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Memories of Huron County's three IPM Queens
A big celebration
To mark the 50th anniversary of the Queen of the Furrow
competition, a special afternoon tea was held in 2010.
Huron County's two most recent Queens crowned two
milestone Queens, both at Elgin County. Lynne Godkin
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
A significant aspect of the annual
International Plowing Match (IPM)
is the Queen Competition which, for
more than half a century, has been
recognizing the efforts of Queens
from local plowing matches.
The competition selects one of the
local representatives to represent the
Ontario Plowmen's Association
(OPA) for the year to come.
In the history of the IPM Huron
County has had three Queens ascend
to the rank of provincial Queen; the
late Amy Beccario (nee Stewart)
who reigned in 1966-67, Lynne
Godkin (nee Dodds) who reigned in
1984-85 and Melissa Veldman (nee
Sparling), Huron's most recent
Queen, who reigned in 2010.
Beccario holds a special place on
the list as she won the Queen
competition on home turf, a feat that
has yet to be been repeated.
Beccario won in 1966 and was
Queen for 1967. In 1966, the
International Plowing Match was
held at the Scott family farm near
Seaforth and has earned the
nickname the Mud Match.
Beccario was the daughter of past
Huron County Warden Ken Stewart
and Clarissa. She was coached in
plowing by Bob Fotheringham and
bested eight contestants for the title.
She was 19 year's old at the time.
Recollections of Beccario, who
passed away in 2009, were featured
in a special 50th anniversary book
produced in 2011 by the Ontario
Plowmen's Association. According
to the write-up that was submitted by
her family, she remembered the
grandeur of the site.
"The tented city covered about 60
acres and had four streets, three
avenues and about 300 exhibitor
tents," she said. "It was very
memorable for visitors and plowmen
alike."
The match started in the middle of
a rainstorm on Tuesday, Oct. 11 and
ended the same way on Oct. 15.
"For the visitors, the gooey sea of
mud provided a massive challenge,"
she said. "Rubber boots were
brought in by the truckload. Despite
all this, the crowds came and
attendance reached 70,000. It was a
success in many ways. And,
everyone who attended tracked
home souvenirs of our rich Huron
County soil!"
She said, in the write-up, that the
(nee Dodds), middle row, fourth from right, crowned the 25th
Queen in Elgin County while Melissa Veldman (nee
Sparling), back row, right, crowned the 50th, again in Elgin
County. (Photo from `Furrows, Crowns and Gowns')
plowing conditions were nearly ideal
despite the rain.
After being Queen, Beccario went
on to become a secondary school
Local celebrity
Amy Beccario (nee Stewart) was the first Huron County
woman to be named International Plowing Match (IPM)
Queen of the Furrow in 1966. Beccario won on local turf,
capturing the crown during Huron County's 1966 "Mud
Match". (Photo from `Furrows, Crowns and Gowns')
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Tuesday, August 8 Monday, August 21
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teacher in the Niagara Peninsula.
She married David Beccario and had
two children, Brian and Sarah.
Godkin was named Queen for the
1985 International Plowing Match
and said she really enjoyed her year
with the crown.
"It was a blast," she said. "It was
the best year ever."
Godkin explained that, when she
won, the OPA would purchase a car
for the winner.
"I got a red Ford Escort and, for
the year, the OPA paid insurance and
mileage, but the car was mine to
keep," she said. "They did that for
two more years then went to leasing
the vehicle for the year."
She said, being 20 -years -old at the
time, the car was a huge
development in her life.
The vehicle came with magnetic
stickers telling everyone who she
was and also provided her with her
Continued on page 11
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