McGavin, Hickey triumph at Huron County Plowing Match

BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN

With the 98th annual Huron County Plowing Match now in the books, some familiar faces have returned to the winner’s circle. 
Perennial contender Brian McGavin was named the Huron County Senior Champion, followed by Lucas Townsend in the Reserve Champion position. In the Junior Division, Brendan Hickey was named Champion and Dugald McIntosh was the Reserve Champion.

 

Also in the Senior Division, Ken Milligan was the Top Antique Plowing Champion, Tom Evans won the Don Dodds Top Visitors Award and Dean Dochstader won the Best Gang Plow Team Award. In the Junior Division, Keith DeKroon won the Val-Lea Award for the youngest plower and James Speer was awarded the Huron County Plowmen’s Scholarship.

 

In the Green Class, Bennett O’Rourke placed first, followed by Keith DeKroon in second, third-place Jarrett Fleet and Callie Brown in fourth.

 

In the Intermediate Junior Class, R.J. Townsend placed first, followed by Clara de Boer in second, Aiden Hickey in third and Avery Brown in fourth.

 

Brendan Hickey topped the Junior Class of Senior members, followed by Dugald McIntosh in second, Clayton Hern in third, James Speer in fourth, Ben Speer in fifth, Brianna Little in sixth, Wesley Brown in seventh and Lyndon Little in eighth.

 

In the Open Two-Furrow Class, Barry DeGeer placed first, followed by Brian McGavin in second, Lucas Townsend in third, Paul Dodds in fourth, Austin Brodhaecker in fifth, Chris Baker in sixth, Alex Cameron in seventh, Joe Ryan in eighth, Troy Leeming in ninth, Darnell Francis in 10th, Ben Henderson in 11th, Darcy Fear in 12th and Andrew Fear in 13th.

 

In the Reversible Class, Tom Evans prevailed, followed by Gerald Corbett in second and Mackenzie Reinhart in third.

 

Ken Milligan won the Antique Trail Class, followed by Richard Pepper in second, Paul Robinson in third, Andrew Robinson in fourth, Thomas Thede in fifth and Kent Robinson in sixth. In the Antique Mounted Class, Ken O’Brien won, followed by second-place Paul Hodgson, Jim Cox in third, Brian Helkaa in fourth and Dennis Bryson in fifth.

 

The only competitor in the Horse Sulky Plow Class was Dean Dochstader, who placed first.

 

In the Horse-Walking Plow Class, Scott Thomas placed first, followed by John DeKroon in second and Ashlynne Harquail in third.
Dugald McIntosh was named the Junior Day Champion, followed by Junior Day Reserve Champion Clayton Hern. McIntosh was also honoured with the Ross Gordon Memorial Award for the top crown for the 4-H club and the William Leeming Memorial Award for the top finish in the 4-H club.

 

The Junior Day standings are: first, Dugald McIntosh; second, Clayton Hern; third, Jarrett Fleet; fourth, Brendan Hickey; fifth, Ben O’Rourke; sixth, R.J. Townsend; seventh, Darion Nyenhuis; eighth, Joel Fleet; ninth, Luke Kroonen; 10th, Jess Hendriks; 11th, Gavin Gross; 12th, Keith DeKroon; 13th, Ben Speer; 14th, James Speer; 15th, Aiden Hickey, and, 16th, Clara de Boer.