HCPM26: Former Huron, Ontario Queen takes on Queen Chair role for IPM

BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN

Maranda Klaver’s life has been steeped in Queen of the Furrow competitions for years now. First she was a Huron County Princess, then the Queen of the Furrow and now she oversees the local competition and is the head of the International Plowing Match Queen of the Furrow committee for this year’s match in Bruce County in September.

 

Klaver was busy competing locally in 2017 when the International Plowing Match was held in Walton and wasn’t able to help administer the program when the match was held here. She wasn’t going to miss the opportunity this time with the match being held in neighbouring Bruce County. 

 

“I definitely love to keep busy and I love the Queen of the Furrow program,” Klaver said when asked why she stepped up to be part of it this year. She said she so greatly believes in the program and the opportunities it affords young women from rural communities across Ontario - knowing all that it’s done for her over the years - and wanted to be part of it this year.

 

Speaking of all that it’s done for Klaver over the years, she can’t speak highly enough about it. First she was chosen as the Huron County Princess and then the Huron County Queen of the Furrow. The timing was interesting as Klaver was able to serve as the Queen of the Furrow for several years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and no new winner being chosen, so, when the time came for her to finally compete at the International Plowing Match, representing Huron County, she made the most of it and was crowned Ontario Queen of the Furrow, a win that was much celebrated not just at the provincial match, but here at home.
Klaver was honoured at a special gathering at the Seaforth Legion later that fall by members of the community and visiting Queens and, when it was all said and done, hundreds of people had made their way to Seaforth to help her celebrate the win.

 

After she handed both the local and provincial crowns off to new winners, Klaver didn’t rest on her laurels. She immediately raised her hand and got involved locally, helping, alongside Joan Vincent and Natalie Fear before her, to work with the local competition. Right now, Vincent works with the Queens, while Klaver works with the Princesses - perhaps as a nod to where she started this whole process.

 

As for her new gig, it was as simple as Bruce County reaching out to her. It didn’t take her long to say yes and she began assembling her team, which is comprised completely of past provincial Queen of the Furrow winners, giving the committee a unique, yet extremely well-informed perspective from people who have all been there and done that.

 

She said that this level of knowledge has been invaluable in the early days of the process and directly led to one of Klaver’s personal touches to the provincial Queen of the Furrow process, which has gone over very well and has already been adopted for the 2027 match. Klaver proposed a sort of preliminary event for the Queen of the Furrow competition at the International Plowing Match. Calling it Queen Camp, she gathered all of the contestants in one place so they had a chance to get to know each other before the match. Furthermore, with her and the rest of her committee in attendance and administering the programming, they were able to prepare the contestants for what they could expect at the match, provide pointers on how they could put their best foot forward and answer any questions they may have had about the process, which, as Klaver admits, can be intimidating the first time around.

 

She’s already heard back from some of the contestants, telling her how helpful the whole process was. Now, however, Klaver has the Huron County Plowing Match to handle before the International Plowing Match is held up north. Klaver is looking forward to both challenges and welcoming them with open arms.

 

This year’s International Plowing Match, she said, brings together a great group of girls and she’s excited to see how it plays out in Bruce County.