The Citizen, 2008-09-11, Page 1Riding along
It was Thresher Reunion time in Blyth this past weekend and thousands turned out for the
sights, food and entertainment. Three-year-old Carson Sillib was in the driver’s seat, with
passengers, Jordan Curran, four, centre, and Devon Curran, two, along for the ride, with a
little imagination. (Vicky Bremner photo)
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has
called the 40th general election for
Oct. 14 and Huron-Bruce candidates
in the top three parties are ready.
Greg McClinchey, 15-year
apprentice to Huron-Bruce Liberal
MP Paul Steckle, threw his hat into
the ring after Steckle announced his
retirement nearly 18 months ago.
McClinchey, a North Huron
councillor, representing the ward of
Blyth, has already opened his
Lucknow campaign headquarters,
saying, “The Huron-Bruce Liberal
team is ready... we will not be caught
off guard.”
On Tuesday, McClinchey also
announced that Liberal party leader
Stéphane Dion will return to the
riding with a tour of Walkerton on
Sept. 10.
Ben Lobb of Holmesville is the
Huron-Bruce PC candidate for the
second time.
Lobb attended Central Huron
Secondary School, then university in
Tennessee before returning to Huron
County to work with Wescast
Industries as a business analyst.
Lobb hopes to build on the
momentum of the last election,
which was decided by a very small
margin, and to reach as many areas
of Huron-Bruce as he can over the
next month.
Tony McQuail is Huron-Bruce’s
NDP candidate and he has been
politically active for many years.
McQuail, who calls himself a
farmer and environmentalist, will be
running on a platform of
sustainability, equality and
community and says he wants to
keep it clean.
“I am going to do my best to look
upon the other candidates as brothers
and sisters on Mother Earth and run a
non-adversarial campaign.”
McQuail, of Lucknow, is a
graduate of Goderich District
Collegiate Institute and has farmed in
Huron County since graduating from
the University of Waterloo in
1976.
Ask the candidates
And so concludes another
successful Thresher Reunion in
Blyth, with the 47th annual show, a
“quiet one,” wrapping up on Sunday.
Secretary Marian Hallahan said
the weekend wasn’t helped by the
weather, which saw rain on Friday
and Sunday, but that it was well-
attended, but quiet.
Camping was significantly down,
she said, something she chalks up to
consistently rising fuel costs that
would see those who travel long
distances to come to Blyth, perhaps
shy away. Just under 800 campers
came through the gates this year,
compared to the over 1,000 that
parked on Blyth’s campgrounds last
year.
Another factor, she speculates is
the International Plowing Match in
Teeswater. She said that many
people who would have liked to
attend were working or preoccupied
with duties associated with the
plowing match happening in North
Huron’s backyard.
In addition, the weather played a
big part in decreased admissions.
Admissions were down on Friday, as
well as Sunday, both days that saw
the skies open up. There are no
official numbers on Friday’s
attendance, but Hallahan says there
were as many as 500 less people on
the grounds on Sunday as there were
on the same day last year.
The attendance on Saturday,
however, was up from last year.
People came through the gates from
all over Ontario and the United
States and as far away as Holland,
Switzerland and Edmonton, Alberta.
Gladys Van Egmond said many of
the entertainment events were well-
attended, including last Thursday
night’s fiddle workshop that saw 32
fiddlers all playing in unison,
something she called “quite a sight.”
Every performance of the
weekend saw large crowds and both
Friday and Saturday’s dances
performed by the Ken Scott
Orchestra and Pierce’s Orchestra
were filled to capacity, she said.
Winners in the fiddling
competition were Joseph Flynn of
Markdale in the nine and under
class, Celine Murray of Dorchester
in the 12 and under class, Devin
Martene Crediton was first in the 18
and under class, while Ashley Giles
of St. Marys was second and Melissa
Mouck of Orangeville placed third.
There were no entries in the 19-49
class, while Lorne Seal of
Kincardine placed first in the 50-69
class, second went to Ken Schaak of
Desboro, Carol Beatty of Dundalk
took third place and Murray Rose of
Powassan took home fourth place.
