After a challenging couple of days late last week, the final day of the International Plowing Match & Rural Expo didn’t disappoint visitors and organizers.
Saturday brought drier weather, albeit far cooler temperatures, for people making the most of their last chance to see an event that hadn’t come to the area in nearly 40 years.
It was a far cry from Thursday, when the IPM had to close the gates early due to excessively wet and muddy conditions at the Pain Court site.
However, landowner Jean-Marie Laprise said everyone involved was able to pull together when it counted.
He added that anything is possible with the right attitude.
“It created an opportunity for us to show what we can do here in Chatham-Kent,” he said during the closing ceremony for the event.
“People got together, got it cleaned up, we’re back in business. … I’ve had sunshine in my heart all week, so I don’t really care about what Mother Nature throws at us.”
Laprise, who was flanked by his wife, Lucille, and their children, called the day bittersweet, but believed overall the IPM was a win for the community.
“We’re very proud to have been a part of this,” he said.
There was a parade of vintage fire trucks earlier in the day to help promote the upcoming FireFest Chatham-Kent.
Also held was an event to see how many people could eat corn on the cob at one time. A total of 1,125 people took part, which officials stated was an IPM record.
David Murray, Ontario Plowmen’s Association president, credited all the volunteers for their efforts throughout the week.
“It’s been a whirlwind,” he said. “It’s been a fun time. It’s been a hard time. There was a little bit of a weather blip the other day.”
Darrin Canniff, 2018 IPM co-chair, noted that many people took vacation simply to lend their talents and assistance in making the event a success.
“What an amazing five days,” he said. “This is fantastic watching Chatham-Kent come together the way we did.”
Co-chair Leon Leclair said that people simply “got it done” from the early planning stages to the event itself.
“That was the attitude we had for the last four years,” he said.
Ontario’s new Queen of the Furrow, Derika Nauta, of Tavistock in Oxford County, was crowned on Friday evening during the IPM Celebration of Excellence.
In the younger category of Princess of the Furrow, announced on Saturday, Tate Driscoll, of Mapleton Township in Wellington County, was crowned.
With the 2019 IPM slated to take place in Verner, West Nipissing, Leclair said the Chatham-Kent team is more than willing offer any assistance if called upon.
“If you need us to come down every once in awhile to help out, we are there for you,” he said.
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