Local competitor off to Latvia for World Plowing Championship

When it comes to plowing, Canada has a unique relationship as it was the first country to host the ‘World Plowing Championship’ in 1953 at Cobourg, Ontario where it was part of the International Plowing match. Fourteen countries traveled to Canada from Europe to participate and, since then, a competition has been held every year since except for 1966, and 2020 and 2021 due to Covid.

Currently, 28 countries attend these contests from around the world. This event started as a post World War II peace initiative where farmers from around the world could come together and compete in a friendly competition. 2023 marks the 70^th anniversary of the first event and will be the 68^th world contest.

After winning the Canadian Championship at Rivers Manitoba in May 2022, Tom Evans of Tiverton, Ontario has been busy preparing to represent Canada at the 2023 World Plowing Championship to be held at Kuldiga, Latvia on October 13^th and 14^th.

This is the first time in the World Plowing Organization’s 70 year history that it will take place in Latvia, a small country on the Baltic Sea. Evans will be competing in the reversible plowing category for the third time, having previously competed in Kenya (2017) and the USA (2019). Joining him as teammate will be Brian Davenport of Owen Sound who will be competing in the conventional plowing category. Brian represented Canada for the first time in Ireland (2022).

For this year’s 68^th World Plowing Contest, the 48 competitors are organizing equipment to be sent to Latvia for competition in October. Evans and a volunteer support team will be traveling in advance to adjust to local conditions leading up to the competition on Oct 13th and 14^th.  A World Champion in each category will be awarded after the two days of competition based on the top score accumulated over the two days.

Evans says that there is a large amount of preparation required to compete at this level. “It is not as simple as loading your equipment on a trailer and arriving at the site. This is my third time representing Canada at the World Plowing Championships. I know that I need lots of practice and to pack a range of parts to be prepared to master the soil conditions there.”

To have the best chance to represent Canada, Evans and Davenport are sending their tractors, plows, and spare parts by sea container via Montreal to Riga, Latvia and by truck inland to the host site at Kuldiga. 

“The opportunity to represent Canada started at the Bruce County Plowing Match, followed by the 2019 International Plowing Match (the Ontario Championship), and finally winning the 2022 Canadian Plowing Championship,” says Evans.

Competitors representing Canada finance their own participation and an event has been organized to support Evans’ representation of Canada and Bruce County Plowmen. Donations are welcome.

Each participating country enters two competitors, usually one in each of the two categories defined by the type of plow used; reversible or conventional. Each country also sends one or more coaches and a judge. It is a two-day competition where grain stubble is plowed on day one and grass land on day two. Plots of 1/2 acre in size are plowed to set criteria with a time limit. The judges work in teams of three to score the competitors’ work. Overall world champions are declared in both categories.

For the participants, it is an honour to represent their country and, of even greater reward, are the lasting friendships formed among the nations.

Among the objectives of the Canadian Plowing Organization are to encourage provincial plowing organization, to organize contest and preserve the art of match plowing while representing the excellence of Canadian plowing annually at the World Championship.

The matches also stimulate interest in and provide guidance for the efficient use of farm machinery, demonstrate the sound seedbed preparation and conservation practices and to promote interest in plowing and farm productivity in general among Governments, industry and the public.

Organizers also consider the plow as a symbol of peace and goodwill throughout Canada and the world.

To help Evans fundraise, an event is being held that includes a dinner, silent and live auctions, all by donation.