HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-09-08, Page 48THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2005. PAGE A-27.
Thresher Reunion 2005
Vision of a few men
made Reunion reality -■
It has been more than 40 years
since the Huron Pioneer Thresher
Reunion and Hobby Association
was born and in that time some
wonderful memories have been
created.
It was the vision of a handful of
people that one can thank for those
memories. When it was first
developed many years ago, the aim
of the Reunion was to reunite a gang
of men who had travelled the
countryside performing the task of
threshing farmers’ fields.
That original group consisted of
many local men including the
Hallahan brothers of East
Wawanosh, Dennis, Willie Joe,
Daniel, John Simon and Raymond
as well as Alec Manning, Jack
White, Hugh Chisholm.
Invitations were sent to threshers
in the community as planning for the
big gathering began. Machinists
who had worked with the steam
threshers and owners of machines
were invited to show off their
equipment and recount old times.
Legend claims that not everyone
shared their fervour. During the first
reunion, the story goes, the Orange
Master arrived at the old Orange
Hall in Blyth, and apparently
refused the threshers entrance at the
Hall, assuming some liquor had
been consumed.
It was a move that garnered a lot
of attention for their group. With
their indoor activities curtailed, the
men carried on the party in front of
the hall. Several had brought fiddles
and other musical instruments so
they began playing on the street.
The street began to fill with
spectators and soon overflowed as
the group continued with its
Honouring
the Courtneys
This year, at the 44th anniversary
Thresher Reunion, the Huron
Pioneer Thresher & Hobby
Association Inc. is honouring the
late Joe Courtney and his wife
Teresa.
Mr. Courtney was born in Ashfield
Twp., one of nine children of the late
Joe and Grace Courtney. Growing
up, he and his future wife, both
attended SS #10 Ashfield and were
school chums. Grace was one of five
children born to the late Frank and
Margeret Etta MacNamara.
In 1952 he asked her to become
his bride and after their marriage
they settled down on a 200-acre
farm in Ashfield Twp. They
hadseven sons: Gary, Wayne, Brian,
Eric, Floyd, Carl and one who died
in infancy. Wayne drowned in 1984,
Floyd was killed in a motorcycle
accident in 1988 and Carl died in a
car accident in 1990.
The Courtneys were a great asset
to the Huron Pioneer Threshers
Association ancf his help and
knowledge have been greatly missed
since his March 18, 2005 passing.
The Courtneys’ son Gary and his
wife Chris are carrying on the legacy
having been involved with the
Reunion in many areas, from
overseeing the campground
registration for a number of years to
cooking up the delicious steam-
roasted corn. They have also
supplied the Association with
supplies from their business.
marvelous performance.
The Orange Master eventually
concluded that the threshers
perhaps weren't such a bad group
after all. and allowed them to move
the party into the hall.
The group of men got together at
an old horse barn for the next four
years, entertaining spectators with
their homegrown style of music and
showing off the five steam engines
on display.
Contributing greatly to the success
and enjoyment of the event were the
threshers’ wives, who provided an
excellent meal in the old thresher
way, cooking delicious hot meals
with plenty of homebaking on the
side.
By the fifth year, the increasing
popularity of the reunion
necessitated the gathering to be
changed into a community activity
rather than a private social function.
It was upon the decision of the
original members, to set up
committees to provide more
entertainment, fiddle and stepdance
contests and to bring in more
threshing machines.
The event continued to expand as
the years passed by, increasing its
ability to pull in spectators and
exhibitors.
After 23 years of managing the
show, the threshers decided it was
time to incorporate. This was the
biggest change for the reunion.
Instead of all members participating
in the planning, 15 directors were
chosen.
As the enthusiasm for the show
grows, so does the investment of
time required by the committee
members and all that are involved. It
has far surpassed its original aim. It
has developed into an event which
fascinates young and old alike,
drawing thousands to the village of
Blyth each September.
Making music
While the Reunion first began as a social reminder of the
old threshing gangs, a big part of that was music. That
remains today with several venues offering a variety of
entertainment, as well as jam sessions shaping up
throughout the campgrounds all weekend long. fF//e photo)
Scene from the past
The Reunion pays tribute to the old methods of industry and
farming with its many exhibits and demonstrations. (Fite
photo)
Welcome to the 44th Annual
Thresher Reunion
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Welcome to the 44th Annual Thresher Reunion
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