HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2019-08-29, Page 1 CitizenTh
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$1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, August 29, 2019
Volume 35 No. 34
FUNDRAISER - Pg. 3
Agricultural Society to
host Fall Fair dinner
WORLD RECORD - Pg. 11
Locals travel to eastern
Ontario to set world record
ANNIVERSARY - Pg. 2
McDonald Home Hardware
to mark 90th anniversary
Publications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0
INSIDE
THIS WEEK:
Rutabaga Ride incorporated into full G2G ride
Locals shine at Huron County Plowing Match
Blyth’s first Rutabaga Festival in
years may be bringing in far more
visitors than anticipated as the
Goderich-to-Guelph (G2G) Rail
Trail will act as a conduit to Blyth
for several cycling groups.
G2G Board member Doug Cerson
explained that, when Annie Sparling
reached out to him regarding the
Rutabaga Ride, a cycling event tied
to the Festival that is set for Oct. 5
and was planned to see riders head to
Auburn and back, the festival
dovetailed nicely with other events
happening on the trail.
“It started off with the Rutabaga
Festival proposing a ride locally, but
there was also interest from a rider
group out of Goderich that does a
Fall Colours Ride,” he said. “There
was talking about doing that the
same day.”
The same week he heard from the
Rutabaga Festival and the Goderich
group, a third group out of Toronto
looking to ride the G2G, nearly in its
entirety, contacted him about
utilizing the trail some time in
October.
“The group out of Toronto wanted
to use the trail for one day, start at
Guelph and go to [Blyth Cowbell
Brewing Company Ltd.],” Cerson
said. “The club proposed 50-70
riders.”
Cerson said that all these
messages coming in at the same time
led to him seeing the events could
work together.
It won’t just be those groups,
however, as a special ride is being
scheduled that day designed to bring
G2G users to Blyth for any cyclist
interested. Notices will be sent to
other clubs near the trail, Cerson
said.
“They could register, ride up and
take in the Rutabaga Festival,” he
said. “There is a tour of the
[Hubbard’s rutabaga factory] and
Cowbell tours as well if they
choose.”
Riders can attend the event from
anywhere, Cerson said. They don’t
need to start in Goderich or Guelph,
but can just get on the trail at any
point and make their way to Blyth.
The ride will cost $60 to take part
in and includes a beverage and lunch
at Cowbell as well as a souvenir t-
shirt from the G2G and the Rutabaga
Festival.
Riders not interested in the
beverage or lunch can opt out of
those options.
A sign-up page will be created on
the G2G website, g2grailtrail.com,
this week, Cerson said.
The event will serve as a
fundraiser for the maintenance and
upgrades for the G2G trail, Cerson
said, and riders will be encouraged
to get pledges from friends and
family to support the ride.
Once riders get to Blyth, there will
be three check-in points so riders
know what’s going on in the
community. One check-in will be on
the trail, one at Cowbell and another
in downtown Blyth as part of the
Rutabaga Festival.
Cowbell has been a big supporter
of the event, Cerson said, offering up
the Threshers Hall for riders.
Cerson said the event will be a
great opportunity for people to see
what Blyth has to offer while
encouraging exercise.
Huron County Plowmen’s
Association President Margaret
Vincent says she couldn’t have
asked for more last week at the
annual Huron County Plowing
Match.
Held in Gorrie this year on the
home farm of Ray and Anita
Dykstra, the match has been deemed
a success, yielding plenty of
promising winners and great
representation for the next year.
Westfield-area teenager Grace
Hallahan was crowned the Princess
on Thursday afternoon, while it was
Maranda Klaver of RR5, Seaforth
who was named Queen of the
Furrow on Friday night, beating out
two other competitors to succeed
Loretta Higgins in the prestigious
position.
On the plowing side, Blyth’s
Lucas Townsend again triumphed in
the Junior category, while Brussels-
area teenager Andrew Fear was
handed the Reserve Champion
Award. Paul Dodds of the Walton
area claimed the Senior
Championship, while it was another
man from Walton, Brian McGavin,
who was the Reserve Champion.
Peter Albers claimed victory in
the Green category, also claiming
the McGavin Award for best crown,
which excludes all previous
winners, and the Huron County
Warden Award.
The Val Lea Youngest Plower
Award went to James Speer.
The Fear family of the Brussels
area won the Huron County
Plowmen’s Association Farm
Family Award.
A number of Huron County 4-H
Sodbusters Club members were also
honoured that night.
Darnell Francis was the top 4-H
The Brussels Tigers remain atop
the Huron County Fastball League
with just a few games left in the
regular season before the year-end
tournament in Mitchell on Sept. 6-8.
The Tigers boast a record of 17-3
following a 14-4 win over the
Fullarton A’s on Aug. 21, the Tigers’
last game of the regular season.
The Wingham Hitmen are in
second place with a record of 14-4.
The Hitmen lost on Aug. 25 by a
Tigers sit atop league
Keeping it straight
Ray and Anita Dykstra’s Gorrie-area farm was the setting
for the Huron County Plowing Match last week that saw a
number of locals excel both on and off the fields. Maranda
Klaver of RR5, Seaforth, above, did both, earning the Queen of
the Furrow crown, as well as the Best Plowgirl Award, no doubt
thanks to her attention to detail. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
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