The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
28 Sep 1983, Wed • Page 3
Tractor engines purred, cattle strutted and organizers blessed the weather as the International Plowing Match and Farm Machinery Show opened Tuesday with a healthy crop of spectators. Organizers estimated at least 30,000 people toured more than 500 farm machinery, craft and historical exhibits and watched horse and tractor plowing competitions. Balloons, streamers and flags turned the huge fields into a colorful carnival complete with candy floss, music and a long parade including horses, tractors and country music bands.
Often wearing jeans, rubber boots and baseball caps, people of all ages enjoyed the country flavor of the match, tasting free samples, watching demonstrations of space-age farm equipment and cheering on stern-faced plowmen. Federal agriculture Minister Eugene Whelan officially opened the match at 2 p.m. at a ceremony attended by municipal, provincial and federal politicians and followed by a plowing competition for MPs and MPPs.
“It’s amazing. It’s the world’s biggest fair,” said 11-year-old Steven Campbell of Ottawa. Holding a hotdog in one hand and an ice-cream cone in the other, Campbell watched intently as a farm-equipment salesman demonstrated a heater for chicken barns. Lisa Chamberlain, 30, of North Gower, said, “Most people expect it to be an amateur effort, but I think we’ve shown everyone the match is something special.” Organizers credited sunny skies and warm temperatures for the high turnout. “Rain can kill a plowing match but today has been just great. We’re all praying the weather will stay good for the rest of the week,” said Gordon Hill, chairman of the “tented city.” School buses dropped off hundreds of school children at the 32-hectare site just outside of Richmond on Eagleson Road, and OC Transpo buses ran to and from the site every half hour. Nepean police directed a steady stream of cars into the parking areas and nearly 50 wagons transported spectators from the lots into the tent city.
2003
Donna Mcfarlane It was a great ploughing match…. the genealogical displays were very interesting ,the old derry school display, Mr Collie discussing the mill, and many more… John volunteered to help Bud McMillan with keeping the grounds up both before , during and after the match.. Even city folk enjoyed the milking display . I was able to get some information on Rev. Johnston Neilson whose great great granddaughter was coming to my place to get information on her great grandparents Elizabeth McFarlane and Wm A Neilson…
2011
lindaseccaspina 