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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2015-08-27, Page 9THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015. PAGE 9. Brussels-area-native Kate Higgins was named the Queen of the Furrow at the 88th annual Huron County Ploughing match over the weekend. Held at the Hayden family farm on Division Line near Port Albert, the Queen of the Furrow competition featured solo interviews, speeches, an impromptu question period and a ploughing competition and, after all was said and done, Higgins beat out five other competitors for the crown. “It was pretty exciting,” she said in an interview with The Citizen. “It feels good.” This isn’t Higgins first time at the competition, having tried several years ago to capture the crown. “I did it a few years ago after I was approached by Joan Vincent and Marie McGavin to participate,” she said. “I really liked it, but over the past couple of years, I couldn’t do it so this year I wanted to try and I was successful.” Higgins, the daughter of Greg and Betty Jane, said that the interview portion of the competition went very well. “It was pretty easy-going chatting with the judges,” she said. “We had a few good laughs.” Her speech was about how to explain Brussels and Huron County to her neighbours and classmates in and around her school, the University of Western Ontario in London. She said the genesis of the speech came from trying to explain where Brussels is and thinking on that during her summer job with the Township of North Huron. “When I’m at school, it can be hard to explain where I’m from,” she said in the interview. “It’s a different way of life and sharing that with people is kind of cool. You see their eyes light up when you tell them what life is like.” Higgins said she ended up with two coaches, Andrew Fear and Craig Baan, for the ploughing competition, which she said was a lot of fun. “One of my coaches warned me he hadn’t done well, but I think everything ended up going great,” she said. “I had a lot of fun doing it.” Aside from her past experience at the Queen competition, Higgins has never ploughed at home, though she has some experience driving older tractors. As far as the year of her reign is concerned, Higgins hopes to see how the Huron County Plowmen’s Association runs and hopes to meet new people while performing her duties as Queen. “I want to tour the county and get to know more people and more of the area outside of where I live,” she said. “I’m also very excited to go to the International Plowing Match.” When asked what she thought made for a successful bid, Higgins had some tips to share. “The big thing for contestants is to channel their nerves,” she said. “It’s good to be nervous, but don’t let it overcome you. You have to use that energy. “Remember to have fun in the interview and talk to the judges like they are real people, because they are,” she said. “Be natural with your speech and don’t try to be too professional and, above all, enjoy the whole day and enjoy meeting new people.” Total receipts for Brussels Livestock for the week ending Aug. 21 were 1,598 cattle and 462 lambs and goats. On Tuesday steers and heifers sold on a good trade at easier prices. Choice steers and heifers sold $190 to $193 with sales to $199. Second cut sold $186 to $190. Cows sold steady. On Thursday veal sold on a good demand at steady prices. Light lambs sold on a good active trade at steady prices with heavy lambs selling $2 to $5. Sheep sold steady while there were not enough goats to establish a market. On Friday all cattle sold on a strong active trade with calves and yearlings selling fully steady. Chris Smith of Brussels, consigned 20 steers that averaged 1,578 lbs. and sold for an average price of $192.96. One limousin steer weighed 1,580 lbs. and sold to Bruno’s Meat Distributors for $199. M-R Farms of Exeter, consigned 29 cattle that averaged 1,529 lbs. and sold for an average price of $191.75. Three steers averaged 1,567 lbs. and sold to Cargill Meat Solutions for an average price of $193.25. Huronway Farms of Brussels, consigned 19 heifers that averaged 1,378 lbs. and sold for an average price of $192.08. Three charolais heifers averaged 1,400 lbs. and sold to Clark Bros. Livestock for an average price of $192.75. There were 179 cows on offer. Export types sold $123 to $126; beef, $125 to $139; D1 and D2, $115 to $120; D3, $105 to $115; D4, $85 to $105. Ger Miedema of Brucefield, consigned