Racing tractors, thrashing wheat and bucking broncs are at the heart of a long-standing festival celebrating agriculture in Southwestern Manitoba.

Volunteer Sorina Roy, 18, has been a regular at the Manitoba Threshermen’s Reunion and Stampede since she was three weeks old. Her grandfather John Paul Roy helped start the show with a couple of buddies more than six decades ago in Austin, about 130 kilometres west of Winnipeg.

It’s been good to see the next generation of volunteers stepping up to keep Thresherman’s alive, Sorina’s mom Cathy Roy said.

“They have to get into it or we’re going to lose this place. It’s just going to turn into old tractors in a yard,” Cathy said. “I don’t want that.”

Theshermen’s began with a track and a few tractors in a parade. Now in its 67th year, it’s become one of the largest farm heritage festivals in the country. Sorina said it grew through community support into the expansive four-day show it is today — in 2016 it set the Guinness World Record for most antique threshing machines operating at once.

The show, hosted by the Manitoba Agricultural Museum, attracts visitors from across North America who can explore a historic Homesteader’s Village, check out antique tractors, try their hand at threshing and end the night watching the competitive Rodeo.

Sorina, who lives in Brandon about 220 kilometres west of Winnipeg, said volunteering at Threshermen’s with her massive extended family helps them stay connected to their heritage and the legacy her granddad helped create. She even has her own antique tractor she brings to the show.

Sorina’s goal is to inspire other young people to volunteer and come to the show so it can continue for years to come.

Cathy said her daughter’s been successful.

“She’s been trying to force her friends out here and they’re actually coming out on their own now,” Cathy said with a laugh. “They’re following her around. And next year, now that they have jobs because they’ve all graduated, they’re actually going to book time off to come out and volunteer more.”

Generations make the show possible

Just like Sorina, Cathy has been coming to the show for most of her life. She was a one-year-old when she went to her first Threshermen’s.

“My dad was such a big part of this place, it’s just another family to me,” Cathy said.

The Roy’s camp with their friends and family every year for Threshermen’s. It is a tight-knit community that helps her kids stay connected to agriculture, Cathy said. Their camp sits nestled in the heart of the site and acts as a reunion space for agricultural lovers every year.

Sorina said it’s been neat to grow up with others who volunteer or compete at Thresherman’s. 

“They’ve been here as long as I have,” Sorina said, adding now it’s up to her generation to keep the rodeo and reunion alive.

Jerry Doucette, rodeo organizer and chair of the rodeo committee has been in the arena for 58 years. His son Dustin has been following in his footsteps to keep the Western spirit alive.

“I think families get together and do that sort of thing … it’s almost a heritage,” Jerry said.

Bringing Threshermen’s to life gives people a glimpse into agriculture and livestock work. It can also inspire a new appreciation for rodeo sports and farming for the next generation.

“There’s so many things here that you can get interested in, so I can see a young person coming here and liking one thing more than the other. And if you’ve got a half a dozen things or a dozen things going on, there’s more choices for them,” Jerry said.

His son Dustin is the shoot boss, working with animals and cowboys to make sure everything runs smoothly, and sits on the rodeo committee.

He was introduced to the rodeo life by his dad. Dustin said he started on the bottom rung of the ladder and slowly worked his way up along with others who are still hitting the dirt this year.

“It is kind of nice to have the hometown rodeo,” Dustin said. “A lot of the guys that are coming up and helping with the stock, their dads did the same or their grandparents or uncle.”

Connecting the past to the future

Sorina said her goal is to keep going to the show and bringing more people with her each year so they can learn about and experience agriculture.

She’s working to keep the volunteer base strong and is now recruiting her friends to help at the Threshermen’s reunion. Sorina said they’re also falling in love with the show.

“I don’t think I’ll stop coming here,” Sorina said. “I want to continue it.”

Thresherman’s, which kicked off on Thursday, runs through the weekend.