The Ottawa Carleton Plowmen’s Association (OCPA) 2025 Plowing Match was held on August 22 and 23, 2025, at Robert and Allan Walsh Farms on Clayton Road near Navan.
On Friday, there was a brief opening ceremony followed by a VIP Plowing Competition. From a field of 16 local VIPs, there was a tie for first place in the highly competitive Municipal Government class between Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and Orléans South-Navan Catherine Kitts. Second place went to Osgoode Councillor Isabelle Skalski, and third place to Orléans-West Innes Councillor Laura Dudas. First place in the Federal Government class went to Carleton Member of Parliament Bruce Fanjoy, and in the Provincial Government Class, the winner was Carleton Member of Provincial Parliament George Darouze. There was also a Plowing Workshop facilitated by Allen Hills for the Stormont 4-H Plowing Club.
Saturday’s competition drew 29 plowers using both modern and vintage tractors as well as horses to vie for titles in the OCPA Plowing Match. The judge for the day was Allen Carruthers from Grafton in Northumberland County and the steward was Lawrence Payne of Manotick.
“We had another terrific competition again this year,” said OPCA President Don Good. “Our thanks are extended to our hosts, the Walsh Family, as well as to our volunteers, plowers, exhibitors and sponsors.”
Special thanks are extended to Vintage Iron and Traditions of Eastern Ontario for displaying their tractors and to the Ottawa Federation of Agriculture for sponsoring coffee and donuts for the competitors.
An awards celebration of the day’s winners was held on site. It was a big day for Allen Hills of Ashton who placed top-of-class in the Two-Furrow Mounted Plow, open split required; Best Plowed Land (Overall); Best Plowed Land Conventional; and Best Finish. Allen Hills also shared the CPC-16 Award with Chris Allen of Vankleek Hill. This award is for competitors with conventional and reversible plows who have accumulated enough points to compete at the IPM with the potential eligibility to compete at the Canadian and World Plowing Championships.
In the antique tractor division – Prior to 1945 (Trail Plows) class winner was Russell Jones from Lyndhurst on his 1939 John Deere. In the 1946 to 1960 (Trail Plows) class the winner was Michel Calande from Alfred – who was also named Best Antique Plow Person. The Reversible Plows class winner was Josef Bloderer from North Dundas.
In the horse division, the Jointer Plow Open was won by Samuel Bourgon of Maxville, and the Sulky Plow class was won by Glenn Conway of Chute-à-Blondeau. Conway was also named Champion Horse Plow Person.
Other winners included Stephen Manley of Berwick placing first for the Best Open Split and Chris Allen of Vankleek Hill won Best Crown.
All plowers must compete at local matches to be eligible to advance to the 2025 International Plowing Match (IPM) and Rural Expo to be held September 16-20 in Niagara Region at Grassie.
Plans are also progressing for IPM 2026 to be held in Bruce County at Walkerton.
Photos: Linda Payant
