Ormstown 4-H Hosts 38th Annual Square Dancing Competition

Open to all the members of 4-H club, the Ormstown Square Dancing competition is an annual tradition—one that has been alive and well since 1979. On Saturday, April 9th, the Ormstown 4-H club hosted their 38th annual square dancing competition at the local rec centre (where it has been held since 1999).

The event, which serves as a fundraiser, is also a celebration of the club’s heritage. This year, a little over 200 people attended the event, not including the 120 participants who took to the dance floor. Another highlight of the event, the half-and-half draw, saw winner Amanda Farquhar leave with a portion of the winnings, while the other half was donated to Venturing Out Beyond Our Cancer (VOBOC), a non-profit organization supporting young people with cancer. This donation was made in memory of Kristen Maither, a past 4-H member and participant in the event.

Teams from Lachute, Vankleek Hill, Shawville, Richmond, Howick and Ormstown participated, making for a lively afternoon of music and camaraderie. Neil Mackay, who has been backstopping the event for all 38 years of its history, provided the music. Fiddlers John Wilson, Emmy Desrosiers and Ralph Bedard also took to the stage, with Jacques Lavallée and Brigitte Miller on guitar and Dorothy Barr and Connie McClintock on piano.  

The event is known for its relaxed environment. “It's a competition, but I don't see it as one,” said Kelsey Bryson, co vice-president of the Ormstown 4-H club. “I see it as a night that I can make memories and friends and have a great time dancing my night away.” Bryson, 16, sees 4-H as more than just a youth leadership club. Instead she describes it as a passion. “Without 4-H, I don't think I'd be who I am today. It's given me amazing experiences and allowed me to travel to other provinces, make unforgettable memories and life-long friends,” she explained.

Winners were gifted with a number of awards, with the majority of them being donated by Roy Templeton. Prizes included a stunning wooden lamp, a fruit bowl, a plaque and a candy bowl. The Best Caller of the evening was awarded a wooden carving—a Bruce Barr creation.

Results are as follows:

Best Junior Caller: Brittany Knox (Ormstown)

First place PeeWee team: Lachute Red

Second place PeeWee team: Ormstown

Best PeeWee couple: Jacob Bryson and Lily Ross (Ormstown)

Runner-up PeeWee couple: Dylan Vaudrey and Jane Heatlie (Lachute Red)

First place Junior team: Lachute Plaid

Second place Junior team: Lachute Green

Best Junior couple: Ella Bryson and Hailey McDougall (Ormstown)

Runner-up Junior couple: Harrison Neill and Stacey Godin (Lachute Green)

First place Senior team: Ormstown

Second place Senior team: Vankleek Hill

Best Senior couple: Kurt Mueller and Emma Hooker (Ormstown)

Runner-up Senior couple: (Tie) Thornton Wesley and Ashleigh Cavers (Ormstown)/Devan Dixon-Smith and Jenna Hammond (Lachute)