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Veldman says practice, being yourself key to IPM win
A big part of her life
Huron County's Melissa Veldman (nee Sperling) was
named the 2010 International Plowing Match Queen of the
Furrow and she believes her dedication to agriculture and
preparation prior to the competition are what put her over
the top. She urges anyone looking to follow in her footsteps
to do the same, but to remember to be themselves. (Photo from
'Furrows, Crowns and Gowns')
Continued from page 11
celebration in her home community
of Varna when she returned home
from the competition.
"There was a celebration in Varna
for myself and plowing champion
Brandon McGavin and the other
champions," she said. "A lot of
community people came out. That
was definitely one of my most
memorable moments. It was nice to
see everyone come out and celebrate
the local talent and it made for an
awesome experience."
Veldman said that desire played a
strong part in her big win.
"I went in wanting to win, so I
prepared," she said. "I did research
on the organization and had plowing
practice and interview skills. I guess
I had a good speech and I prepared
by running it as well. I knew my
speech like the back of my hand."
She said that Queen competitors
used to have to sing a song, and she
had memorized that as well.
"I prepared quite a bit, and I
wanted to win, but I didn't let
anyone know I wanted to win," she
said.
Eyes on the prize
Marion Studhalter was the 2016 Huron County Queen of
the Furrow and will be aiming to be the fourth Huron County
Queen to capture the International Plowing Match (IPM)
crown at this year's IPM in her home community of Walton
this September. (Fite photo)
All that preparation and the
experience of attending the event has
helped her throughout her life,
Veldman said.
"It was a great networking
opportunity and now I know tons of
people from all over the province,"
she said. "Aside from the
networking, you get these hands-on
skills that other people may not have
the opportunity to practise."
She said she learned to talk in
front of people with little to no
preparation, participate in
interviews, both with the media and
in the competition, and learn how to
talk to anyone.
"Sure, I got a car for a year, and
that was good, but mostly the
networking and skills are what you
get when you win," she said. "Those
contacts have helped advance me in
my life and my career. You get
thrown into events and places where
you don't know anyone and you
learn to talk about all aspects of
agriculture and, around here, that's a
good thing to know."
Veldman will be taking the reigns
of the competition this year as the
director of the IPM Queen of the
Furrow event in Walton.
"Jacquie Bishop [Chair of the
IPM] asked me if I would be
involved," Veldman said. "I know
Jacquie quite well, and I said of
course I would help."
Veldman said she has been
involved in all different levels of the
plowing match, having experienced
the Huron County Plowing Match
and, of course, having experience
with the OPA and IPM through her
time as Queen.
She will be implementing a
shorter program than normal this
year which reflects the age and
responsibilities of most of the Queen
candidates involved.
"It's a three-day program instead
of a five-day one because the girls
involved are university students,"
she said. "We want to avoid having
them out of school for so many
days."
Veldman said that school
programs, such as nursing, require
students to avoid missing
consecutive days, so the program
is being tailored to make sure
Queen competitors don't have to
choose between competing and their
future.
"It's still the same components
with an interview, plowing, speeches
and the top -five competitors doing
an impromptu speech. We're just
trying to shorten the timeline of the
event."
As for those looking to win, both
Veldman and Godkin had the same
advice: Be yourself.
"That would be my biggest tip,"
Veldman said. "Don't be the person
they want you to be. Just be
yourself."
"You have to be yourself and you
have to be comfortable with your
strengths," Godkin said. "When it
comes time to talk to people or do a
speech, you need to feel good about
what you're doing and who you are."
Huron County's Queen of the
Furrow for 2017 is Marion
Studhalter of the Walton area who
will be competing for the prestigious
title of Ontario Queen of the Furrow
during this year's IPM.
Written with information and
photos from the Ontario Plowmen's
Association's 50th anniversary
International Plowing Match Queen
of the Furrow souvenir book
`Furrows, Crowns & Gowns:
Reflections from Ontario Queens of
the Furrow' compiled by Jennifer
Christie and Katie Cheesmond.
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