HomeMy WebLinkAbout31st Annual Huron Pioneer Thresher & Hobby Association 1992 Reunion, 1992-09-09, Page 10PAGE A-10. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1992.
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Reunion born in Simon Hallahan’s house
Today the Huron Pioneer Thresher
Reunion is so big, the expanded Blyth
fairgrounds can hardly hold all the people,
but 30 years ago, the idea that led to the big
event was developed among a group of men
small enough to meet in Simon Hallahan’s
house.
Mr. Hallahan was, of course,
synonymous with the Thresher Reunion for
many people in the early years of the event
so it was natural that his farm house should
be the nest where the egg was hatched. It
was on May 13, 1962 that the first meeting
of threshermen was held.
The name Thresher Reunion seems
natural enough when you look at the men
involved. Nearly all were veterans of the
Shuttle buses
prevent
traffic chaos
Several years ago the Thresher
Association helped the village of Blyth buy
more land so the fairgrounds could
accommodate more parking. The Thresher
Reunion just kept on growing, however, and
another solution soon had to be found.
Today, visitors can avoid traffic tie-ups
on Saturday and Sunday by parking at a
special parking lot set up at the east end of
the village on County Rd. 25. Special shuttle
buses will be travelling to and from the
fairgrounds each day.
Parking at the lot is free, helping make a
visit to the Thresher Reunion both
convenient and inexpensive.
threshing gangs that once brought off the
harvest on Western Ontario farms. At that
first meeting was Harold Turner of
Goderich, a former steam engineer. He
became the first chairman. Alex Manning of
Blyth was named treasurer and Mr. Hallahan
became secretary.
Others present included Hugh Chisholm
of Sarnia, a steam engineer, Stuart Muir of
Paisley, John Scott of Formosa and Willie
Joe Hallahan and John Hallahan of Blyth.
Simon recalled some time ago that
Harold Turner suggested he write to all the
former threshermen and invite them to a
meeting.
That meeting was, according to the
history of the Association published in 1986,
held June 20, 1962 at Blyth Memorial Hall.
Harold Turner chaired the meeting and a
motion was made to name the organization
the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby
Association. Interest was high enough that
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the group decided to hold its first Thresher
Reunion that fall. There were five steam
tractors, two separators (threshing machines)
and a rented saw mill at that first Reunion.
About 500 people came to see them.
Little by little new events were added to
the Thresher Reunion and with each the
attraction grew. Someone suggested music
should be added and the old fashioned fiddle
music became a natural addition. For many
years Earl and Martha Heywood provided
entertainment.
At some point someone suggested that
women needed something to do while their
husbands were admiring the old equipment,
so a craft show was started. At first it took
up part of the arena floor, but today the show
takes the entire ice surface, spilling outside
as well.
The Association's acquisition of its own
sawmill has been a popular highlight at the
Reunion as have the antique and classic car
show.
Eventually a flea market began where
people can get parts for old equipment or
just old-fashioned materials.
Camping came along and like everything
else grew and grew it has become a village
inside a village during the Reunion weekend.
The fairgrounds themselves have grown
as well, over the years, as the Association
donated the money to purchase land from a
nearby farmer.
All this began from that first meeting in
Simon's home. Back then most of the
members had been threshers themselves.
Simon had run a threshing outfit for Geordie
Jordan for a few years. Then for 15 years he
was with the Silver Creek Threshing
Syndicate, a gang comprised of Hallahan
family members.
When he started, Simon recalled several
years ago, there wasn't much stook
Continued on A-11
• Friends • Threshers • Tractor Men • Neighbours &, Visitors
Best Wishes to the Huron Pioneer Thresher and
Hobby Association on their 31st Reunion
We extend a warm welcome from the Village of Blyth and wish you
all a successful weekend celebrating our early technology and harvest skills.
THE VILLAGE OF BLYTH
AND
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