Alec Aldercorn of Badjeros came
in first in the 70 and over class, Don
Harrison of Brampton followed him
with second followed by Clarence
Burrell of Markdale in third and
Stuart Lee on Komoka in fourth.
Arthur Ross of Appin won the open
class.
The stepdance competition saw a
large turnout with plenty of class
winners.
Amanda MacInnes of Dundalk
won the nine and under class,
followed by Leighla Thompson of
Wroxeter in second, Evelyn Walsh
of Egmondville in third and Maria
Poppler of Orangeville taking fourth
place. Keaton Rutherford of Embro
won first place in the 12 and under
class, followed by Lauren
Thompson of Wroxeter in second,
Kristen Walsh of Egmondville in
third and Kendra Rhynard of Clinton
in fourth.
Jodie Tod of London won the 18
and under class, Chelsea Mott of
Stratford came in second, Trishia
Whetham of Dundalk came in third
and taking fourth was Michael
Ballagh of Teeswater. Paddy Woods
of Mitchell won the 19 and over
class and Devan Ballagh of
Teeswater won the open class,
followed by Melissa Mouck in
second. The Step Sisters of Wroxeter
and Wingham won the junior group
class followed by Two Girls For
Every Guy from Stratford in second
and Happy Feet from Egmondville
in third. The open group class went
to the Ballagh Bunch from
Teeswater.
This year’s special events tested
the skills of bag-tying, log-sawing
and belt-setting among others things
of this year’s patrons. On Saturday,
with a time of 38.6 seconds, Richard
Martin won the men’s bag-tying and
Jean Hedley won the ladies class
with a time of 37.8 seconds. Lyle
Hood and Bob Machan won the log-
sawing with a time of 6.7 seconds,
while Roseann Adams and Deb
Swanson combined for a 13 second
time. The winners of the mixed
sawing were Mark Machan and Deb
Swanson with a time of 9.7 seconds.
The best time of belt-setting with a
tractor for the men went to Jamieson
and Walter Ribey with a time of 1:14
seconds and the mixed winners were
Jean Pentland and Jamieson Ribey
with a time of 1:24 seconds.
Sunday’s results saw George
Townsend take the bag-tying title
with a time of 43.2 seconds for the
men and Jean Pentland won with 37
for the women. Bob Machan and
Lyle Hood won the men’s log-
sawing with a time of 6.4 seconds
and the ladies class was taken by
Marion and Doreen Taylor with a
time of 19.3 seconds. The mixed
crown went to Carl Reid and Jean
Pentland with a time of 9.8 seconds.
The John Hallahan Memorial
trophy went to Jason and Mike
Searson who had the best time in
belt-setting with a steam engine at
2:27.
The weekend began to wind down
on Sunday morning with the annual
non-denominational church service
led by Pastor Les Cook. Soloist
Kirby Cook sang Amazing Grace
and Eagle’s Wings. The service
honoured Bill, Lorna and Elvis
Vincent and Annette (Vincent) and
the late Todd Edgar.
Campaign begins
CitizenTh
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$1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008
Volume 24 No. 36PHOTOS- Pg. 10A look back at the 47thThresher Reunion FAREWELL - Pg. 19Melville honours retiringministerBUSINESS- Pg. 7Belgrave Variety gets newownersPublications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 PAP Registration No. 09244 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0INSIDE THIS WEEK:
With the waiting and wondering over and an election day set, it’s time for
Canadian residents to become aware of the issues and the candidates’views.
In an effort to help our readers become more informed on where the
candidates stand on important issues, we are inviting them to let us ask the
questions for them.
Send us the question by mail or e-mail prior to Sept. 19 and we will send
a selected number along to the Huron-Bruce candidates from each party for
their answers. They will be published in an issue of The Citizen prior to the
election.
Mail questions to Box 429, Blyth, ON, N0M 1H0 or Box 152, Brussels,
ON, N0G 1H0. E-mail: editor@northhuron.on.ca or
norhuron@scsinternet.com
Weather dampens enthusiasm for Thresher fans