Queen of the Furrow
What is the Queen Competition?
The Ontario Queen of the Furrow competition takes place each year at the International Plowing Match & Rural Expo.
The competitors represent counties, regions and districts throughout Ontario and have won the competition held by their local Branch Association.
During the year of their reign, they represent their Branch at local events and at the IPM.
The first Ontario Queen of the Furrow competition was held in 1960 and continues to be an initiative that supports young women in agriculture and encourages building of tomorrow’s community leaders.
Competing for the Ontario Queen of the Furrow title at the IPM requires each local Queen to plow, give a short speech on agriculture, and have an interview with a panel of three judges who accompany the Queens at the Match.
- Those chosen as the five finalists will also be required to give an impromptu speech at the Celebration of Excellence Banquet.
- The newly selected Ontario Queen participates at the Match until closing on the last day.
- This allows her to meet many members of the OPA and the current year’s IPM Local Committee, and also get acquainted with the host community and Local Committee for the following year’s IPM.
- The Ontario Queen of the Furrow is awarded a bursary and a vehicle for the term of her reign.
The Ontario Queen acts as an ambassador for Ontario agriculture, travelling the province and attending events to promote the IPM and the Ontario Plowmen’s Association.
Congratulations to our 2025-2026 Ontario Queen of the Furrow:
2025-26
Past Ontario Queens of the Furrow
2024 – Melissa Karpenko (Peel-Dufferin)
2023 – Maranda Klaver (Huron)
2022 – Anna Lennox (Grey Normanby)
2021 – Anna Lennox (Grey Normanby)
2020 – Heidi Frey (Wellington)
2019 – Derika Nauta (Oxford)
2018 – Kailey Donaldson (Halton)
2017 – Anita Rastapkevicius (Elgin)
2016 – Kathryn Chant (Grenville)
2015 – Laura Price (Simcoe)
2014 – Celie Diebold (Waterloo)
2013 – Sara Little (Perth)
2012 – Courtney Connors (Prescott)
2011 – Tammy Fischer (Bruce)
2010 – Melissa Sparling (Huron)
2009 – Jennifer Megens (Region of Durham)
2008 – Katie Cheesmond (Wellington)
2007 – Vanessa Klages (Bruce)
2006 – Jennifer Christie (Bruce)
2005 – Abbie Brander (Peel-Dufferin)
2004 – Darlene Downey (Peel-Dufferin)
2003 – Stephanie Vanden Berg (York)
2002 – Melanie Babcock (Frontenac)
2001 – Amy Holmes (Perth)
2000 – Katie Dickieson (Wellington)
1999 – Andrea Wills (Middlesex)
1998 – Cheryl Hammell (Bruce)
1997 – Pam Smelski (Perth)
1996 – Amy Dickieson (Wellington)
1995 – Kristy McCormack (South Simcoe)
1994 – Mary-Lou Fletcher (Wellington)
1993 – Tammy Thompson (Bruce)
1992 – Melissa Parney (Kent)
1991 – Trina Code (Lanark)
1990 – Karen Sayles (Brant)
1989 – Jill Patterson (Ottawa-Carleton)
1988 – Jackie Bultje (Wellington)
1987 – Lori Hamilton (Hastings)
1986 – Christine Gee (Oxford)
1985 – Lynne Dodds (Huron)
1984 – Lori-Ann Shibish (South Simcoe)
1983 – Sharon Salm (Waterloo)
1982 – Yvonne Pallister (Grey)
1981 – Marie Thomas (South Simcoe)
1980 – Peggy Kniesz (Perth)
1979 – Laurie Frame (Brant)
1978 – Lynne Stewart (Halton)
1977 – Barbara Taylor (Peel)
1976 – Dawn Brunton (Bruce)
1975 – Arlene Wilson (Peel)
1974 – Sheila Armstrong (Perth)
1973 – Linda Shouldice (Grey)
1972 – Janice Fox (Haldimand)
1971 – Mary Dolson (Peel)
1970 – Eva Young (Haldimand)
1969 – Bonnie Anderson (York)
1968 – Irene Lawrence (Peel)
1967 – Amy Stewart (Huron)
1966 – Verna Thompson (Halton)
1965 – Shaaryn Wylie (Victoria)
1964 – Elizabeth Barker (York)
1963 – Barbara Cunnington (Peel)
1962 – Barbara Mason (Peel)
1961 – Lynda Prong (Elgin)
Queen of the Furrow pics from previous IPMs:
From the 1991 IPM Archives:
