Salvation Army – Morning Coffee

Weather forecast for Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Today – Mainly cloudy. Clearing near noon. Wind becoming east 20 km/h this morning. High 25. Humidex 29. UV index 7 or high.

Tonight – A few clouds. Increasing cloudiness after midnight then 30 percent chance of showers before morning. Risk of a thunderstorm before morning. Low 15.

Opening Day festivities at IPM 2018

The morning haze lifted and the sun shone bright just in time for the Opening Day Parade and Ceremony, officially launching a five-day celebration of agriculture and rural living known as the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo – held Sept. 18 to 22 near the Village of Pain Court (Municipality of Chatham-Kent).

“I’m delighted to welcome you,” Premier Doug Ford said during the Opening Ceremony.

“Thank you to the people of Chatham-Kent. I have spoken with hundreds and hundreds of farmers and farm workers as I’ve travelled across Ontario. They tell me they are proud of what they do, and as they should be,” he added, praising the agricultural and automotive industries as the “fuel” for economic boom times.

The IPM – organized by the Ontario Plowmen’s Association (OPA), in conjunction with a local committee – is held in a different community every year, offering five days of competitions, live entertainment, hundreds of vendors and exhibitors, children’s activities, antique and historical displays, and much more. Adding to the excitement this year are several Guinness World Record attempts.

“Thank you so much for being here. This is awesome looking out and seeing so many people out in a farmer’s field, celebrating agriculture,” said IPM 2018 Co-chair Darrin Canniff.

“This is a perfect example of community coming together. We’ve had hundreds of businesses step up, over 1,000 volunteers, tens of thousands of volunteer hours all to put this together. All to celebrate agriculture.”

“I don’t know where to start with thanking everyone,” added fellow Co-chair Leon Leclair.

“If it wasn’t for the landowners, we wouldn’t have this. If we didn’t have the sponsors, we wouldn’t have this. If the municipality wouldn’t have stepped up, we wouldn’t have this. If we wouldn’t have you guys (visitors) here, we wouldn’t have this. And most of all, the volunteers.”

OPA President David Murray continued the praise of local organizers, volunteers and more.

“We’ve got five days of exciting events for everyone to enjoy – from horse plowing, tractor plowing, a rodeo, we’ve got dancing tractors, there’s a Lifestyles Tent and tons of stage entertainment,” Murray said. “Enjoy your time here. Make this the most enjoyable Match ever attended.”

Once again, this year’s Presenting Partners are BMO Bank of Montreal, Hydro One and the Ontario Mutual Insurance Association. Funding from the Province of Ontario’s Celebrate Ontario grant is also a major contributor.

“At BMO Bank of Montreal, we’re committed to supporting the agricultural sector and all the farming families across Canada. I want to thank you all very much for coming out and supporting. I want to thank all the volunteers and organizers,” commented BMO Bank of Montreal Regional Vice-President Bob Ferris. “Thank you very much and have a great week.”

For Hydro One, the IPM is its biggest annual sponsorship recipient.

“We’ve got many important customers in the crowd this week,” noted Hydro One Chief of Corporate Affairs Jason Fitzsimmons.

“You’re our rural customers, our farming customers, our small business customers and it’s important for us to be here with you and to hear from you, and equally for us to be out in the community supporting this fantastic event.”

“We’ve got 15 years as presenting sponsor of the IPM. Congratulations to everyone who gets behind this every year to make it happen – the OPA, the local association and all those volunteers,” said Ontario Mutual Insurance Association President John Taylor.

“Have a great week and please enjoy the IPM.”

Results from each day’s plowing competitions will be posted at http://www.plowingmatch.org/daily/1-1.php once they’ve been tallied.

Coming up on Wednesday:

– Chef Bob Blumer and team attempt to establish the Guinness World Record for Largest Caesar Cocktail. Ingredients will be prepared throughout the morning in the World Records Tent, culminating in a parade to the Final Furrow Lounge for final mixing at about 2:30 p.m.

– Plowing competitions get underway at 9:30 and 10 a.m. Queen of the Furrow contestants will be plowing at 2:30 p.m.

– Daniel Steep’s Agri-Magic Show at 11 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. in the Hydro One Education Centre

– Team Farmall dancing tractors (11 a.m. & 1 p.m.), Horse Power Live (11:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.), Canadian Cowgirls Precision Drill Team (10:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.), antique equipment demonstrations and much more.

To download the full schedule, visit https://www.plowingmatch.org/news-2018/ipm-2018-show-guide

Here are some photos from the event: