Borden's 25th annual Threshing Day was held on a beautiful hot day, Sept 24, and over 400 people were at the site north of Borden to watch the different events and have soup, borscht, bread, jam and beverages at the McCheane-Wake cook car.
The gates opened at 10 a.m. with Jean Hryniuk and Ann Kohut, and later Ann Brand and Rosemarie Willis, manning the registration desk and handing out bulletins. Peggy and Darrel Walker, Melissa Saunders, Becky Cutting, Jason and Sheri-Ann Hanley, on horseback, directed cars to parking while David and Sam Derbawka were at the road directing traffic.
During the morning there was some bindering with horses and stoking. Mel Henry was plowing.
The Parade of Power was at noon with flag bearers Melissa Saunders and Becky Cutting on horseback, followed by Brad and Gay Funk's team of grey Percherons pulling a democrat. Stew Walton drove Louise Saunder's team, pulling a carriage with MLA Randy Weekes and pioneer John Newbold, age 97 and owner of the land where the threshing site is located. Pat Crush drove a Percheron-cross team and democrat with Glen Wright, NDP candidate for Biggar.
There were many teams pulling equipment: Eldon Downing from Dalmeny, Randy Wolfe from Dalmeny, Neil Bartsch and his Clydesdales from Martensville and Shirley Skolnik and John Enns with a quarter-cross-Appaloosa pulling a cart. Rod Malinowsky of North Battleford, Greg Malinowski of Lloydminister and Derek Malinowski of Battleford all drove heavy horse teams. Dave and Linda Wiebe of Martensville also drove a team of horses. Gordon Gerbrandt and Morris Mariott of Saskatoon had a quarter horse hitched to a stagecoach. Ken Crush drove his Percheron-cross team and Travis Waldner's team pulled the binder.
Vintage vehicles in the parade were a 1956 Pontiac driven by Larry Schpansky of Dalmeny and Brian Robinson of Saskatoon had a 1954 Willy's Lark.
There were a large number of tractors: a John Deere (JD) D40 pulling a two-bottom plow driven by Walter Nickel of Langham; Frank Block of Borden had his Massey Harris (MH) pony hooked to a JD Clipper Combine, Rod Roenspies had a 1940s DC4 Case with a 1949 MH baler; a 1948 Co-op E driven by Ervin Phieffer of Saskatoon; Bob Lightfoot of Saskatoon had his 1949 McCormick Farmall C; Nigel Cutting drove a 1956 Case 4D pulling a 1938 Case R; Brian Hudson had a 1948 JD B200 series with a row crop cultivator attached; Kevin Sutherland drove his dad's 1945 Farmall H; Rod Andrews of Saskatoon drove his 1945 JD AR; Bert Smith from the city drove a 1956 JD Model 60 high crop; Dalyn Matenchuk had his 1940 JD H that used either gas or kerosene; Justin Meena showed a 1945 W6 International; and Cyril Saunders drove his MH 27 combine. The Minneapolis 28 inch cylinder threshing machine was pulled by the 1927 cross-mount Case and - from the old to the new - Clive Wensley had his 2010 MF with a front-end loader.
After the parade there was a stationery engines display by Dave Saunders of Saskatoon, demonstrating a Fairbanks Morse engine pumping water with a Baker pump jack and a Treherne well pump belonging to Will Batty of Spiritwood. The 1948 Co-op E tractor ran the buzz saw for sawing wood and the 1945 W6 international ran the hammer mill for Clive Wensley to chop up the sheaves.
The team horse competition with 15 teams competing went on after 1 p.m. with Travis Waldner placing first, Rod Malinowski second and Ken Crush third. A number of guys, children and some women tried their hand at people-plowing with Clive directing the plow. Then the threshing machine was fired up and the threshing began, followed by six vintage tractors showing their expertise at tractor balancing.
The cook car was kept busy serving borscht, soup, bread and beverages, even though many wasps were trying to get at the food and a few people got bitten.
At 4 p.m. Sandra Long and Lorraine Olinyk opened the doors at the seniors' centre for people to get their supper tickets. Entertaining with music before getting called to eat at 4:40 p.m. were James Steele on fiddle, Sam Derbawka on banjo and Mel Degaenon on guitar. James and Sam had also played at the field in the afternoon. While waiting for supper, many went over and toured the museum.
Thanks to the great workers in the kitchen and the hostesses Gayle Wensley and Mary Saunders, the first sitting of 160 were soon fed and by 5:20 p.m. the next sitting was allowed into the hall.
The museum held their 50/50 draw and the winner of $479 was Grant Schoenroth of Radisson.
By the end of the evening everyone was tired but grateful for the great weather, all the volunteers and all the people, from out of town and the locals, that made the Threshermen's and Museum's 25th Threshing Day a great success once again.
Borden School volleyball teams did well Sept. 24, with the senior boys winning first in their home tournament, while the senior girls placed first in a tournament at Langham and the junior boys placed first in a tournament at Colonsay.
Radisson TOPS had their area captain, Debbie Bergen from Vanscoy, attend their Thursday morning meeting Sept. 22. She did a program on Super Foods, what they are and how they help your body.
