On a beautiful sunny warm day, Borden held their annual threshing day at the site two miles north of Borden Sept. 25.
Before noon, the teams of horses showed how discing, sulky plowing and bindering were done in pioneer days. The McCheane Wake Cook car was busily serving borscht, vegetable soup, bread with jam and beverages.
At noon the parade was held, with flag bearers on horseback - Barry Thiessen and Melissa Saunders - leading the way. Horseback riders Mona, Colton and Spencer Thiessen and Rachel Sutherland were followed by teams of Percherons, Clydesdales and quarter horse crosses pulling vintage implements or people haulers belonging to Stew Walton of Borden, Neil Bartsch of Saskatoon, Tim James of Asquith, Randy Wolfe of Saskatoon, Ken Crush and Brad Funk of Langham, Ed Loewen of Battlefords, Mel Henry of Martensville and Travis Waldner of Langham.
Derek Malinowski from the Battlefords had a four-horse hitch of grey quarter horse/Percheron cross and black Percheron/thoroughbred cross animals pulling the binder. Maynard Waldner had a two-seater buggy pulled by his grey quarter horse cross. Louise Saunders steered her team of quarter horses hitched to a democrat and John Schlosser drove his horseless carriage.
Tractors were a 1953 JDR driven by Frank Silcox, Case DC4 driven by Bill Fairbrother, 1955 JD 60 operated by Bert Smith, Saskatoon and Bishop Rod Andrews of Saskatoon drove his John Deere. Walter Nickel drove a 1926 Case, Dave Haw operated a 1948 Co-op E, Irvan Pfeifer of Saskatoon drove 1950 McCormick Super A and Clive Wensley's 1981 4240 JD pulling a round baler.
Ralph Wensley drove the 1927 cross mounted Case pulling a 1928 MM Threshing machine belonging to Daryl Amey, Cyril Saunders had his 1947 MH 21 combine in the parade.
After the parade the chore team competition started with nine teams entered. They were timed as they maneuvered through an obstacle course. The winner was Ken Crush of Langham with his team of Percheron crosses. A few teams of 12 did people plowing with Ralph Wensley handling the one furrow plough.
Redberry Grass - David, Sam and Stephanie Derbawka - provided some bluegrass/gospel music for two hours at the site and then again at the seniors' room while diners waited to go in to eat supper.
The threshing started at 2:30 p.m. The machine had a hard time with the long stemmed, tough oat sheaves, but managed to get some threshed. Cyril combined the rest of the field with his MH 21.
There were close to 500 at the grounds and 350 seated for the roast beef supper in the community centre at 5 p.m. Many toured the museum on its last open day of the season. The museum had a 50/50 raffle draw and winning $640 was Harvey Boldt of Borden.
