunteers. Organizers in Lambton decided not to follow the typical pattern where local committee members received modest per diems from local profits, with the rest going to charity. Instead, with encouragement from plowing match chairperson, the late Leonard McNeil, the Lambton volunteers decided to put the local profit into the scholarship fund after using a little bit of cash to hold a roast beef supper to thank everyone who helped. Typically, the number of applications each year is in the “10 to a dozen range,” Boyle said. Winners are announced Thanksgiving weekend at the Brigden Fair. The scholarships have reached a point in their history where those receiving them today weren’t alive when the 1991 plowing match was held on farms just outside of Petrolia. “It won’t be too long, and it will be a second generation coming” with previous winners now having families with children at or reaching the age when they will be eligible to apply, Boyle said. ~Paul Morden~ Sarnia Observer

Eva Vos, 11, of Alvinston, competes Saturday during the Lambton County Plowing Match on Confederation Line in Sarnia. Photo by Paul Morden / The Observer The Lambton County Plowing Match left its mark Saturday on a farm field on Confederation Line in Sarnia. This year’s running of the county’s competitive plowing event was hosted by Kevin Forbes and his family on their farm in Sarnia. There were 30 plowing competitors on tractors entered, as well as four plowing competitors who were sharing two teams of horses. The county match has been held since 1920 and this year’s event was the centennial of the first of three times Lambton has hosted the International Plowing Match. Several hundred spectators were expected at Saturday’s county match and an awards banquet was scheduled for the evening at Camlachie United Church. More photos by Paul Morden, The Observer: ~Paul Morden~ Sarnia Observer

Lambton Queen of the Furrow Morgan Rombouts, left, joins host Kevin Forbes and two of his kids, Jackson and Mallory, at the Sarnia field where this year's Lambton County Plowing Match will be held Sept. 2. Forbes said Jackson and Mallory may compete. (Tyler Kula/ The Observer) Kevin Forbes and his family have attended plowing matches before, but never competed. Now that they’re hosting this year’s Lambton County Plowing Match, at least some in his family are planning to give it a try, the Sarnia farmer said. “It’s kind of neat experience being able to host an event like this,” Forbes said. Expectations are 30-35 people overall will test how straight and neatly they can plow Sept. 2 in the competition set for the Forbesvue Farms field at the southwest corner of Waterworks Road and Confederation Line, said Linda Bryson with the Lambton Plowman’s Association. Lambton plowing matches have been held since 1920, and 2023 marks the 100th anniversary of the first International Plowing Match (IPM) hosted in Lambton, she said. Others were held in 1973 and 1991. Hopes are 300 to 500 spectators turn out Sept. 2, Bryson said, noting plowing starts at 10 a.m. Various communities hold plowing matches in August and September where plowmen compete for points to enter the larger IPM competition, this year held in Bowling Green, in Dufferin County, Sept. 19-23. Lambton Plowman’s Association president Allan Ellwood is among the circuit competitors, and said he’s hoping to make another 125 points to gain IPM entry. “You do have the odd person who’s really serious and it’s fun to beat these fellas,” said the Sarnia farmer who’s been competing since 1986. “But anyway, it’s tough.” No-till farming means fewer farmers plow at all now, and doing so in competition requires some artistry, Bryson said. “They’re like a family those plowmen,” she said. “It’s like a big reunion every year.” Competitions and association presidency rotates through the municipalities in Lambton County every two years, so the last plowing match in Sarnia was in 2006, Ellwood said. Attractions this year include antique tractors and plows, horse plowing, a Goodison steam engine, a steam threshing machine, and a Lambton Heritage Museum Display about John Goodison — who hosted the 1923 IPM on his farm, Bryson said. People with older pickup trucks are invited to bring them out, and the competition finishes with a municipal class in which local mayors and their representatives have been invited to take part. “Last year we had about six or seven that came out,” Bryson said, noting a tractor plow and a coach are provided. “It’s a fun class,” she said. “It’s just people enjoy watching it.” The day caps off with an awards banquet at Camlachie United Church, Bryson said. More information is available at lambtonplowmens.ca. ~Tyler Kula~ Sarnia Observer