Although attendance at the seventh-annual Chapple Heritage Days in Barwick this past weekend was down slightly from last year, the event still was everything organizers had hoped for.
“We were quite happy,” enthused Heather Oltsher, a member of the Chapple Heritage Committee who helped plan the two-day festivity. “Everyone seemed to enjoy it.”
The event took place at Steve and Joan Both’s farm, located four miles north on Barwick Road, and included a variety of activities Friday night and throughout the day Saturday.
Organizers said about 150 people were out Friday to enjoy the bonfire, wiener roast, music, and homemade ice cream while about 200 joined in Saturday’s activities, such as the antique tractor, lawnmower, and 4-wheeler pulls, whippet and horse and wagon rides, and a hatchet hunt.
A watermelon-eating contest, a kids’ coin hunt, and a threshing demonstration also were held Saturday, and people could tour the heritage farm buildings, as well.
“There was something going on in every little corner,” Oltsher noted. “There was even some music and it was really nice to sit and listen to it for a while.”
She admitted it’s difficult to determine the exact number of attendees, noting they had a guest book at the refreshment table for the first time this year but not everyone signed it.
And not everyone purchased a bagged lunch on Saturday, either.
“Once people get to know [the guest book] is there, it will help us determine the attendance and help us prepare for next year,” she added.
Oltsher said since Chapple Days garners a different crowd than the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship, she didn’t think they lost attendance because of it.
But she indicated a large wedding had been taking place in Stratton, which may have accounted partially for the decline.
And, she added, although they have been fortunate to never be rained out in the nine years of the event, the hot temperatures may have kept some of the seniors away.
But host Steve Both, for his purposes, called the weather “perfect.”
“It worked out really well,” he stressed, saying Friday was a big hit with a good crowd and good music.
“It is an awful lot of work—lots of evenings and lots of hours preparing—but it’s a lot of fun and all worth it when it’s done,” he added.
All of Saturday’s activities went off without a hitch, Both said, aside from a few breakdowns with the threshing machines, which he called “typical.”
One of the main attractions, of course, was the tractor pulls. The results were as follows:
Class A
1st. Jason Strom—1941 John Deere
2nd. Betty Salchert—1946 Massey Harris
3rd. Wayne Salchert—1945 John Deere
4th. Ben Vandrunen—1946 Allis Chalmers
5th. Randy Both—1950 Massey Harris
6th. Steve Both—1950 Ford
Class B
1st. Charlie Morken—1920 Rumly
2nd. Gary Barker—1940 Farmall
3rd. Alf Redford—1948 Massey Harris
4th. Delbert Redford—1947 Massey Harris
5th. Rod Carter—1950 John Deere
6th. Glen Jackson—1938 Fordson
7th. Murray Wilson—1950 8N
Participants in the lawnmower pull included Stan Olson on a 1971 John Deere, Scott Stafford on a Minneapolis Moline, and Randy Both driving James Steiner’s 2007 Steiner.
Meanwhile, Luke and Lane Sargeant (with passengers Kate and Carrie Sargeant) showed how much they could pull in their gator while Steve Both pulled some weight in his gator.
And Doug and Jeff Cross participated in the 4-wheeler pull with their 2006 750 and 650 Kawasakis.
“People had a lot of fun,” enthused Betty Salchert who helped organize the tractor, lawnmower, and 4-wheeler pulls. “Maybe next year will get more tractors involved.”
There also were winners for each category of the watermelon-eating contest while Salchert was the first person to find the hatchet in the hatchet hunt.
“We had several businesses and some personal contributors who donated food and prizes for the events,” Oltsher noted, adding they’re thankful for the donations since they do not charge admission to the event.
“Everything is free, except for lunch,” she added. “And even then there are still some bills to pay.”
She estimated a few hundred dollars was raised, which will go towards the Chapple Museum.
“There’s a lot of work involved in this—it doesn’t just happen,” Oltsher stressed. “The Both family does a lot of work to get ready, like making sure there is hay for the threshing demonstration and cutting the trails in the bush for the whippet and horse and wagon rides.
“If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t be able to have these Days,” she added.
Both said they plan on hosting the event at their farm again next year, stressing everyone is welcome to come.
“Sometimes people just think it’s just something for our friends and neighbours, but it’s not—it’s for everyone,” he remarked.
Oltsher said it’s a unique place to celebrate their Chapple heritage and hopes more visitors will join in the festivities next year.
“There’s still a lot of people who don’t realize that there is this little treasure back north of Barwick,” she noted. “We’re really thankful that the Both’s share it so we can all be a part of it.
“People have to come out next year. If you haven’t been before, it’s worth the trip,” she stressed.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
