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By Jenny Kirk The 2024 Minnesota Plowing Organization’s state contest is being held in Murray County on Aug. 23-24. Coordinator Ray Randall said the event is open to anyone and that it will take place at Jim York’s Farm by Lake Wilson.
Anyone wishing to compete just needs to join the state organization — membership is $25 a year. “We don’t charge anything extra for competing in the contest,” Randall said. “And we do give out first, second and third in each of the classes.”
The state contest consists of at least four classes, including antique and open. “There will be at least four divisions or classes, and there might be five, depending on who shows up,” Randall said. “ The antique class is the only class that has an age requirement. Generally speaking, it’s anything prior to 1950-1955. It also has to be an older plow. It has to have a blacksmith share — that’s the cutting edge. It has to be a mechanical lift. No hydraulics.”
Randall, who used to be on the state plowing board for close for 10 years and was chairman for nearly half that time, said plowing contest interest has declined over the years. “The contest doesn’t usually draw a big crowd,” he said. “There’s not a lot of interest in plowing anymore.”
Despite the decline, excitement isn’t diminished for those who do show up to compete or watch. Randall said Thursday, Aug. 22 will be a day for people to set up, get their plows ready and practice a little. Then the two-day competition begins on Friday and Saturday. “For people that like to plow, it’s very competitive,” he said. “And yet, if you’re plowing and they see something that you’re doing is not coming out right, they’ll be the first to tell you to change your settings. It gets to be a fairly close-knit group.”
Southwest Minnesota is fortunate to host the state contest this year. “Jim York’s farm is one mile east out of Lake Wilson, on the south side, along Highway 30,” Randall said. “You can’t miss it.”
The start time for both days is typically between 9-10 a.m. There are bleachers available but Randall suggests people also bring their own lawn chairs. “We have a tent with just the top and we’ll have picnic tables in there, but if you really want to watch them plow, you should bring a light lawn chair with you,” he said. “There is no charge to get in. We’ll also have concessions — Jim is in charge of the food trailer.”
Randall said anyone who wants to compete can just show up. Most of the competitors use two-bottom plows or sometimes three-bottom plows, he said, noting that there is often a learning curve involved. Reading resident Rod Burkhart showed up a few years back with a big tractor and a five-bottom plow, not realizing the equipment was not ideal. Randall said Burkhart still competed, but then went and got himself a small tractor and small plow and has been active in their plowing contests ever since. And he’s even won.
Winners at the state competition can advance onto nationals. And the national winners have the opportunity to advance to the international/world competition. “Right now, we’ve got two contestants and about half a dozen pit crew at the World Plowing Contest,” Randall said. “One of the contestants we have over there, she’s plowing this year and is about 21 or 22 years old. She started plowing when she was about 14. Her dad has been world champion in one of the classes.”
Randall said he wasn’t sure if the father-daughter participants would be able to compete at this year’s state competition or not. If they win, then they have to back off competing for a while. It’s also possible their equipment might not be back to Murray County in time. “The ones that go onto the world competition, they plow with a European plow,” Randall said. “It’s quite a bit different. I’m not sure where the international competition is this year, but one year it was in Ireland.”
While some plowing organizations might just get together and plow or see who can go the fastest, Randall said the upcoming state competition judges the consistency and correctness of each plowing effort. “Our plowing is done very slowly,” he said. “Most of us don’t go more than 2 miles per hour. It’s about doing it correctly.” owners, they’ve seen a lot of changes over the years. They both said they were happy to be part of bringing the old clock back to Currie and that museum visitors would have the opportunity to learn about its history.
Dold was also glad to take part in the experience, especially since he loves history. He’s also a local expert who has written two books on Currie — “Now and Then” and “Now and Then … Again” — both of which can be found at End-O-Line, near the old clock that so many people used to walk or drive by when it was proudly displayed at Currie State Bank for so many years. “The locals can say, ‘I drove by that clock,’” Molitor said. “It was on the main corner of a fourway stop. You couldn’t miss it. And it’s something new at the park for everyone to enjoy, especially if people are looking for something different to do in the area.”
End-O-Line is open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, or by appointment.