one red cow that weighed 1,010 lbs. and sold for $138. There were three bulls selling $153 to $165. Aden S. Martin of Clifford, consigned one charolais bull that weighed 2,000 lbs. and sold for $165. There were 154 head of veal on offer. Beef sold $190 to $240 with sales to $264; good holsteins, $160 to $175 with sales to $180; medium holsteins, $150 to $160; heavy holsteins, $155 to $165. Lamar Frey of Listowel, consigned three heifers that averaged 928 lbs. and sold for an average price of $224.26. One blonde heifer weighed 925 lbs. and sold for $264. Justin Ulch of Dublin, consigned two calves that averaged 780 lbs. and sold for an average price of $224.13. One blue steer weighed 830 lbs. and sold for $248. Creekside Acres Ltd. of Strathroy, consigned four steers that averaged 831 lbs. and sold for an average price of $194.92. One blue steer weighed 805 lbs. and sold for $222. Lambs, 50 - 64 lbs. sold $290 to $317; 65 - 79 lbs., $246 to $309; 80 - 94 lbs., $208 to $232; 95 - 110 lbs., $198 to $203 / lb. Sheep sold $100 to $120 with sales to $150. There were not enough goats to establish a market. Top quality stocker steers under 400 lbs. sold $335 to $400; 400 - 499 lbs., $360 to $421; 500 - 599 lbs., $313 to $390; 600 - 699 lbs., $302 to $330; 700 - 799 lbs., $280 to $320; 800 - 899 lbs., $261 to $281; 900 - 999 lbs., $247 to $262; 1,000 lbs. and over, $217 to $244. Top quality stocker heifers, 300 - 399 lbs. sold $363 to $370; 400 - 499 lbs., $336 to $355; 500 - 599 lbs., $315 to $332; 600 - 699 lbs., $277 to $296; 700 - 799 lbs., $257 to $270; 800 - 899 lbs. $243 to $256; 900 lbs. and over, $222 to $242. Mervin Martin of Holyrood, consigned 12 simmental steers that averaged 825 lbs. and sold for an average price of $281.52. Don McGowan of Grand Valley, consigned 81 black heifers that averaged 817 lbs. and sold for an average price of $256.50. The Princess sash and crown were awarded to Brussels-area resident Emily Tersptra at the 88th annual Huron County Ploughing Match last Thursday. Tersptra, a Grade 10 student at St. Anne’s Catholic Secondary School, said she couldn’t believe her ears when she was announced as the winner. “It was really surreal,” she said. “I didn’t expect to win at all. I was nervous, and I didn’t know how the interviews went.” She said that even though she was a little unsure of her performance in the private interview portion of the competition, which includes talking about passions, past-times and local politics, she was confident when she stepped on the stage at the Hayden family farm for the speech competition. “It was nerve-wracking for sure, but I felt kind of confident being up there and talking,” she said. Her speech, which was on the beauty and significance of Huron County, took her a week to conceptualize and write, but, once it was on the page, she said it only took her a couple of days to memorize the speech. “I was trying to write, but all I St. Anne’s student named Princess Higgins crowned Queen of the Furrow at match A pair of Queens At the 88th annual Huron County Ploughing Match late last week, Kate Higgins, left, from the Brussels area was crowned Queen of the Furrow after impressing judges in and out of the field. Higgins was awarded at the match’s Friday night banquet by outgoing Queen Ursina Studhalter. (Vicky Bremner photo) Agriculture Brussels Livestock report Fed steers, heifers sell at easier prices BLYTH 519-523-4244 www.hurontractor.com TUESDAYS 9:00 a.m. Fed Cattle, Bulls & Cows THURSDAYS 8:00 a.m.Drop Calves 10:00 a.m.Veal 11:30 a.m. Lambs, Goats & Sheep FRIDAYS 10:00 a.m. Stockers Call us 519-887-6461 Visit our webpage at: www.brusselslivestock.ca email us at: info@brusselslivestock.ca BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK Division of Gamble & Rogers Ltd. UPCOMING SALES CUSTOM MANURE SPREADING with a truck tank and draghose system and CUSTOM SILAGE HAULING A.J. Wagemans Farms Call Andrew at 519-356-9170 By Denny Scott The Citizen By Denny Scott The Citizen Continued on page 14 Hensall 519-262-3002 | 1-800-265-5190 | www.hdc.on.ca Multiple Locations across Southwestern Ontario · GRAIN ELEVATORS · CROP PRODUCTS · PETROLEUM & PROPANE · FEEDProud to be farmer-owned. wouthoss Srrotions accraoccaMultiple L ensall 519-262-3002 | 1-800-265-5190 | wH V· GRAIN ELE d.wneo farmer-o bee ud tPro · FEED · PETROLEUM & PROP · CROP PRODUC arioern Onttaesttewwe a.on.c.hdcwwensall 519-262-3002 | 1-800-265-5190 | w ORSTAATV ANEM&PROPPA ST· CROP PRODUC