Box 83, Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, Canada.
The following is a report on the Third Annual Threshing Bee and
Hobby Show held on the Stewart Ranch at Maple Creek, Saskatchewan,
Canada. We had approximately 1500 people attend the show September
5 and 6-Labor Day Week-end, 1971.
Four steam traction engines were running both days. A 20-75 and
25-90 Nichols and Shepard, a 65 Case and a 75 Case. A 26-76
Sawyer-Massey was on display but was not yet restored. These were
used both days to power two Rumely separators and one Case
separator and to furnish power for a sawmill and to pull a five and
ten bottom plow.
Gas tractors in the larger sizes were a 30-60 Oilpull, Serial
No. 942, a 40-80 Minneapolis, 22-44 Aultman and Taylor and an
opposed two cylinder Mogul, 12-25 HP bought in 1914 and the wood-en
separator, a Belle City, sold by I.H.C. at that time. Some twenty
other gas tractors were also on display and took part in the
parade.
Some fifteen stationary engines, a horse powered baler and grain
grinder also were shown.
Engineers were from far and near-some from Saskatoon and Regina,
two from Scoby, Montana and from Medicine Hat, Alberta and Gull
Lake, Saskatchewan. We would like to thank these men and hope they
will be back again next year.
We had various competitions and the winners were as follows: In
the setting-up event, first was C. F. Connaughty of Stonehinge,
Sask., second was George Dunlop of Saskatoon. Champion Thresherman
competition went to C. F. Connaughty (Steam Case 65) and the
runner-up was Frank Thompson and Son from Readlyn, Sask. on the
30-60 Oilpull. Best restored car went to Bill Baxter of Swift
Current, Sask. for a 1929 Nash. Bill Butterwick of Nemiscam,
Alberta won the Model Steam Engine contest with a 117 pound model
of a British Traction Engine, all hand-built. Miss June Widdyfield
of Cabrie, Sask. won the Junior Pioneer costume event and the
Senior winner was Mrs. Walter Egan of Medicine Hat, Alberta. Mrs.
Egan also thrilled the younger ones as well as some adults with a
stage show of magic tricks, etc.
The Hobby Show was well attended as it was the first year it was
presented. The proceeds from the show were to go to digging a well
on the grounds and towards installing the power. Both these have
been done at the time of this writing.
We consider the show a huge success. I hope that I did not omit
any persons that contributed to the events but to those, if I did
miss Thank you!
See you all next year. Watch for our dates at a later time.
