By Bill Gladding

From the Tavistock Gazette, May 5, 2021

This year marks the 100th anniversary since the International Plowing Match was held in Oxford County. According to Plowing Match historian Eric Howard of Woodstock, the Woodstock Sentinel Review reported on October 25, 1922 (a year after the match) that “W. O. Grenzebach of East Zorra, who last year (1921) held the Ontario championship for the best plower of stubble in the province, was present at the West Oxford match, winning the highest honours in four events: First in stubble plowing, open to all; best crown in stubble; he won the sod competition and best crown in sod plowing.”

The first recorded plowing match held by the East Zorra Plowmen’s Association was on November 11, 1915, on the farm of William Smith, about three miles north of Woodstock. The Tavistock Gazette reported “Splendid weather favoured the Association and a goodly number of competitors and spectators were in attendance.” This was reported to be the first plowing match held since 1875 when it was hosted by John Strong on a farm about two miles east of the Smith farm (Lot 11, Conc. 14, east side).

Oxford County has hosted three International Plowing Matches over the past 100 years – in 1921 on the Ontario Hospital grounds north of Woodstock; at the John R. Hargreaves farm and neighbouring properties in 1951; and at the Clare Hartley farm in 1980, next to the current location of the Outdoor Farm Show.

The East Zorra Plowmen’s Association continued for some thirty years (1915-1945) before it was disbanded. Minutes of the final meeting of the group which was held in the office of the Department of Agriculture, Woodstock on December 12, 1945 stated that they “decided to disband ... and to contribute the funds remaining in the treasury to the Oxford County Plowmen’s Association, to be used to purchase a trophy (see photo), to be competed for annually at the Oxford County Plowing Match. This trophy is to be awarded for the best plowed land in Oxford County, team or tractor.”The document was signed by Frank Corp, secretary-treasurer; Chas. Rowe, Fred Goble and W. H. Grenzebach.

According to Mr. Howard, the trophy was first awarded in 1946, but interest in plowing matches dropped off after the high of the 1951 International Plowing Match. The Oxford Blenheim match drew more attention and names on the plaque are blank for years 1952, 1954, 1955, 1957. “There was a poor turnout of contestants in 1952; no match in 1954 due to Hurricane Hazel; and only 12 contestants braved the rain at Jackson Bros. farm (The Oxford School site on Hwy. 59) in 1955. There was no match in 1957 as contestants could go to the IPM in adjacent Norfolk County,” he said. “Some years Cecil Wells was the only entry in the horse plowing but was proud to show his beloved Belgians for the horse show and people loved turning out to see them. He won the East Zorra Memorial trophy six times.”

1964 is the last year that the East Zorra Trophy was awarded to Mr. Wells at the Wray Leach farm, located 6 km east of Hickson.

Another piece of local plowing match trivia notes that on October 17th, 1963 the Blenheim Township Plowing Match was hosted at the farm of Glenn Cruickshank, RR 2, Princeton. Glenn is the grandfather of Gazette columnist Michael Cruickshank. At that show, a special class for Oxford County councillors was held. Peter McDonald, Warden of Oxford County competed, but was beaten by Stan Gehring, Deputy Reeve of South Norwich (1st), Geo. Hogg, Reeve of East Nissouri (2nd), and Percy Wettlaufer of East Zorra (3rd).

“Whether we have any plowing matches in 2021, county or provincial, remains to be seen,” Mr. Howard said; “but we want to keep it in the public mind.”