The 2019 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo has officially come to a close.
For organizers, after years of planning and execution, it is over after five short, but amazing days.
“One of our primary objectives was to host the greatest plowing match in the history of mankind,” IPM 2019 chair Neil Fox said. “I think that regardless of how you measure that success, the accomplishments of our board and all the volunteers and to all the participants, we have had so much positive feedback that we think we have accomplished that hands down.”
MPP for Timiskaming-Cochrane John Vanthof, who was at the IPM in Earlton 10 years ago, liked what he saw at this year’s edition of the event.
“Things went very well in Earlton and things went well here. There are things being done here that we didn’t do in Earlton. For example, running the parade through town before it went to the match, it brought the whole community spirit to the match as well. All of it was incredible.”
Vanthof camped in the RV Park for the run of the IPM and says he had the chance to mingle with other IPM vets.
“We had people coming to our campsite saying they have gone to every IPM for years. We had one who had been to Earlton and we asked them what they thought. They told us Northern Ontario is great, the people are friendly. I’m so proud to be here.”
“A lot of positive feedback and to be honest with you, it was very overwhelming,” West Nipissing Mayor Joanne Savage said. “The magnitude of the event and to see all the work of all the volunteers and support, sponsors, exhibitors, and the partnership we have done is phenomenal.”
Being that this has only been the second time in its 102-year history the IPM has been hosted north of Barrie (Earlton), and by all accounts, they have been a success each time, how eager should Northern Ontario be to host another event such as this?
“There are other areas that could host an event like this,” Vanthof said. “This area could host it again, Earlton could host it again, but judging by the amount of heart and soul that went into Earlton and the amount of heart and soul that went into this one, it takes a while to recharge. If the community wants to gel-like this community has, nothing is impossible.
“This is a small community, to take on a task this big and they have done what Northern Ontario has always done,” said Vanthof. “There are all kinds of people volunteering here that when this started didn’t know what a plowing match was, and still might not know but they knew they needed to be a part of this and put their heart and soul into it.”
“I remember the day that I was in Guelph in 2016, and when I was sitting there people from the south were asking if we were sure we wanted to host the IPM. They created a bit of doubt on whether or not we should have proceeded with it. For us, we see it as an opportunity to blossom, opportunities like this are so few and far apart that we should capitalize on this,” Savage added.
It took two and a half years for the IPM to go from seedling to the event, and but Fox says it was well worth it.
“The friendships that have been forged between members of our planning team, relationships that existed that grew stronger through this process and planning. There is nothing that would have deterred me from having taken this on in the first place but I am very grateful that I had the opportunity and be offered to do this by the municipality.”
“No regrets from this kid at all.”