HCPM26: Dugald McIntosh looks ahead to another year of competition

BY SCOTT STEPHENSON

For Huron County Plowing Match (HCPM) champion Dugald McIntosh, competitive plowing is about so much more than driving in a straight line - traditional tractoring is an art form that requires skill and rewards patience. 

 

It’s also an art form that his family has been participating in for generations. “It’s more than just getting to the match and hoping everything works,” he explained to The Citizen. “You’ve got to be willing to practise. You’ve got to take the time to really think about things. You’ve got to get off the tractor with the tape measure and check stuff out.”

 

These days, Dugald is a rising star in the field, but his parents, Ross and Barb, have recognized their son’s talent pretty much from the moment he first took a seat on a tractor pulling a plow! “He just seemed to get on and go,” Ross recalled. “It just seemed so natural - he’d just go for it.”

 

Perhaps Dugald’s early fervor for furrowing was stoked by having a real-life plowing legend in the family. Growing up, his grandfather, Bob Fotheringham, was always sharing tips and techniques with his grandson. 

 

By the time Dugald began competing, Fotheringham was already in the early stages of dementia, but he was still determined to support his grandson as he learned the sport of soil-shifting. “My father felt it was important to be there the first day Dugald hopped on that tractor and plowed - he was right there, behind him,” Barb recollected. “And he’s been supporting him ever since.”

 

Fotheringham first learned the craft through his Seaforth high school’s plowing club. “He said he was too small for the football team, so he joined the plow club instead,” she recounted. Although his memories from that time in his life have faded over the years, one subject still brings a smile. “He’s always excited to hear stories when Dugald goes to see him,” Barb told The Citizen. “Even though he can’t always remember certain things, he knows Dugald, and he knows he can plow. He’s very proud of him.”
Strong family support has helped shape not only Dugald’s personal success as a competitor, but also as a plowing mentor. Just like his grandfather, Dugald has become a familiar face coaching Queen of the Furrow candidates through the plowing portion of the competition. So far, his coaching has led more than one Queen competitor to the crown.

 

Ross believes his son is well-suited to carry-on the family legacy of teaching traditional fieldwork skills. “He’s always been good at getting out, measuring and checking everything,” he pointed out. “He’s been good at talking to the younger people and explaining what he’s doing with the plow.” Rather than sticking to simply giving instructions on the day of, Dugald goes the extra furrow by working with competitors ahead of the event to help build their confidence.

 

Although he’s returning to the HCPM this year as a defending champion, his approach remains largely unchanged from last year. “I’ll get the tractor hooked up and get practising. The techniques usually come toward the end of the season,” Dugald divulged to The Citizen. “The first couple of weeks, you’re just learning what you forgot over the winter. I’m going to add a second depth wheel to the back, and hopefully it will let the plow follow the ground a little better. There’s always competition, but as long as I use the tape measure and keep thinking about stuff, I should be alright.”

 

Away from competition, the pre-plowing match portion of Dugald’s summer has looked much like that of many young farmers. “We’ve spent a lot of time on the barn refurbishment, and I just finished up with the wheat harvest,” he explained. “That was a few busy days, and since then, I’ve just worked on the farm.”

 

For newcomers thinking about entering their first plowing competition, Dugald believes in seeking wisdom before hitting the field. “Go out and watch people that have been doing it for some years,”  he advised. “Talk to them, ask for advice. If you’re struggling while you’re practising, go talk to somebody who’s been doing it for a little while.”

 

For Ross and Barb, however, the greatest reward isn’t measured in ribbons or trophies - it’s seeing their son build real connections. “Everybody gets together to stop and eat and chat about what’s happening,” Ross said. “You make some good friendships over the years,” Barb added.

 

This year, the competition season will continue beyond Huron County, as Dugald is also planning to compete at the International Plowing Match in Bruce County this September.