About Us

7

Floor open to discussion –

Please note – Newsletter costs are minimized when I can send the newsletter electronically. Mailing

is getting increasingly expensive. JHW will look into using UPS.

Thanks to Courtney’s parents for food, the dollars go to the SD Plowing Association.

Mike Rhoades moved to adjourn. Tom Gower seconded. Passed.

Adjourned at 725pm.

World Ploughing Organization Ploughing Competition

in Tartu, Estonia August 16th and 17th, 2024

The 69th World Ploughing Championship 2024 was held in Tartu, Estonia on August 16th and 17th,

2024. Gene Gruber and Jeremy Nietfeld were our USA Plowpersons with Hailey Gruber as Coach

and Kevin Albrecht as the USA Judge. Our USAPO World Ploughing Organization representative

was Conrad Gruber. I would venture that a mid-August date for the World Ploughing event is a bit

earlier than customary. Of course, our team went to Estonia for a prepractice week of plowing the

first week of August before the competition week of August 11-17.

There was a small group of Estonians running the world meet. They worked very hard to have a well

organized event. The competitors had college dorms for accomodations similar to those in York

England a while back. There was a tour day on Sunday before official practice. The tour went to a

dairy farm with a farm museum and a nature park with working horse stables.

There was some rain during the prepractice week but the weather was good for final day of prectice

and for the competition days. It is reported that there were some tram lines in the plots but our

professional plowmen were able to handle that. Our plowmen represented the USA Plowing

Organization well. Both of our plowmen were in the conventional class. Gene Gruber was 4th in

stubble with a score of 177 and 6th in grass with a score of 170 placing 6th overall. Jeremy Nietfeld

did very well as well with a 14th in stubble with a score of 149 and 10th in grass with a score of 152,

placing 12th overall. Some pictures of our team are below and from the pictures the weather looked

very fine for the competition. Congratulations to our plowmen

Lake of the Woods, MN Chosen the Site of the 2019 World Ploughing Competition
Baudette, MN  (November 29, 2017)  Lake of the Woods in northern MN has been chosen as the site of the 2019 World Ploughing Competition.  Competitors, judges, dignitaries and spectators from 32 different countries will attend with the event taking place August 30-31, 2019 in Lake of the Woods County, MN.  “Lake of the Woods Tourism and the entire community are very excited and honored to be hosting this international event,” explains Joe Henry, Executive Director of Lake of the Woods Tourism.  “It is an honor for Minnesota and for our area to represent the U.S. to such a diverse and international group of visitors.”
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The World Ploughing Organization has roots dating back to 1954.  The world competition is held in a different country each year with this year’s event in Kenya, the 2018 event in Germany and 2019, the U.S.   The USA and World Ploughing Organizations considered numerous U.S. locations for the 2019 competition with Lake of the Woods being chosen the host site representing to the rest of the world.Lake of the Woods is known for its world class fishing, hunting, and other outdoor opportunities.  Most people don’t recognize this region as agricultural.  “Lake of the Woods County actually has over 40,000 acres of agricultural land.  Farmers in this region grow a variety of crops including rye grass, soybeans, canola, sunflowers and more.  The area is a top producer of rye grass seed that is shipped worldwide and is often used at the finest golf courses in the southern U.S.”John Gaard, President of the USA Plowing Organization says, “The USAPO is extremely excited for Lake of the Woods to host the 2019 World Ploughing Competition.   The USA last hosted the World Ploughing Competition in 1988, so we look forward to our ploughing friends from around the world coming back to the USA and experience the warm hospitality and superb ploughing conditions that the Lake of the Woods area has to offer.” Competitors utilize tractors and ploughs for the competition but are not allowed the use of modern technology such as a gps.  Conventional and Reversible ploughing are scored using various criteria including straightness, weed control, crown, uniformity and finish just to name a few. In the agricultural world, ploughing is a big deal and has strong interest.  It is anticipated large crowds will attend the competition, some coming from across the world, others driving from the Midwest or Canada.  Following the two day world competition, the U.S. Nationals, Antique, and other competitions will be held.  Sponsorship opportunities are available.  For more information, contact Joe Henry, Executive Director of Lake of the Woods Tourism at 320-260-7727 or by email at joe.henry@lakeofthewoodsmn.com.More details on the 2019 World Ploughing Competition at www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com.