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HomeMy WebLinkAbout747"Article taken from THE OSHAWA TIMES, Thursday, October 15, 1959, page 3, written by Frank Pickeford. First Plowing Match Held On The Post Farm PICKERING — With the International Plowing Match now in progress at Dundas, Wentworth bounty, it is interesting to note that the first recorded plowing match in Pickering Township was held in 1849 on the farm of Asa Post. Asa was one of five brothers, the sons of George W. Post who settled in Pickering very early n the history of the township on Lot 4, Con. 2. The five sons, Asa, John, Hiram, George and Jordan, and two daughters, survived their father who died in 1837. Weller's stage coaches used to stop at the Post place to change horses travelling the Kingston road. From about 1832 onward many new settlers arrived in the township, among them plowmen who had won prizes in the Old Country. It was natural for them to think of matching their work as soon as fields large enough could be found. The match held on Asa Post's farm in 1849 was between 20 men from Scarboro and 20 from Whitby. The Scarboro men won. Twenty-one pounds was spent on a dinner for the competitors and five shillings for beer on the field. Plowing matches have been held in Ontario since 1830, but never have they been so popular as they are today, largely because of the encouragement of agricultural societies which, in 1911, affiliated with the Ontario Plowmen's Association or, as it is named today, the International Plowmen's and Farm Machinery Demonstration. Pickering had a township agricultural society as early as 1850 The first article of the constitution, dated March 4, read as follows: ""This society shall be called the Pickering Agricultural Society, and its objects shall be to promote agriculture, horticulture household arts and the importation of farming stock."" The first officers were: R. A Parker, president; Messrs. Miller and Major, vice - presidents; William Miller, treasurer, and H. McConnochie, secretary. An executive committee of 26 members was drawn from various points in the township. The first fair and plowing match under the auspices of the society of which there is a record took place April 23, 1851, on the farm of Asa Post. Eight men and four boys competed. The entry fee was two shillings and six pence. Four stallions were shown at the fair. The next annual meeting was held at Sterling's Hotel, Norwood now Greenwood) on Jan. 7, 1852. In this year the society's subscription list totaled forty-four founds plus a government grant of twenty-two pounds. These, with a balance from the preceding year and entrance fees amounted to 83 pounds. Of this a sum of 13 pounds was awarded in prizes at the spring show, and 52 pounds at the fall show. VERY POPULAR The society's fairs and plowing matches enjoyed great popularity at that time, and in 1866 steps were taken to acquire permanent show grounds and buildings. The people of Greenwood wanted the show grounds to locate here and presented the society with $751.50; but an offer made by James Hubbard of four acres of land at $350 and a subscription of $238 by the people of Brougham and vicinity as part payment for the land was accepted. The township fairs and plowing matches continued to be held at Brougham for many years until interest began to decline and the fair was discontinued in 1889. Plowmen of the township however, competed at other fairs throughout Ontario, and one Pickering farmer, Nelson Wagg of Claremont, distinguished him self above all others. CHAMPION On Nov. 4, 1902, he headed the list at the King plowing match. The following day he defeated the best plowmen of Markham and Scarboro at Ellesmere and was awarded a prize Ayrshire heifer for the best plowed lane in the competition. But it was a Unionville, Nov. 11, that he won his greatest success. In competition with plowmen of Canada and the United States, he won first place to become ""champion of America"" and was awarded a gold medal and a cash prize of $100. However, plowing matches were on the decline and by 1910 interest had waned to the point here less than a dozen matches were held in Ontario. To revive interest the Ontario Plowmen's Association was organized in 1911, and matches in various townships and counties became affiliated with the provincial organization. The first provincial match was held in 1913, and by 1926 interest had revived to the extent that the present name, International Plowmen's and Farm Machinery Demonstration, commonly referred to as the ""International"", was adopted. Entries in recent years have been as high as 1200, and visitors for the four days have numbered close to 100,000. The International is now rated as the largest outdoor agricultura1 event in Canada."