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The Citizen, 2017-09-28, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2017. Closing Tented City due to weather a difficult choice All hands on deck Help abounded last Wednesday when the Tented City at the 100th International Plowing Match and Rural Expo was closed due to the extreme rain event the day before. Volunteers delivered and spread wood shavings across the grounds to dry the site up. (Denny Scott Photo) By Denny Scott The Citizen The committee behind the International Plowing Match (IPM) faced a very difficult decision due to the isolated rain incident that flooded the grounds of the tented city on Tuesday: whether the Tented City should remain open or not. The IPM represented years, as well as thousands of hours, of work, much of which was put into question after the reported inch and a half of rain that fell on the site in just a few hours, leaving behind a muddy mess that represented a safety hazard for foot traffic. In a release regarding the incident, shared shortly after 9 p.m. on Sept. 19, the committee explained that they wouldn't be "stewards of the land", an important tennant of the event, by having the grounds open on Wednesday. "Our lives — who we are — comes from this land — and by opening the gates tomorrow we would not be stewards of the land for the future — a foundation of the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo," the report said. "Furthermore, the safety of our visitors and all who help to put on this match is our priority." The decision followed many events on Tuesday having to be cancelled due to the weather, including the truncation of the opening day parade and the cancellation of VIP plowing, which would have seen politicians like Ontario Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne and official opposition Ontario Conservative leader Patrick Brown try their hand at the staple of the plowing match. After considering the impact of the weather on the grounds as well as the future of the lands that the event was hosted on, the committee decided, late Tuesday evening, that the Tented City would be closed on Wednesday. However, when the sun didn't come out until after noon on Wednesday, coupled with some scattered showers in the area, members of the committee were concerned they'd have to remain closed on Thursday as well, despite the best efforts of those on site. Some aspects of the event continued on Wednesday when Tented City was closed to the public, with championship plowing taking place in some of the fields around the grounds later on Wednesday and the Brussels Fall Fair 4-H show, which was set to take place in the Tented City, taking place at its traditional home of the Brussels, Morris, Grey and Community Centre. Fans lined the fields around the IPM grounds to catch their local plowmen vying for top spots and the Continued on page 14 Halton's Donaldson named 2017-18 Ontario Queen A new Queen crowned One of 2016-17 Ontario Queen of the Furrow Anita Rastapkevicius', right, last responsibilities was to crown her replacement Kailey Donaldson of Halton County. Donaldson beat out 24 competitors for the title. The first runner up was Caleigh Van Kampen of Peel Dufferin and Andrea Chesney of Oxford Blenheim. Billie Diemert of Grey Normanby received the Miss Friendship award. (Denny Scott Photo) Continude from page 1 Plow (Walking): Nelson Sage of Thamesville, champion; Kathleen MacRobbie of Mount Forest, reserve. • Class 1 Group 3 — Horses, Sulky Plow: Conor Green of Cobourg, champion; Steven Bickle of Bobcaygeon, reserve. • Class 1 Group 4 — Horses, Sulky Plow: Dan Gorrill of Oakwood, champion; Tristin Boutilier of Belleville, reserve. • Class 1 Group 5 — Horses, Sulky Plow (plows manufactured after 1979): Mike Atkins of Lucasville, champion; Russell W. Rogers of Mount Forest, reserve. • Class 2 Group 1 — Tractors, Two Furrows, Plowers 10-15 years old: Hailey Gruber of Richmond, Minnesota, champion; Cole Brodhaecker of Ayr, reserve. • Class 2 Group 2 — Tractors, Two Furrows, Plowers 16-19 years old — Ontario Junior Champion: Hunter Chown of Wolfe Island, champion; Ben Henderson of Cambridge, reserve. • Class 2 Group 3 — Tractors, Two Furrows, Plowers 20 years and older: Katie Davenport of Owen Sound, champion; Matt Nottingham of Lindsay, reserve. • Class 2 Group 4 — Tractors, Two Furrows, Plowers 20 years and older: Jim Ferguson of