Fund-raising dinner, auction raise $11,000 in support of Tiverton plowman Tom Evans

About 250 people filled the Underwood Community Centre, Saturday night, for a fund-raising dinner and auction in support of Tiverton plowman Tom Evans who won the Canadian Reversible Plowing Championship last fall and is set to represent Canada at the World Plowing Championship in Kenya, in December of this year.

Organized by Nancy Craig, Laurie and Jamie Convay, Anne McBride, Lindsay Dykeman, Leanne Gowing, Phillip Craig, and a host of volunteers, the dinner, silent auction and live auction raised $11,000 to assist Evans in his travel to Kenya and back, which includes transporting his plowing equipment there in order to compete.

Evans is eligible for the worlds after winning the Ontario championship at the 2015 International Plowing Match in Finch, followed by the Canadian reversible plowing championship in Ottawa-Carleton last year.

The road to Kenya includes shipping the plow, tractor tires and rims, spare parts and tools to Richmond, Minnesota, at the end of July. Evans will travel to Minnesota, Aug. 1, to help pack a shipping container with the United States plow team, for shipment to Kenya by boat.

In November, Evans, himself, will fly from Toronto to Nairobi, Kenya, where he will meet other world teams and take the bus to Nakuru. He will get a tractor from FMD East Africa (Massey Ferguson 4708), unpack the container, change the rear tires on the tractor, and set up the plow.

After a week of practice, the 64th World Plowing Championship runs Dec. 1-2.

"I will need the practice," said Evans, "because the soil in Kenya is clay with ash and it's sticky. We will plow one day in stubble and one day in sod."

He then travels on a safari before returning to Canada.

The fund-raiser included silent auction items, and a live auction conducted by local auctioneer Rodney Ribey. There were some amazing items up for bid, including a dozen butter tarts made by Lois Craig, and magnificent homemade fudge by Evans' cousin, Laura, as well as a homemade replica tractor of Evans' own Massey Ferguson, cakes, pies, and toy farm equipment.

Byron Monk of the Bruce County Plowmen's Association, told the crowd that before Evans travels to Kenya, he will have to defend his Canadian title. However, he will have the home-field advantage because the Canadian Plowing Championship will be held in Bruce County this fall, in a field just north of Walkerton.

"We are very proud of Tom (Evans)," said Monk. "He has been a wonderful instructor with the junior plowing program. He's a great guy, a good friend, and a will be a super ambassador for Canada at the world match."

"What an amazing turn-out tonight," said Evans. "I'm overwhelmed and blessed. Thank you everyone for your support."

He is travelling to Kenya with a Canadian plow team which includes Jay Lennox of Ayton who won the Canadian conventional plowing championship, judge Keith Davenport of Owen Sound, coach Darryl Hostauser of Belwood and team manager Brian Davenport.

Evans thanked his sponsors which include the Municipality of Kincardine, Massey Ferguson, FMD East Africa, Britespan, Young Farms, the Bruce County Plowmen's Association, the Bruce Township Historical Society, the Ottawa-Carleton Plowmen's Association, the Ontario Plowmen's Association, and the Canadian Plowing Organization, as well as many friends from across the community.

"The support from this community is unreal," said Evans.

Diane Foxton of Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson's office, presented Evans with a certificate of congratulations as the Canadian competitor at the 64th World Plowing Contest, organized by the World Plowing Organization in Nakuru, Kenya, in December, 2017.

"Your passion, commitment and determination to augment, preserve and enhance the art and skill of plowing the land is admirable," states Thompson, in the certificate. "I applaud your accomplishments, to date, and sincerely wish you all the best as you represent Canada at the 2017 World Plowing Competition."

"Four years ago, I helped out the Kenyan team at the plowing competition in Alberta," said Evans. "They kept saying to me, 'Thank you, my friend, you are a blessing'. Well, that's what I say to all of you."

Phillip Craig, as MC, wrapped things up by thanking everyone for coming to the dinner and auction. "I'm so proud to be part of a community that supports each other.'

The first World Plowing Championship was held in 1953 in conjunction with the International Plowing Match in Cobourg. Eleven countries participated. Today, there are 31 member countries that continue to meet in a spirit of friendship. The championship is held in a different country each year.

There are two categories - one for conventional plows (right-handed) and the other for reversible plows (left- and right-handed. The object is to create a perfect seedbed. The ideal plowing job consists of straight furrows of uniform size and shape throughout the plot. All weeds should be buried and sealed between the furrows. The start, finish and ends of the plot should be accurate and require minimal secondary cultivation to level out.

Conventional plows have one set of right-handed plow bottoms to turn the soil. To till the field, you need to travel in a circular fashion. Reversible plows, the class that Evans is competing in, have both left- and right-handed bottoms. The plow is rotated at the end of the field, and the field is worked from one side to the other by alternating the bottoms used.