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Tae 8 2 GE Pg » A Ss PPTs 3 $5 Et ht Ses HLF, PORT PERRY "e LY SECTION PORT PERRY, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 1, 1975, -- PAGE 17 ~. Many local volunteers participate |. Record crowds at Plowmatch On most days of the year, ! the most action you'll likely [J ~»> & R 2 | ES 17 HENNY " The Louise Patterson Handicraft Guild of Port Perry was one of the organizations exhibiting at the World Plowing Match. From left are: Marjorie 1 find on the fields just north of or two inching along or per- Oshawa is probably a tractor haps a groundhog dodging from his hole. Last week, however, the smart groundhog stayed underground at the site of the World Plowing Match that saw thousands of people transpose the area from a tranquil rural scene to carn- ival-like atmosphere. Plowmen from 19 count- ries concentrated on plowing the straightest furrows, while hundreds of exhibitors showed off their products. Despite a somewhate pol- itical start, the competition was kep{ on a non-political basis. The Kenyan team had withdrawn earlier last week as a protest against the inclusion of the Rhodesian team in the competition. For the same reason, Prime Min- ister Pierre Trudeau boycot- ted the official opening. "We are only interested in plowing," . said - Vivian Samuel of Great Britain, reflecting the attitude of most of the competitors. Bob Timbers, three-time Cana- dian plowing champ and local chairman for the match said 'there was good spirit among the plowmen, i Over 10,000 people made the first-day attendance a record for Canadian - held [} matches; perhaps not only to take in the competition but also what agriculture minist- er William Stewart called "the largest display of (agri- culture) equipment ever assembled in North Amer- ica." : But as well as the attrac- tions, there were the prob- lems. About 30 uniformed Durham Regional Police Puy 4 officers and an unspecified number of plain clothed officers were on hand to avoid the hazards that usual- ly go hand in hand with large gatherings of people. Aside from a couple of - pickpockets operating at the site and a couple of incidents of joy riding on equipment, the match proved relatively free of disturbance. Participation at the match included all ages. Over 5,000 students toured the tent city in the five days, mainly elementary school young- sters. Exhibitors ranged fr om Williams, Phyllis Hamilton, Jean Nodwell and Norma Crowell. -people, Art with a chain saw. the manafacturers of chain saws to such agricultural unlikelies as the Canadian Armed Forces, who moved a mobile theatre onto the site. . The tractor trailer seats 50 and a 12-minute movie shown dealt with the Canadian reserve forces. But the main event was in the nearby fields, "where plowmen, climbed down from behind tractors and measured the furrows they had just plowed in order to Doug Holtby (left) and Larry Kendall prepare a sandwich at their World Plowing Match booth. make last-minute alterations to their plows. A half an inch of depth or width in a furrow could cost a competitor the match. Of the hundreds of volun- teers who helped make the match a success, maily were - from the Scugog Township area. Local service clubs such as the Kinsmen operat- ed a booth~at the site, while many others Worked at gates and other aspects of the operation.