Sunderland, champion; Ron Stinson of Kemptville, reserve. • Class 3 Group 1 - Tractors, Three Furrows (Three or less years at IPM Competition): Riley Terpstra of Atwood, champion; Matthew Magwood of Hanover, reserve. • Class 3 Group 2 — Tractors, Three Furrows (Three or less years IPM Competition): Anthony Bertrand of St. Mary's, champion; Clayton Terpstra of Atwood, reserve. • Class 4 Group 2 — Tractors, Four Furrows (Three or less years IPM Competition): Erich Weber of Ayton, champion. There was no reserve champion. • Class 5 Group 1 — Tractors, Conventional Plows — Ontario Champion: Bert Beyens of Strathroy, champion; Brian Davenport of Owen Sound, reserve. • Class 5 Group 2 — Tractors, Reversible Plows — Ontario Champion: Daryl Hostrawser of East Garafraxa, champion; Bob Campbell of Dunsford, reserve. • Class 6 Group 1 — Antique Tractors, Drag Plows: Ken O'Brien of Midhurst, champion; Harold Walker of Sparta, reserve. • Class 6 Group 2 — Antique Tractors, Drag Plows: Michel Calande of Alfred, champion; Benoit Bouladier of Val des Monts, reserve. • Class 6 Group 3 — Antique Tractors, Mounted Plows: John Milligan of Strathroy, champion; Jim Cox of Innerkip, reserve. • Class 6 Group 4 — Antique Tractors, Mounted Plows: Douglas MacRobbie of Guelph, champion; Stephanie Sanders of Strathroy, reserve. • Best Team and Equipment (ribbons presented in the field on Thursday to Best Team and Equipment): Nelson Sage, David Reid, Eric Linton and John DeKroon. • Harold Nie Memorial Special (highest aggregate score in Class 1 by a first time competitor): Jordan Shortreed of Walton. • Sidney Sisler Memorial Junior Special (Junior Champion Tractor Plowperson): Hunter Chow of Wolfe Island. • Fred and Helen Davenport Memorial Award (Presented to the tractor plowing competitor with highest aggregate score in four days of plowing, including Class 2, 3 and 4, under the age of 16 years. Previous winners not eligible): Cole Brodhaecker of Ayr. • Elliott Moses Memorial Special (Presented to contestant with the greatest number of points in Class 2, 3 or 4 — Group 1 and 2, born after 1995. Contestant must compete each day the plowing competition is held during the match): Hailey Gruber of Richmond, Minnesota. • Gordon Bradfield Memorial Special (Presented to the contestant with highest aggregate scores in Classes 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6): Hailey Gruber of Richmond, Minnesota. • John S. Moffat Memorial Trophy (Presented to the top Drag Plow winner): Ken O'Brien of Midhurst. • Junior Farmers Association of Ontario Special (Presented to the Ontario plow person aged 15-29 years old with the highest aggregate score): Katie Davenport of Owen Sound. • IPM Champion Horse Plow Person Award (Presented to the plower with highest total points in Class 1): Brad Linton of Roseneath, champion; Terry Linton of Roseneath, reserve. • Lloyd VanDusen Award (Presented to best Overall Walking Plow Team): Brad Linton of Roseneath. • IPM Champion Antique Award (Highest total points by a Class 6 plow person at the IPM): Ken O'Brien of Midhurst, champion; Harold Walker of Sparta, reserve. • IPM Champion Tractor Award (Highest total points by a plowperson in Classes 2, 3, 4 and 5 at the IPM): Hailey Gruber of Richmond, Minnesota, champion; Daryl Hostrawser of East Garafraxa, reserve. • Graeme, Helen and Michael Craig Special (A coat and hat will be awarded per contestant qualifying to compete at the 2018 Canadian Championships in the Junior and Senior Classes): Seniors Bert Beyens of Strathroy, Brian Davenport of Owen Sound, Daryl Hostrawser of East Garafraxa and Bob Campbell of Dunford; Juniors Hunter Chown of Wolfe Island and Ben Henderson of Cambridge. • Barbara McAllister Memorial Scholarship (Presented to a contestant who is between the ages of 16 and 20 on the first day of the IPM. Scholarship money is to be used towards post -secondary education approved by the executive of the Ontario Plowmen's Association): Ben Henderson of Cambridge. Harold Nie Memorial Special Jordan Shortreed of Walton received the Harold Nie Memorial Special award during the IPM Gala on Friday evening. The award, presented by Haldimand County Plowmen's Association representative Wayne Downie, right, recognizes Shortreed, as a first-time competitor, for earning the highest aggregate score in Class 1 plowing. Also pictures is 2016-17 Ontario Queen of the Furrow Anita Rastapkevicius. (Denny Scott Photo)