The Rural Voice, 1978-09, Page 5Hosting the IPM
13y Alice Gibb
In November., Jim and Carol Armstrong will undoubtedly
notice a great change in their lives - silence.
The Armstrongs, the Wingham area couple who offered their
farm as the host farm for the 1978 International Plowing Match,
haven't had a great deal of peace and quiet for the last eight
months.
The telephone rings constantly, visitors parade in and out of
the house, and reporters are always dropping by for more
information on the match. Also, a crew of hydro men have set up
temporary residence on part of the Armstrong Farm.
But all this commotion is just a normal part of hosting the
annual plowing match, and even though the Armstrongs may
sometimes look a little harried, they insist they wouldn't have
missed the experience.
It's hectic but the Armstrongs
wouldn't have missed it
for the world.
Both Armstrongs emphasize being the host farm is
"delightful", as well as allowing thcm to make many friends
they might never have come in contact with if it hadn't been for
the plowing match.
THe Armstrongs also give some special credit to Bill, their 21
year old son and their four daughters who have pitched in and
taken over many of the behind the scenes chores formerly
handled by their parents before preparations for the match
became almost a fulltime job.
The Armstrongs moved to Huron County 10 years ago when
their "almost century farm" outside Bramalea was sold.
Two years after they settled in, on their farm on Hwy. 86, just
outside Wingham, Jim Armstrong joined the Huron County
Plowmen's Association, an organization that's open to rural and
urban residents alike.
Huron County hadn't hosted the International Plowing Match
since 1966; when plowmen from Canada and the United States
competed on the Jim Scott farm in Seaforth.
Unfortunately, the match was plagued by heavy rains and the
turnout was far less than had been expected.
Jim Armstrong said Huron County wanted another chance to
prove themselves, and so when the association starting tossing
around the idea of bringing the match to the county again, the
Armstrongs offered their farm as an incentive.
Approved in '74
The Huron County Plowmen's Association, with the backing of
county council, made four separate presentations to the Ontario
Plowmen's Association, before the provincial body approved
their application in 1974 to host the 1978 games.
When a county takes on the responsibility of hosting a match,
it takes hundreds of hours of planning by volunteers willing to
spend many of their evenings in committee meetings. It also
takes co-operation from other county residents who spruce up
their farm buildings, and it takes a national advertising
campaign to alert potential visitors to the match.
All in all, hosting a plowing match means a good many
headaches.
But, there are also benefits. This year's match, expected to be
the largest ever, will bring more than 250,000 people to the site.
Also, this year a seventh avenue has been added to the tent
city which means more exhibitors than ever want booths at the
match.
If nothing else, Jim Armstrong believes this is an indication
that the poor weather at Frontenac County's 1977 match didn't
scare anyone off.
Also, the facelifting around the county will last long after the
plowing match itself is just a memory.
But even more important, organizing the match, with 23
committees working out arrangments for everything from where
farmers will land who come by plane to antique and historic
displays, can't help but bring the people in a county together,
since they're all working for a common goal.
Industry
As well as the enjoyment people take from the match itself.
there's always the chance some industry might consider settling
inthe county as a result of the match, which means more jobs for
local residents and more tax revenue for county coffers.
THE RURAL VOICE/SEPTEMBER 1978 PG.5 1